Chieftain file photo Wounded warrior and Marine Corps veteran Joshua Elliott, of Yakima, Wash., poses for photos with wife Samantha (left) after the completion of his first triathlon, at Wallowa Lake last year.

Triathletes from around the country are ready to test themselves this weekend in Wallowa County.

The 4th Annual Wallowa Lake State Park Sprint Triathlon has 26 athletes signed up for the Sept. 12 event. That’s down from last year’s total of 75, for a number of reasons including fires and a scheduling conflict with the Palouse Spring Triathlon in Moscow. But the intensity will be the same.

“It’s always a lot of fun and given that we have a lot of first-timers (and at least three teenage participants this year), being smaller isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” said organizer Paige Sully.

All of the money raised goes to Safe Harbors, a local non-profit that works to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault for their shelter project.

“We’re lucky to have sponsors that entirely pay for the running of the event,” said Sully. “We’re able to donate everything we raise to Safe Harbors.”

The race donated $2,000 to Safe Harbors in 2013 and $3,129 in 2014.

The race includes a quarter-mile (500-meter) swim in Wallowa Lake (starting at the Marina), a 12-mile bike ride to Joseph and back and a three-mile run around the resort community of Wallowa Lake.

Packet pickup is at the south end of Wallowa Lake, at the Marina, on Friday, Sept. 11, from 4 to 7 p.m. or on race morning. Be there by 8 a.m. to prepare. The race starts at 9 a.m.

A 5km run/walk is also available to those who are not up to the Triathlon but want to participate. The course is the same as that of the triathlon and will start after the last swimmer has left the water.

No day-of-the-race registration is taken, so Thursday, Sept. 10, is the last day you can enter the race.

Register by visting www.active.com and click on triathlon.