(8-4-09) Submitted by Dave Campbell - The return to Blue Lake seven weeks after the June rendezvous is a very different race and this Sunday's event was no different. For starters, many of the women (nearly 400 strong) race Saturday in their own unique, uber-popular, and very newbie friendly event. Then Sunday's event splits the fields (and talent) between an Olympic distance race (that usually draws the "heavy hitters" for 1500m swim, 40k bike, and 10k run) and a Sprint Race (800m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) that is a TRI-NW Regional Sprint Championship event and is thus hotly contested amongst the rank-and-file age groupers of the region. Oh, and then there is the weather. This one is almost always hot as opposed to the typically cool and even wet June conditions. The course is typically very fast in August with little wind along the flat bike course on Marine Drive along the Columbia River.
For starters, the water was warm and the outside air temp was already mid 70s at 7 a.m. as the athletes prepared to race. Despite the 8 a.m. start we all knew the run would be HOT. Athletes were advised against full wetsuits with shorties, sleeveless, and "without" being the preferred choices. As a veteran competitor (and doing only the sprint race due to coming back from injury) I was sure I would be fine in my full suit and was... for about the first half. For the second boiling half, all I could focus on was getting that thing off! Most of us don't realize how much we sweat in a hot swim and while I was fine, just a little uncomfortable, this was an issue for some others.
Triathlon is, by design, an individual sport. You have to put out your own best effort and ultimately you are racing the clock. This is never as clear as during wave starts. To be "leading" your wave and "let up" or "lose focus" with no one nearby to push you is a big mistake. The best strategy is to push as hard as you can all the way to the line. By my reckoning, the fastest guys were in the 40-49 wave (the young guns racing the Olympic) but I was sure there were earlier starters who would be fast too.
Fastest in the warm water was 22-year-old Colt Cassidy of Snohomish, WA in a solid 11:00 followed 33 seconds slower by Ankist Zadeyn, 37, of Portland, and only 42 seconds back was top woman Kristin Anderson of Portland, age 36. The man who always bemoans his lack of pool time David Ciaverella, 43, of Happy Valley got back into the race with his top split of 29:10. After a bike-long duel with Marcelo Silva, 40, of Portland that netted by 2nd best bike to go with my 4th best swim, I "led" my wave off the bike knowing full well 10 minutes ahead another race was being waged. Cassidy's 29:47 (4th best) had indeed kept him in the lead but he then blew all of our doors COMPLETELY off with a 16:21 run to take the overall victory well clear in 1:00:11, one of the fastest sprint times I have seen here EVER. Silva logged the 4th best run (19:39) to take second and first Master with Ciaverella 37 seconds behind in third. 27-year-old Eric Gushurst of Portland was 5th overall to win his age group, just tenths of a second ahead of 35-year-old Sean Bryson of Vancouver, WA tops in his group. The ageless triathlon legend of the Northwest himself, Frank Goulard was 8th overall (at 56!) and the big winner of his division.
For the ladies, Northwest legend and Hawaii Ironman finisher Kristina Hughes, 38, of Tigard triumphed in 1:14:11 on the strength of her bike-run combo. Her 33:34 bike was 25th best overall and her run (22:49) 20th... of 219 competitors! 39-year-old Patty Boyd of White Salmon, WA was second overall over 4 minutes back while 3rd overall Rowena Spence (31) of Santa Barbara, CA won her age group in 1:19:41. Masters Champion was Marcia Reynolds (41) of Portland in 1:29:09.
Additional Regional Champs were Seth Sotelo of Grants Pass in the 12-14s in 1:44:18, and his sister Lucy on the women's side in 1:54:50. Thomas Cameron of Lake Oswego was tops in 15-17 yr olds in 1:20:45 while the 18-19 titles went to Josh Embury of Eugene (1:19:44) and Marilyn Sohlberg of Happy Valley in 1:53:09. Sarah Lee of Eugene joined Cassidy as 20-24 champion in 1:27:17. Joining Gushurst as 25-29 champion was Portland's Beth Orten in 1:25:31. Todd Vogt of Portland topped the 30-34 in 1:12:04 alongside Rowena Spence. Steve Small of Seattle (1:12:40) and Aimee Demaret of Vancouver, WA in 1:31:14 were tops in the 45-49 age bracket. Tom Box of Salem (1:14:43) and Ellen Mendoza (1:40:16) of Portland triumphed in the 50-54 group. Melanie Cooke of Portland (1:46:10) joined Goulard as top 55-59er. Matt Henderson (1:20:19) and Meffie Armstrong (2:05:54) both of Lake Oswego won the 60-64s. Albany, Oregon multisport legend Kirk Rose back from being hit by a car this spring and having open heart surgery was a joyful and very well-received 2nd in 1:24:21. John Spence of Bend was top 65-69 in 1:22:03, faster than a whole lot of younger guys!
The Olympic Triathlon enjoyed a strong turnout of nearly 200 athletes and the surprise appearance of two New Zealand ITU National Team Members. 22-year-old Andrew Curtayne of Auckland BLASTED the course in possibly the fastest time here EVER - 1:51:38 (17:55 Swim/57:00 bike/34:01 run). Portland's Philippe Kozub, 33, who is new to me was second in a spectacular (and normally race winning) 1:56:54, while Curtayne's NZ teammate Bruce Hunter, 23, was third in 1:58:44. For reference, 2:01 has been a very common winning time here in past yrs! WOW!!! Brynje Enderle of Portland (31) topped the ladies in 2:12:54.
There are many fabulous races still dotting the calendar through mid-September so enjoy this amazing weather (maybe too amazing... stay hydrated and go early!), keep training, and see you at the races!
