NAWILIWILI — Sophie Britzmann could have been in Manoa competing at the Mamizuka Invitational swim meet on O‘ahu, Saturday. Instead, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation 2011 Breaststroke champion opted to participate in her first triathlon during the second Kaua‘i Loves You
NAWILIWILI — Sophie Britzmann could have been in Manoa competing at the Mamizuka Invitational swim meet on O‘ahu, Saturday.
Instead, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation 2011 Breaststroke champion opted to participate in her first triathlon during the second Kaua‘i Loves You event in Nawiliwili.
She was first out of the water on a 10:38 swim which spanned the width of Kalapaki Bay and back, but succumbed in the bike phase en route to finishing 26th overall on a 1:30:09 (10:38; 51:31; 28.00) event in the Sprint Triathlon.
John Grout, emerging with an 11:49 swim, sliced through the bike phase on a 31:48 ride en route to a first overall finish in the Sprint Triathlon with a 1:05:09 event, taking the run in 21:32.
He was followed just under two minutes later by Ikaika Curnan with a 1:07:05 (13:42; 32:00; 21:23) and Brandon Jacinto with a 1:08:26 (11:48; 34:16; 22:22).
Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics, who for the second year spearheaded the triathlon, had 13 of its swimmers in Manoa and coach Billy Brown and announcer Chris Machorek got the event off to its start before heading to the airport for a flight to the O‘ahu swim meet.
“Coach Billy Brown and announcer Chris Machorek both jumped on a flight immediately following the event to coach and cheer on the very swimmers to benefit from the Kaua‘i Loves You Triathlon,” said Dan Britzmann, event coordinator, in an email. “Billy, who is training for a swim across the Gibraltar Channel, easily ran and swam a full Ironman, putting the buoys in and grabbing surfboards from 6 a.m.”
Sophie was not the sole KIF champion in action on the Nawiliwili course as Island School senior Pierce Murphy, a KIF record holder and one of the top youth distance runners in the state, pulled his relay team from second following the bike phase to first overall in the Sprint Triathlon, completing the run in 15:59 to give his team a 1:02:43 showing, more than 10 minutes ahead of the second place team.
Hannah Krueger opened with an 11:46 swim to give the team its early lead, but Patti Jennings’ 32:02 Bike phase put the team in second following Lisa Mindel’s 34:58 ride.
Murphy pulled the team into first on the Run portion after Cary Hiltsley finished the run in 26:08 compared with Murphy’s 15:59 for the edge.
Lois Lutz opened with a 14:49 swim, pulled a 37:28 Bike ride and a 24:39 Run for a 1:16:56 event for first female finisher in the Sprint Triathlon, finishing seventh overall, less than 20 seconds back of Trevor Sweaza (1:16:38 – 16:11; 37:02; 23:25).
George Reinhardt IV of Calgary, Canada, had never been on a road bike until this week, said his wife Ana.
Additionally, he had never been in a triathlon, let alone an Olympic Triathlon.
“But he was determined to do this,” the visiting Canadian said. “We rented a bike and he kept thinking he was doing something wrong until we took it to the Bike Doctor. I just hope he makes it through the Bike phase.”
The waiting during the Bike phase was agonizing for Ana as she watched cyclist after cyclist slip along Rice Street.
“I begged him to do the Sprint, but he was determined,” she said. “He was practicing indoors because we go home to snow, Monday. His goal is to participate in the Xterra event one day and he’s looking at getting a good bike.”
Joseph Kali topped the field of Olympic Triathletes on a 2:04:16 (24:23; 57:08; 42:45) event followed two minutes later by Casey McGraw (2:06:18 – 24:39; 57:29; 44:10).
Reinhardt finished the event fifth overall with a 2:31:39 (27:38; 1:14:42; 49:19) event.
Bridget Wright was the sole female to do the entire Olympic triathlon, finishing eighth overall with a 2:48:51 (27:43; 1:25:14; 55:54) event.
Aaron Habermann, current holder of the KIF 100 Breaststroke record set in 1986, anchored the swim portion of the Olympic Relay team, emerging first out of the water on a 22:06 swim before John Ferguson took on the Bike phase on a 1:10:14 ride, tagging off to Barbara Anderson, the night manager for Kalaheo Cafe, who finished the run at 56:40 to give the team a 2:29:00 finish.
In addition to Reinhardt who discovered the event on the Internet, Dan said there were 93 athletes participating in the event including the Canadian, one from Germany, one from Alaska, two from California, three from Oregon and the remainder from all parts of Kaua‘i.
“The 2011 Kaua‘i Loves You Triathlon is dedicated to the recovery of Kaua‘i triathlete Daniel Velasco who suffered a serious spinal cord injury on Maui in March,” Dan said. “Daniel was a top 2010 Kaua‘i Love You finisher and is currently undergoing intensive rehabilitation in hopes of standing onour finish line again, cheering on his mates.”
Dan said the Kaua‘i Loves You would not be possible without the help of the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club, the County of Kaua‘i, Menehune Water, Kaua‘i Cycle, True Blue and Da Life.
Visit www.jtltiming.com for full results of the Kaua‘i Loves You Triathlon.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
