(6-17-08) Submitted by Dave Campbell - Always a fun and well-attended event, the Blue Lake Triathlon as become one of the most competitive races of the entire regional season, drawing top long and short course athletes from near and far. Considered the Northwest season opener, for most athletes it is the first open water swim of the year as well as the first Olympic-distance race. The course is flat on both bike and run, conducive to easing in newbies and letting the seasoned racers throw down some fast times in the 1500meter swim, 40k bike, and 10k run format. Race day was quite cool and overcast with just a slight breeze along the Columbia River for the cyclists. The water was a brisk 63 degrees, making for some slow transitions with cold hands. The air temperature was barely above 50 for the bike, but the cool conditions were well-suited to running. Before all of the 436 finishers had crossed the tape, the sun was out and the mercury rose nicely on a fabulous Father’s day of multisport competition.
First out of the water was Portland's Jeffrey Henderson in a SMOKIN' 18:30, trailed at over a minute by 16-year-old swim specialist Mark Guyler, perennial BLT contender Matt Berg, and Roger Thompson of Spokane. 36-year-old Thompson, fresh off his 9th place finish at Worlds, worked his way through most of the elite wave after starting in the second swim wave and took the lead midway through the bike with a blistering 56:09 for the 40k distance. Thompson, nearly two minutes ahead starting the run hung on to win by just over a minute from Henderson in an impressive 1:57:46. 26-year-old Ben Greenfield, also of Spokane, combined a 56:58 bike split and a 38:13 run to vault into third just 26 seconds back of Henderson. The fastest run of the day by far, a scintiallating 34:44, belonged to 27 year Ryan Rau of Brighton, MI, 90th out of the water, 30th after the bike, and breathing down my neck by the end to finish 8th overall. 42-year-old David Ciaverella of Happy Valley, OR, 7th off the bike, passed me at mile two and hung close the rest of the way to finish 5th overall and nab the top Masters spot.
Former Pro Sunny Gilbert of Corvallis dominated a stacked Women's field after being near the front of the men's race all day. 3th overall in 2:06:40, her 38:07 run was the 6th fastest overall. The early leader was Annie Warner of Nine Miles Falls, WA, also 6th best on the day with a swim of 20:26 but she was over two minutes back at the line. The third place finisher, 40-year-old Karen Oppenheimer of Bend, OR was also Women's Masters Champion. Team “Gone So Far”, consisting of Westyn, Mike, and Jeff Anke was the fastest relay in 2:28:10.
25-year-old John Banks of Portland topped 29 other Duathletes in 2:01:36, winning the race with a staggering 55:44 bike split. Doug Howe had the fastest 10k (the second run, the first being a 5k) in 38:53 but ran out of road finishing 29 seconds back. Dave Florence of Canby, third overall in 2:06:31 was the top Master. Continuing the theme of outstanding performances by women, 48 year old Lisa Magness of Bend was 4th overall in 2:07:44, winning the Overall womens title and the Masters crown. 35-year-old Laura Wiley of Camas, WA was second six minutes adrift.
Many of us are eagerly anticipating the next rendevouz of top Northwest Triathlon talent…the much-loved Pacific Crest July 27-29 in the resort community of Sunriver. There is something for everyone: 5k to Marathon runs, Duathlons and an Olympic Triathlon, and the feature event: yhe Half Iron Triathlon. I have raced in four countries and ten states and I have yet to find an event I enjoy more.
Keep training and I hope to see you there!
