.jpg "Gillette West Is Best Sprint Triathlon")
Athletes were in abundance at Sunday’s Gillette West Is Best Sprint Triathlon and Try-a-Tri, which took place in front of Coconuts on the Beach Restaurant in Frederiksted. Many individual-sport athletes teamed up with others to form teams that went head-to-head with seasoned, as well as new, triathletes. There were a record-high number of 15 teams in the race. As the oldest annual triathlon in the V.I., the West Is Best is usually the most popular race because of the calm swim, pancake-flat bike course and cool run. The race also brought out a best-ever number of Try-a-Tri athletes, who completed a shorter course.
Relay member Matthew Mays was the first to finish the 700-yard swim. Following his 6:53 (6 minutes, 53 seconds) swim were five more Dolphins’ teammates, four of whom were on relay teams. Jay Gleason was the first individual competitor to complete the swim. Bridget Klein popped out of the water just two seconds after Gleason in 9:08. Jen Andrews was on her heels in 9:13. The second place male was Wayne Nichols, trying to keep in the mix yet staying fresh for the bike.
The top three relay teams swapped positions on each lap of the 12-mile out-and-back bike course. Sue Brown, the V.I.’s leading female cyclist, blazed her ride in 37:22 and was the first relay cyclist to hand off. Wayne Nichols, in his best discipline of the race, pulled himself to second place overall on the bike and posted the fastest bike split of the morning at 35:57. Over two minutes behind was Jay Gleason, followed by Troy Holloway, who was working his way to the top ten. Bridget Klein maintained her lead in the women’s race and posted the fastest bike split for the ladies. Jen Andrews was the second woman in on the bike, followed by Julie Sommer.
Accomplished runner and newcomer to St. Croix, Josh Brewer overtook the top two relay runners within a mile from the 3-mile run finish and also posted the fastest run split at 17:57. Also new to St. Croix, Cas Kailani led his team to a second place finish, while relay runner Theresa Harper finished third overall. Closing in on Harper was first place individual finisher Wayne Nichols with his first win in a new age group. Bridget Klein, who will be heading to Florida next week for the Caribbean Sprint Triathlon Championship, ran to the line in 20:10, making her the second place finisher overall. Jay Gleason, who ran conservatively, was the second place male, followed by Troy Holloway in third. Julie Sommer and Jen Andrews were second and third, respectively, in the female field.
Although the fastest swimmer in the Try-a-Tri field was 14-year-old Kira Griffith, it was Patrick Kralik who crossed the finish line first in the race with a 250-yard swim, 8-mile bike and 1.5-mile run. Katherine Pugliese was the first woman and second overall. Kira, a freshman at student at Good Hope Country Day, was third.
The next triathlon on the schedule is the Gillette Triple Play Triathlon at Cramer’s Park on April 12, which will include Olympic, Sprint and Try-a-Tri distances. Relay teams will be allowed in the Olympic and Sprint races.
Call 718-6749 for more information.
Gillette West Is Best Sprint Triathlon Try-a-Tri; 700-yard swim, 12.7-mile bike, 3-mile run; Coconuts on the Beach, Frederiksted, St. Croix (windy, light rain)
Men Under 20/TOTAL TIME/ swim/ T1+bike/ T2+run
1 Dominic Pugliese 1:19:50/ 0:12:18/ 0:43:29/ 0:24:03
2 Antonio Lewit 1:29:24/ 0:08:31/ 0:48:05/ 0:32:48
Men 20-29
1 TJ Vandehey 1:32:17/ 0:14:13/ 0:50:32/ 0:27:32
Men 30-39
1 Joe Kantowski 1:17:58/ 0:13:26/ 0:39:52/ 0:24:40
Men 40-49
1 Jay Gleason 1:11:24/ 0:09:06/ 0:38:21/ 0:23:57
2 Mervin Mills 1:27:59/ 0:13:48/ 0:43:25/ 0:30:46
3 Randy Nielsen 1:55:25/ 0:14:02/ 1:05:58/ 0:35:25
Men 50+
1 Wayne Nichols 1:07:08/ 0:09:54/ 0:35:57/ 0:21:17
2 Troy Holloway 1:11:25/ 0:11:05/ 0:37:28/ 0:22:52
3 Scott Fricks 1:13:35/ 0:10:58/ 0:37:45/ 0:24:52
4 Mike Klein 1:16:23/ 0:11:04/ 0:43:29/ 0:21:50
5 Frank Pugliese 1:31:10/ 0:14:02/ 0:46:26/ 0:30:42
WOMEN 30-39/TOTAL TIME/ swim/ T1+bike/ T2+run
1 Bridget Klein 1:09:20/ 0:09:0/8 0:40:02/ 0:20:10
2 Julie Sommer 1:18:51/ 0:11:55/ 0:42:55/ 0:24:01
3 Emma Borque 1:30:50/ 0:13:37/ 0:49:46/ 0:27:27
Women 40-49
1 Jen Andrews 1:21:50/ 0:09:13/ 0:43:32/ 0:29:05
2 Julie Eckard 1:30:51/ 0:13:43/ 0:49:40/ 0:27:28
3 Patty Patton 1:32:05/ 0:12:34/ 0:44:16/ 0:35:15
Women 50+
1 Carol Fricks 1:26:58/ 0:11:00/ 0:43:56/ 0:32:02
Relay Team/TOTAL TIME/ swim/ T1+bike/ T2+run
1 H. Ruparelia, Massiah, Brewer/ 1:05:42/ 0:11:03/ 0:36:42/ 0:17:57
2 Bozzo, Meyers, Kailani/ 1:06:28/ 0:07:21/ 0:39:39/ 0:19:28
3 Kuipers, Brown, Harper/ 1:06:59/ 0:07:51/ 0:37:22/ 0:21:46
4 Mays, Kennedy, Thomas/ 1:08:26/ 0:06:53/ 0:41:57/ 0:19:36
5 Washshah, Isherwood, M. Lambert/ 1:11:14/ 0:07:50/ 0:41:38/ 0:21:46
6 H. Boring, Defour, Alicea/ 1:14:57/ 0:09:48/ 0:37:08/ 0:28:01
7 K. Boring, Sage, Godown/ 1:15:02/ 0:10:42/ 0:42:44/ 0:21:36
8 Hutchins, Keys, Mack/ 1:06:08/ 0:10:33/ 0:40:07/ 0:25:28
9 Patalidis, Dizon-Bumann, Hart/ 1:19:24/ 0:09:42/ 0:43:50/ 0:25:52
10 Vialet, Swanson, Lezama/ 1:19:30/ 0:08:50/ 0:40:17/ 0:30:23
11 Gaudette, Abrahama, Miner/ 1:21:56/ 0:13:47/ 0:43:46/ 0:24:23
12 D. Crowther, Crowther, C. Crowther/ 1:30:45/ 0:12:10/ 0:48:32/ 0:30:03
13 E. Ruparelia, Wittmann, Capriola/ 1:31:25/ 0:09:07/ 0:53:59 /0:28:19
14 Andrews, Richards, K. Lambert/ 1:46:38/0:09:38/ 1:01:50/ 0:35:10
15 A. Gomez, Ama Gomez, S. Gomez/1:55:30/ 0:11:30/ 1:08:30/ 0:35:30
TRY-A-TRI/TOTAL TIME/ swim/ T1+bike/ T2+run
1 Patrick Kralik/ 0:55:30/ 0:07:53/ 0:35:10/ 0:12:27
2 Kat Pugliese/ 0:56:47/ 0:08:36/ 0:32:16/ 0:15:55
3 Kira Griffith/ 0:56:59/ 0:05:18/ 0:37:31/ 0:14:10
4 Kaeden Gleason/ 1:01:22/ 0:07:54/ 0:39:34/ 0:13:54
5 Corrine Farinola/ 1:04:03/ 0:08:38/ 0:39:48/ 0:15:37
6 Mal Gleason/ 1:06:43 0:07:52 0:39:37 0:19:14
7 Roberto Blewett/ 1:15:00/ 0:10:15/ 0:43:39/ 0:21:06
8 Tyler Jones/ 1:16:00/ 0:06:39/ 0:53:01/ 0:16:20
9 Peter Brown/ 1:21:59/ 0:10:00/ 0:47:00/ 0:24:59
10 Charlotte Bodurow/ 1:22:00/ 0:10:06/0:46:54/0:25:00
**Unofficial: Amber Stevens/1:14:46/0:08:00
