JAPAN
TRIATHLETES TAKE TOP SPOTS
IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
by Eric Tydingco
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Sixty-one athletes
start the first of 3 500 meter loops in the
waters off Merizo Pier.
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(6
July 2008) To say the 1st annual Guam National
Triathlon Championship race was “challenging”
would be an understatement. For some reason,
the weather gods determined that race day was
the perfect time to be uncooperative. Instead
of the sunny weather that was on display the
previous day, drizzle and overcast skies greeted
the 54 soloists and 7 relay teams on hand. As
the 7am start approached, the wind and choppy
waters off Merizo Pier were proving to be tough
obstacles even for the swim course coordinators.
When the start siren blasted – it was
too much for one visiting novice triathlete
who decided he would forego the swim and continue
“unofficially” through the bike
and run. |
After
the first of three 500m laps was completed,
the conditions would claim 4 more participants
who would choose the same option. After the
leaders emerged from the water, rain-slicked
roads welcomed the athletes as they mounted
their bikes. Locals familiar with the relatively
flat and fast course had no choice but to
proceed with caution – giving up whatever
“home course” advantage they had.
Curiously enough, it looked like the ocean
conditions were just now beginning to finally
settle – very unsportsmanlike conduct
from the weather gods. Oh well, at least everyone
could look forward to cooler conditions on
the run course - which has a total of 4 punishing
hill climbs..
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Overall winner,
Ikki Fujiwara of Japan, powers on the bike for
a 1:04:40 Olympic distance bike split. |
But,
that respite was not to be, for as soon as the
race leader left T2, the sunny skies that were
nowhere to be found at the start of the race
appeared. And with it came the oppressive humidity
that no one — not even the locals, ever
really finds pleasant. The trifecta was in play
for the run — hills, heat & humidity.. |
2008 female Guam
National Champion, Maggie Greenwood. |
The
water stops became a welcome refuge. In the
end, visiting triathlete Ikki Fujiwara bested
all with an incredible time of 2:17:54. His
nearest competition, 50 year old Haruyoshi
Miyatake, crossed the line 7 minutes later.
Local Navy officer Eric Hawn took third in
2:34:00. For the women, it was again the Japanese
taking the top two spots, as 53 year old Yumiko
Inamura ran away from the rest of the women’s
field, finishing in 2:56:21 – the only
female with a sub-3 hour time. Kazumi Takahashi
completed the race in 3:00:40 and Karen McMillan
claimed the final podium spot with a time
of 3:05:02.
During
the post-race dinner, medals were given out
to the top relay teams and the top 3 in each
age division. Mike Temerowski of Triple J
Ford, awarded Art Guerrero and Maggie Greenwood
with trophies, as our top Guam resident finishers
signifying their titles as Guam National Triathlon
Champions for 2008.
Many
thanks to our presenting sponsor – Triple
J Ford; our major sponsors Fiesta Resort Guam
and Continental Airlines; and our supporting
sponsors – Hertz Car Rental, Gatorade,
Payless Supermarkets, Creativitees and Hornet
Sports for enabling the federation to put
on a terrific event.
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Recognition
goes out to the Merizo Mayor’s Office
(Mayor Sherry Chargualaf), Greater Pacific
Aquatics (Dan O’Keefe), the HSC 25 crew,
Next Stage (Ed Borro), Belinda & Mike
Berg, Stephanie Taijeron, Mike Morales, Josie
Moyer, Tara Tydingco, and the KFC Triathlon
Club of Japan (Kiyokazu Onishi & Kazue
Hiwatashi).
And
finally – thanks to my fellow GTF board
members – John Frias, Mark Cruz, Leevin
Camacho, Robbie Cabreza, Dean Baugh and Rob
Fry for the great team effort in producing
the race.
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