|
A competitor in the Pohanka Nissan-Outback Steakhouse YMCA Colonial Beach Triathlon turns his bike into the corner of State Routes 218 and 205 in King George County yesterday morning.
From the shelter of the Colonial Beach Days Inn, Amy Walker-Casey of Chevy Chase, Md., looks skyward as she wonders about the fate of the Pohanka Nissan-Outback Steakhouse YMCA Colonial Beach Triathlon yesterday morning. A thunderstorm delayed the start of the race for almost two hours, and many competitors considered whether to wait out the rain delay or go home.
Sixty-one-year-old Kenton Pattie (center) of Annandale leaves the water after the first leg of yesterday's triathlon in Colonial Beach. |
Both the men's and women's winners are veteran Ironman racers and both race for Virginia-based Conte's Bike Shops.
If not for early morning storms, they would have headed the race's biggest field ever in its 17 years with 400 pre-registrants. But race director Terry McLaughlin said the stormy weather chased a fair portion of the triathletes away from the event that was delayed one hour and 45 minutes. Many cited slippery, wet roads as the obstacle they most feared in the bike portion of the race.
Event organizers, who originally planned for a one-kilometer swim along with a 40K bike and 10K run, had to shorten the swim to approximately 400 meters due to rough waters caused by the storms.
Richmond's Tim Morris, 28, proved the foul weather wouldn't interfere with his performance at the race. He defended his title from last year and has become royalty at the event, having won four of the past five Colonial Beach triathlons.
He said the wait was something everyone understood due to uncontrollable weather conditions.
"Everyone was in the same boat. You just had to walk around and drink a little more water. The day turned out to be really nice," Morris said.
The women's winner, Jill Riblett of Virginia Beach, added a victory to her collection of top-three Colonial Beach finishes. She was second in the race two years ago, and she placed third last season.
Morris' ex-teammate, Erik Sorensen of Falls Church, kept the men's race exciting. Morris completed the 400-meter swim, 40K bike and 10K run in 1 hour, 41 minutes, and three seconds, which was just 35 seconds faster than Sorensen.
Sorensen and Morris competed on the University of Virginia's cross country and track teams. Since leaving school, triathlons have served as occasional reunions for the two.
Both are seasoned Ironman competitors. Morris has competed in four Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and Sorensen has completed three. Morris will also be competing in an Ironman qualifier in Lake Placid in two weeks.
"I felt good out there. Tim was just really strong," said Sorensen, who placed second in his age group for 30- to 34-year-olds at the national competition for the United States Association of Triathlons last season.
After the swim, Sorensen led until Morris surged past him on the final straightaway of the bike race. Sorensen then beat Morris in the transition to the running phase, but Morris took the lead back in the third mile and never relinquished it.
Riblett's victory was more decisive. She finished in 1:55.13 and was a full 4 minutes, 26 seconds swifter than Nancy Lewis, also of Virginia Beach.
Riblett has competed in two Hawaii Ironmans and plans to do shorter Olympic-distance triathlons this season.
"Ironmans are always a stretch. It's so much training," said Riblett, who won the East Coast Athletic Conference Championships in the 1,000-meter race while a student at Delaware
She also won the Clydesdale World Championship for women weighing 145 lbs. or more this season. Riblett weighs 148.
Women Overall: 1. Jill Riblett 1:55:13, 2. Nancy Lewis 1:59:39, 3. Diane Haupt 2:03:00.20-24: 1. Gretchen Gill 2:15:01, 2. Summer Crabtree 2:22:41, 3. Julie Oplinger 2:26:02.
25-29: 1. Andrea Kirchner 2:06:47, 2. Christine Couldrey 2:11:49, 3. Kelly Nykodym 2:15:36.
30-34: 1. Christine Allgeier 2:09:15, 2. Julie Gay 2:11:19, 3. Whitney Johnson 2:14:18.
35-39: 1. Jinx Mancini 2:04:16, 2. Karen Fralen 2:10:35, 3. Dale Browning 2:10:54.
40-44: 1. Debi Bernardes 2:03:47, 2. Leann Hermsen 2:04:53, 3. Constance Maxwell 2:10:51.
45-49: 1. June McDaniels 2:14:14, 2. Elizabeth Weaver 2:19:17, 3. Kathleen McAllister-Morgan 2:23:06.
50-54: 1. Terry Miffleton 2:23:49, 2. Patricia Lowe 2:29:28, 3. Elizabeth Guthrie 3:07:28.
Men Overall: 1. Tim Morris 1:41:03, 2. Eric Sorensen 1:41:38, 3. Tommy Holland 1:45:54.15-19: 1. Michael Harlow 1:52:08, 2. Michael Hodge 2:49:29.
20-24: 1. Mark Cockrell 1:49:40, 2. Edmund Hipp 2:05:42, 3. Damon Stewart 2:08:57.
25-29: 1. David Walker 1:51:16, 2. Darren Hertell 1:52:20, 3. Jeremy Thompson 1:52:38.
30-34: 1. John Lomogda 1:45:55, 2. Bill Scanlon 1:50:25, 3. Kevin Cloe 1:55:22.
35-39: 1. Naoto Yoshimura 1:48:02, 2. Daniel Labarca 1:52:08, 3. Tim Maxwell 1:53:07.
40-44: 1. Russell Bowles 1:51:34, 2. Ray McDaniels 1:52:16, 3. Troy Lewis 1:53:10.
45-49: 1. Steve Knott 2:09:45, 2. John Gayle 2:10:57, 3. Charles McGahagin 2:13:20.
50-54: 1. Carl Armstrong 2:06:11, 2. Ron Magee 2:08:28, 3. Arthur St. Andre 2:12:48.
55-59: 1. Steve Frisk 2:05:25, 2. David Gearin 2:11:17, 3. Hugh Carter 2:45:49.
60-over: 1. John Elliott 2:05:09, 2. Joseph Hulings 2:28:15, 3. Robert Ryland 2:30:34.
Team Female: 1. Lic Trianimals 2:09:43, 2. Wareings Women Warriors 2:12:10.Male: 1. Team Wareings 2:05:19, 2. Sassy Britches 2:05:36.
Coed: 1. Fireballs 1:53:41, 2. Pax River Runners 1:57:13.
