Printable VersionLAKE HAVASU CITY — It was the perfect temperature, with a perfect breeze to give Colorado another perfect day.
 David Bell/News-Herald Photo. University of Colorodo’s Ashley Walker, center, emerges from the waters of Lake Havasu after completing the swimming portion of the Havasu Triathlon Saturday. Walker completed all three legs — swimming, biking and running — of the race in a time of 2:17:29 to be the top female finisher. |
The men’s team took first with a combined time of 8:00:15 while the women’s team was first with a time of 9:39:16.
The Havasu Triathlon also served as the championship race for the Mountain Collegiate Triathlon Conference, allowing the runners to secure a place in the National Finals at Lubbock, Texas, April 17.
In the individual awards, Colorado’s Ashley Walker was the top women’s finisher with a time of 2:17:29 and Colorado’s Cedric Wayne repeated as the first overall finisher of the race with a time of 1:55:31. He shaved almost four minutes off his 2009 winning time.
“The swim was a mess,” Wayne said about the start of the race. Some racers and course officials were confused as to which buoy to swim to, sending the elite competitors out further into Lake Havasu than the rest of the pack.
“The bike is my favorite so I knew not to worry, just stay relaxed and stay hydrated. I took the lead at about Mile 4,” Wayne said. “This race, right before Nationals, is a good fitness indicator. So I’m feeling confident going into Nationals.”
The Havasu Triathlon was staged at Windsor 4 Beach at Lake Havasu State Park. Triathletes started with a 1,500-meter swim in the Bridge Channel, transitioned to a 40-kilometer bike ride on London Bridge Road and finished with a 10k run over the London Bridge and back to the finish line at Windsor 4.
Havasu’s Dan Kuch finished third in his age class with a time of 2:19:13.
“I’ve been sick the last few days so it felt really good to come out and compete,” he said. “This was my best time in six years. It’s great to race here (because) I have a lot of people cheering me on.”
Athletes not part of the collegiate or Olympic Triathlon programs could opt to race in the shorter Sprint Triathlon. The Sprint was a 500-meter swim, a 20k bike ride and a 5k run.
About a dozen Lake Havasu City residents participated in the Sprint Triathlon, with Craig Raney finishing highest at 14th overall and 13th for his gender with a time of 1:11:02.
Next was Alexander Zilberman (1:21:36) followed by Leonora Fimbres (1:22:51), Jamie Kanzleiter (1:23:13), Justin Bacon (1:27:55), Michael Carlson (1:37:18), Sandy McCormack (1:39:07), Tracey Kennedy (1:43:09), Brian Conway (1:44:36), Patricia Davis (1:49:59), Jay Conway (1:50:36) and Lewis Roberts (2:01:35).
Racers could also for a team of three and compete as a relay – each member taking one leg of the race.
“The weather was perfect. And it was great that they let us race with these college athletes,” said Havasu’s Dr. Rhett Burgener, who teamed with Bob Widner and Richard Iddings for the relay team called Last Minute.
Burgener had the running leg and said the stairs of the London Bridge and the sand along the Bridgewater Channel made for challenging conditions. Dr. Dana Balderrama — who teamed with Paul Carton and Aaron Boatman for the Havasu relay team Lost in Transition — agreed.
“That sand was a killer,” Balderrama said. “Especially on the way back, with the sand and the wind against you.”
Lost in Transition was a relay team category winner.
Race director and event founder Jonathon Grinder of Tucson Racing said he was “really pleased” with the race.
“The college students are really supporting the race. We’re up to 200 (collegiate) athletes and we saw we had had more from out of state than Arizona at the finish. We had racers from Duluth, Minn.,” he said.
Over 650 total competitors took part in the race Saturday.
“This is a wonderful race. We have the best venue and best town support of anywhere we put on a race,” Grinder said. “This is my favorite town to come to because of all the great support.”
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