With Nathan Killam leading him by five minutes, Leon Griffin had his work cut out for him as he headed out on the run portion of this year害羞草研究所檚 .

害羞草研究所淗e had a pretty significant lead. I just kept chipping away and finally got him in sight and tasted blood, as they say,害羞草研究所� said Griffin, who finished the race with an overall time of three hours, 59 minutes, 48 seconds, a minute ahead of Killam害羞草研究所檚 4:00:43 in the two kilometre swim, 93-km bike and 21.1-km run.

Griffin, from Boulder, Co., said once he got close, he put the hammer down for the last little stretch.

害羞草研究所淚t is one of those sports you never give up. With three legs (swim, cycle, run), you never know what is going to happen,害羞草研究所� said Griffin.

害羞草研究所淚 took the lead going up the hill in OK Falls, I had to push so hard to catch those guys and just put in a good effort on the climb out of OK Falls on the first loops,害羞草研究所� said Killam. 害羞草研究所淚 knew Leon could run like the wind so just went gangbusters and went all in on the bike. I heard I had a pretty big gap coming into the run. Just tried to run smart, not too hard, steady and I just couldn害羞草研究所檛 quite hold him off. I think he caught me around 17 K or so. I ran with him for a little bit. I just couldn害羞草研究所檛 hold his wheel. He just slowly drifted away. 害羞草研究所�

Killam admitted to feeling down about it.

害羞草研究所淗e was the overwhelming favourite to win,害羞草研究所� added Killam, who became a father almost seven weeks ago to son Aiden. 害羞草研究所淚 made him work for it that害羞草研究所檚 for sure.害羞草研究所�

Griffin said he did what was needed to cruise in for the win. He got a boost of energy after learning he had cut Killam害羞草研究所檚 lead by half. It was then his goal to get really close by the five-kilometre turn. Griffin figures that Killam sank a bit after seeing him around a corner. Griffin, who originally hails from Australia, said he had lost some of his speed and didn害羞草研究所檛 have his usual sharpness, which can happen with more long distance races done and training. He experienced disappointment a month ago at an Ironman race in Boulder, where he was disqualified after the race when he missed 50 metres of the course when a volunteer guided him in the wrong direction. It hurt his chances of qualifying for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Griffin said it was good to come to Challenge Penticton, where he stayed at Jeff Symonds parents house. He said they took him in like another son.

Third place for the men害羞草研究所檚 was Shawn Wilyman, with a time of 4:05:25. Last week, Wilyman won the Peach Classic Triathlon, with the third fastest time in that race害羞草研究所檚 35-year history.

Griffin called Challenge 害羞草研究所渁n honest course害羞草研究所� with some 害羞草研究所渘ice little climbs害羞草研究所� and a beautiful view along the water.

害羞草研究所淩unning along the canal was pretty nice. I wanted to jump in a couple of times and cool off, but the race was too close,害羞草研究所� said Griffin.

Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Claire Robinson topped Kristi Buescher of Spokane, Wash., by nearly a minute, but didn害羞草研究所檛 know she had won the half distance until after. Robinson knew there were girls ahead of her, then mentioned that pro Carly Johan of Culver City, Calif. was taken away in an ambulance and later released with a separated shoulder. The only other female pro, Mackenzie Madison of Springfield, Ore. pulled out because of heat issues, but is OK.

害羞草研究所淚 knew I was close to the top. It was hard to gauge who was doing what,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t was pretty exciting when they told me.害羞草研究所�

Robinson, originally from Toronto, credited keeping a steady pace for her success. It proved to be a good test run for her as she will return next month for the International Triathlon Union Multisport World Championship Festival. Robinson automatically qualified when she finished second at the 2016 Oklahoma ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. She also qualified at the Great White North triathlon, also put on by Challenge Penticton race director Michael Brown. She completed that event in 8:33:47. Robinson looks to have a good month of training to find herself on the podium. What she learned about the Challenge Penticton course is to keep the run slow and steady.

害羞草研究所淜nowing it害羞草研究所檚 just going to be hot and you can害羞草研究所檛 put too much pressure on yourself to go fast, take it slow,害羞草研究所� said Robinson. 害羞草研究所淏ase it more on effort than pace. The pace will be off no matter what.害羞草研究所�

Claire Robinson, the first female age group winner with a time of 5:02:40, agreed with Griffin害羞草研究所檚 assessment of the heat.

害羞草研究所淢y swim was great and my bike was great. The run, I can害羞草研究所檛 be too harsh on myself, just because it was so hot,害羞草研究所� said Robinson, who finished 15th overall, and first in the female 18-24 age group. 害羞草研究所淒efinitely not my fastest time by any means, but I gave it my all and considering the conditions, I am pretty happy with how I did.

害羞草研究所淚 knew going into it that it was going to be 35 to 40 C on the run and right from the get go, I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 let myself go above a certain pace, I just kept it slow and steady.害羞草研究所�

Lindsay Glassford of Invermere was second in 5:05:21.0 and Victoria Gilbert of Brentwood Bay, B.C. was third in 5:09:37.

The Aqua Bike (two-km swim, 93-km bike) attracted 47 athletes, including 27 males. Brentwood Bay害羞草研究所檚 Robert Johnson, 35 to 39, won in 2:58:43, while Simi Valley, Calif., Leslie Hancock, 40 to 44, was victorious on the women害羞草研究所檚 side. The Standard distance (1.5 swim, 46.5-km bike, 10.5-km run) was won by Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Mike Neill and Kiah Wheeler. Neill, 45 to 49, finished in 2:24;24, while Wheeler, 18 to 24, finished in 2:44:50. Bad Tattoo Brewing won the Half Relay (two-km swim, 93-km bike, 21.1-km run) finished in 4:37:08. The Half relay featured 32 teams.