The Americans brought out the brooms to sweep the Age Group Standard Duathlon Monday in Penticton.
Albert Harrison (25 to 29) busted through the finish line ribbon to win the five-kilometre run, 40-km bike and 5-km run in one hour 51 minutes eight seconds. Taking the female side was Kirsten Sass (35 to 39) in 2:02:17.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty good. This has been my goal for a year or more,害羞草研究所� said Harrison. 害羞草研究所淭o come here and do it, 害羞草研究所� you never really know what the competition is going to be. It害羞草研究所檚 really sweet. I would like to be in the elite division, but I didn害羞草研究所檛 make that this year. It害羞草研究所檚 pretty sweet to come here and win and running away with it.害羞草研究所�
Great Britain害羞草研究所檚 Lee Piercy was second overall in 1:52:04, while Canadian Matt Straatman took third, but won his age group of 20 to 24.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 unbelievable. My race couldn害羞草研究所檛 have gone better for myself,害羞草研究所� said Straatman. 害羞草研究所淚 knew what my limits were. I pushed them as hard as I could. This is the best result I could expect here.害羞草研究所�
Canadian Melissa Paauwe won the 30 to 34 age group and was second overall in 2:04:47, in what she described as a strong field.
害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 always get that in duathlon. That害羞草研究所檚 what I was really excited about with this event,害羞草研究所� said Paauwe. 害羞草研究所淔ast runners right out of the gate. I relied on my bike. I went hard on the bike. This is where it landed me.害羞草研究所�
Finishing second overall was surreal for her as she found the course mentally challenging.
害羞草研究所淵ou are constantly battling with emotions,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淧ull harder, pull back. You don害羞草研究所檛 really know. I just stay within my own head.害羞草研究所�
Mexico害羞草研究所檚 Jose Aureliano Valenzuela Roman captured the Paratriathletes Sprint title. Valenzuela crossed the finish line after completing the 5-km run, 20-km bike and 2.5-km run in 1:05:23. Valenzuela害羞草研究所檚 objective was to better his performance in Avila, Spain last year.
害羞草研究所淭he route was comfortable. I was relaxed and the last part of the race, while I was cycling, I felt really under pressure, but I finally did it,害羞草研究所� Valenzuela said through a translator.
Valenzuela became a para athlete after he was part of an accident during a race nearly 30 years ago in which a vehicle crashed into 20 cyclists. He had a broken left arm. Winning this world championship was about doing it for young athletes and kids.
Fiona Southern of New Zealand won the women害羞草研究所檚 championship in 1:10:29. She was followed by Australia;s John Domandl and Jessica Toumela of Canada. Canadian Jon Dunkerley wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to finish the race as he encountered bike problems, which trouble him in the past.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an unbelievable experience. It really is,害羞草研究所� said Domandl. 害羞草研究所淲e (he and his guide) perservered. We stuck with it. We knew we could do it.害羞草研究所�
The event is only a warmup as he also intends to the Aquathlon and the Long Course distance.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e too old to do the short stuff,害羞草研究所� he joked.
Tuomela completed the course in 1:20:45.
害羞草研究所淚 have never done duathlon before. It was pretty hard,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 was very happy with it. Running is something I have been working on for the last three months. This was a little bit intimidating.害羞草研究所�
Toumela enjoyed the course, which she felt was fair and a perfect challenge.
Penticton has athletes competing on home turf. On opening day in the sprint duathlon, Ian Ross (70-74), who competed in the ITU worlds in Avila, Spain, finished in 1:36:15. He placed 509th out of 681 athletes and 11 of 17 in his category. In today害羞草研究所檚 event, Sybilla Bartram placed eighth in the 60 to 64 age category finishing in 2:41:07. Deborah Chadwick, 55 to 59, placed 10th in her category after clocking in at 2:40:37. Doug Howard, 55 to 59, was 29th finishing in 2:24:44 and Murray MacPherson, 65 to 69, was second in his group, finishing in 2:20:06. S. Paul Varga placed 41st in the 50 to 54 age group. He finished in 3:15:57.
