(6-1-10) Submitted by Dave Campbell - WOW! Large fields, the emergence of exciting new and young talent, a huge kid’s race, and tight, competitive racing highlighted a wonderful day at Monday’s Heart of the Valley Sprint Triathlon in Corvallis, OR. The event is held at the Osborne Aquatic Center and consists of a 750m pool swim, a very hilly and challenging 20k bike course, and a flat and extremely fast 5k run through local neighborhoods that finishes on a running track adjacent to the pool. Despite wet roads, cool temperatures, and clouds threatening rain, nearly 300 triathletes and duathletes and almost 100 kids took to the course. We stayed dry, raced hard, and had a blast!
17-year-old relay swimmer Tori Simenec of Salem topped all swimmers in 9:25, leading her "2 Roosters & A Hen" team to a convincing Relay win in 1:04:48, which was the second fastest overall time of the day. Her pace of 1:09 per 100 meters left many a talented triathlete in her wake… or in my case LAPPED! Hot on her heels was triathlon legend John Weston, 53, and now living in Missoula, MT. The man who has been at the very front of Ironman swims over the years logged 9:36 as top man.
I find this course nearly as challenging as Haag Lake, with most riders using every gear on their bikes. Steep grinders, long extended small chainring climbs, and RIPPING 40 plus mph descents make for relatively slow times and some sore legs. 22-year-old Bronson Blair of Corvallis was fastest of the day in 32:12 with yours truly 30 seconds in arrears. Super swimmer Weston led off the bike, but with a host of fast runners close behind, at least six athletes (myself, Blair, Marcelo Silva, Devin Vanscoy, Lindon Powell and Andy Libert) were in contention for the win.
A contender at any distance over the past decade, Kristina Lackner (formerly Hughes) of Sherwood, blazed through the mid-valley roller coaster bike course in 36:06, over two minutes faster than any other woman and 13th best overall on the day. The new women’s leader, however, was 19-year-old Erin Jones of Hood River. Her 10:01 swim had her several minutes clear of most of the faster biker/runners and her 38:24 on the bike kept her there.
Several runners were disqualified due to only completing one lap of the fast 5k run course. Coming from sixth position off the bike, 17-year-old Lindon Powell of Corvallis ripped through the field in 16:22, the fastest run time of the day and at 5:16 per mile was enough to win by 30 seconds. The 10 second staggers on the swim start meant that athletes had to remember to race the clock and not just each other as proximity to rivals on the road didn’t tell the whole story. Blair’s 17:58 5k took him into 2nd overall and the 20-24 age division win, while Devin Vanscoy tore past faster swimmers for third overall in 1:05:18 and the 25-29 title. Behind him, things continued to be very tight.
This race was not a get off the bike and hang on to your position run with a complete reshuffling of the top six spots during the run. I was fourth, 30 seconds back of Devin in 1:05:48 for Top Master, just 16 seconds ahead of Weston, who won the 50-54s. 41-year-old Silva was only four seconds behind Weston with the top four Masters separated by only 58 seconds. raig Dean won the 35-39 title in 1:08:11, rounding out the top 10. 57-year-old Phil Anderson of Portland won his age group by nearly half an hour recording 1:15:23 for 28th overall.
Erin Jones ran an 18:41 to expand her lead and win the women’s event by nearly four minutes. It was a stunning performance by the unassuming 19-year-old, whose future in multisport looks extremely bright. Perennial contender Susan Fox of Corvallis was second overall and at an ageless 43, and top Master in 1:12:34. These two were the first two off the bike, but the other top women were reshuffled similarly to the men’s field.
Lackner continued her charge forward with her a 20:33 run to claim third overall and win the 35-39 age class (1:12:58). Pamela Johnson of Corvallis posted a 1:13:41 for fourth overall and the 20-24 win. Fifth overall in 1:14:43 was 52 years young Bridget Dawson of Portland winning the 50-54 title. Megan Sullivan (7th overall) of Eugene was top 30-34 and Mari Embertson of Edmonds, WA (8th overall) was tops in 25-29. Sheila Donahoe of Dundee topped the 45-49s in 1:20:13.
The Duathlon was won, yet again, by Canby’s Dave Florence, 43, in 1:10:13 with Sean Campbell of Klamath Falls only 19 seconds back. Dave’s splits were an impressive 17:26/33:20/17:48. 27-year-old John Banks of Clackamas rounded out the top three in a small field with 1:12:39. The other half of the K Falls Campbell’s, Anu, 40 won the women’s du in 1:34:45 with 39-year-old Corinne Larson of Salem 2nd in 1:40:49. 22-year-old Celia Magistrale rounded out the top three in 1:43:27.
For most of the Northwest multisport faithful, this weekend is the kick-off to “the big games” that go all summer long... Blue Lake. Thousands will converge Saturday for the Sprint and Sunday for the Olympic for the first major open water swim triathlon of the summer season. Expect more cool temperatures and more competitive racing. I look forward to seeing you there!
