The “free days” are in keeping with legislation that created the Discover Pass — a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on state recreation lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Natural Resources.

The legislation provided that State Parks could designate up to 12 “free days” when the pass would not be required. The free days apply only at state parks, like Lake Sammamish State Park or the Tiger Mountain State Forest; the Discover Pass is still required to access WDFW and DNR lands.

The free days are:

• Jan. 1 — New Year’s Day and State Park’s First Day Hikes Day
• Jan. 18 and 19 –Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• March 19 –Washington State Parks’ 102nd birthday
• April 4 – A springtime free Saturday
• April 22 – Earth Day
• May 10 – A springtime free Sunday
• June 6 – National Trails Day
• June 13 – National Get Outdoors Day
• Aug. 25 – National Park Service 99th birthday
• Sept. 26 – National Public Lands Day
• Nov. 11 – Veterans Day

Learn more about the Discover Pass at www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

The team brought home the total points trophy and the individual boys’ and girls’ team points trophies for the second year in a row. The team won points by finishing each race.

The Brentwood Regatta is the largest youth rowing event in North America, featuring more than 1,700 rowers from the Pacific Northwest and southwest Canada.

Local man wins national 15K trail championship

Newcastle resident Joseph Gray, 27, recently took first place in the USA 15km Trail Championships in Spokane, crossing the finish line with a time of 54 minutes and 57 seconds.

He finished a minute and a half ahead of the second-place finisher.

Gray will race in the 2011 North American Central American Caribbean Mountain Championships — which he won in 2009 and 2010 — in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico, on July 17. He will race as a member of the U.S. team.

Gray finished 10th at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2010, leading the U.S. men’s team to its first team silver medal.

Hazen sports stacking team wins big in Texas

Hazen High School’s sports stacking team traveled to the World Sport Stacking Championship in Garland, Texas, from April 15-17.

The team used its talents of quickly stacking cups to take home 38 medals and five trophies.

Hazen stackers Brittney Drebert, Josh Glassburn and Pierce Harris set new personal world records. Ashley Boyd, Brittney Drebert, Priscilla Hurt and Kayla Zapatad set a new relay world record.

Triathlon is June 4

The Issaquah Triathlon is June 4 and is held at Lake Sammamish State Park.

More than 1,000 athletes are expected to compete in the 11th annual event.

The first race, the sprint triathlon, starts at 7 a.m. The sprint triathlon appeals to veteran triathletes, as well as novices.

The sprint triathlon course consists of a quarter-mile swim, a 15-mile bicycle ride and a 3-mile run.

The sprint duathlon consists of a 15-mile bike ride and a 3-mile run.

Among the other events are the 5K and 10K runs, and the kids’ triathlon. The kids’ triathlon is broken down into two groups, 10-13 and 9 and under.

Learn more by calling 206-914-4846, or go to www.issaquahtri.com.