MacArthur, Smith capture top prizes at 31st Cyswog'n'Fun Triathlon
By Bruce Fuhr
Locals were shut out of the top prizes at the 2013 Nelson Cyswog’n’Fun Triathlon Sunday under warm, sunny skies at Lakeside Rotary Park.
Eddie Smith of Penticton ran away with the men’s long course — Olympic Course is 1.5 kilometre swim, 39 km bike and 10 km run — top prize while Sarah MacArthur of Calgary won the women’s race after Helen Munro of Kelowna was disqualified.
“I think I only got (first) on the last bit of the run,” MacArthur said after finishing the women’s long course distance in a time of two hours, 14:21 minutes.
“I wasn’t sure what the competition was going to be like as this is only me second year here.”
Not only does MacArthur like the course, but also enjoys the warm feeling she gets while racing in Nelson.
“I love this because it’s a community event,” MacArthur said, a Calgary-based student when she’s not running triathlons during the summer.
“Everybody gets out to support it, which is just awesome.”
Stephanie Hall of London was a close second behind MacArthur in a time of 2:16.19.
Kelly Geisheimer of Rossland finished third.
By the narrowest of margins, Smith edged out Gary Wade of Kelowna by just over a minute in the men’s race.
Third was Chad Reid of Kelowna.
Ron Sherman of Nelson was the top local finisher in 10th spot.
Christopher Swift of Castlegar was 18th.
Former Nelsonite Greg Welwood, now of Burnaby, finished 12th.
In the short course race Ian Sharp was crowned the men’s winner after it was determined that Connor Breitkreuz of Robson missed a turn, forcing race officials to disqualify the local competitor.
Sharp finished the 500 metre swim, 22 km ride and five km run race in a time of 1:08.02.
Juergen Baetzel of Gray Creek finished second followed Joel Deleenheer of Victoria in third.
Dannica Stevenson-Wade of Kelowna won the women’s short course race ahead of Renee Soenen of Calgary.
Nikki Jomha of Victoria was third.
In the team race over the Olympic Course, the Hodge Podge team of Trail’s Gerald Klassen and Graham Cocksedge of Powell River were awarded first place after The Big Nickels was disqualified.
Second was Nelson’s Goggles Gear and Gatorade of Hannah DeVries, John DeVries and Anthony Maley.
Third was Team Arrrrrr of Vancouver — Chris Scott and Kelly Carswell.
In the Sprint Team race, Trail Swim Club team of Eden Kormendy of Fruitvale, Adrian Hamilton of Rossland and Jackson Konkin of Trail blazed over the course in a time of 63 minutes.
Yolo team of Kamloops — Emily Bartle, Darion Nordick and Matthew Bartle — was second followed in third by Team Oahu with Nelson’s Mary Sage Cowan swimming and Charlie (bike) and Nicolas Stewart (run) of Hong Kong rounding out the trio.
Brent Irving, competing in his first ever Nelson Triathlon, now realizes what it’s like on the inside looking out after spending many years watching the race.
“That was a lot tougher that I thought it would be,” Irving said after struggling in the water.
“It was a really hard swim hard. But after I got out of the water, things were a lot better on the ride and run.”
The race, down in registration, attracted triathletes from throughout B.C. and Alberta.
