A small and dedicated group of athletes participated in the ‘DU Your Best Duathlon’ on Sunday at the Divi Casino on St. Croix. The Virgin Islands Triathlon Federation (VITF) has held several multi-sport events as opportunities to practice and race leading up to the biggest annual event on Nov. 27, which is called the Beauty & The Beast Triathlon.
The run/bike/run event started with a 1-mile run, which was led by top V.I. runner Billy Bohlke in a speedy time of 5:29. While transitioning to the bike, top cyclists Stephen Swanton and Alex Betancourt took the lead and gained over 10 minutes on Bohlke in the 14-mile, out-and-back ride. It was on the 3-mile run that followed when Swanton distanced himself from Betancourt to confirm his first-place finish. Swanton’s time was 1:10:24, while Betancourt finished in 1:12:41. Bohlke was the third male finisher in 1:26:24. Jerry Remie, primarily a cyclist, rounded out the field in fourth place. Good Hope Country Day School (GHCDS) students Mason Lambert and Nick Crikelair teamed up for a relay and gave a solid performance.
Julie Sommer was hot on Megan Lambert’s trail after the 1-mile run. Sommer is a powerhouse on the bike, so she pulled into first place on the ride and never let go of that position. Sommer’s finish time was 1:21:07, which was good enough for first place female and third place overall. Lambert finished second in 1:27:44; Dulcie Crowther, a former duathlon champion, finished in third place. Catherine Sequin suffered a flat tire after the turnaround at Castle Nugent and was attempting the change when Jan Powell came along. They worked together, got back on their bikes, and completed the full duathlon course side by side. It was a satisfying finish for both Seguin and Powell.
A shorter distance race, called a Try-a-Du, was offered for beginners and younger athletes. Xander Morales, an 11-yr-old student at Lew Muckle, finished the 1/2 mile run, 5.5-mile bike and 1-mile run in 37:52. Morales beat his brother Aaron’s time from 2019 by over 10 minutes. Maranda Wood and Ivy Hunter held pace together for the entire race and finished in 1:02:03.
The next multi-sport event will be the Beauty & The Beast Triathlon on Nov 27. There will be several distances: Olympic, Olympic Relay, Sprint, Sprint Relay and Sprint Aquathlon. Diageo USVI has graciously offered to sponsor any V.I. athlete who would like to register.
Contact theresa@vitf.org for the special discount code. Go here for more information: https://stxtriathlon.com/
