[Times photos: James Borchuck]
Philadelphia's James Mandler, left, and Lakeland's Matt Werd battle for position during the St. Anthony's Triathlon start.

By JOHN SCHWARB, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 29, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Deirdre Tennant may need to make a permanent addition to her calendar: Last weekend in April, visit in-laws.

The Hawaii resident made a rare mainland trip this week to visit her husband's family in Tampa and while in town decided to participate in the 19th annual St. Anthony's Triathlon age-group race.

Deidre Tennant's decision to compete in her first mainland triathlon while visiting Tampa in-laws paid off. The Hawaii resident won the women's overall in 2:10.

Tennant had heard good things about the event and decided to make it her first mainland triathlon. Consider the rapidly-improving amateur 1-for-1 in the continental U.S.

With a time of 2 hours, 10 minutes, the 30-year-old won, validating a decision to concentrate on Olympic-distance triathlons (.93-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike, 6.2-mile run) instead of the longer Ironmans (2.4, 112, 26.2).

"It's exciting; there were huge crowds," Tennant said. "I hope to race pro (eventually). It's inspiring."

Tennant, 30, watched part of Saturday's ITU World Cup race and was impressed by the tactical aggressiveness of the top women. She swam at LaSalle in Philadelphia and showed her ability through the tough, choppy swim at the Pier.

Because of the multiple-wave starts at St. Anthony's, she did not immediately know she had won, but she prevailed easily, beating Linda Neary, 38, of North Palm Beach. Neary, who Tennant said has raced several times in Hawaii, finished in 2:11.17.

Sara McLarty, a sophomore swimmer at Florida, finished third in 2:14:33. A week ago at the national college triathlon championships she passed out during the run, but showed no ill effects Sunday.

"To finish this high, wow, this was unexpected," McLarty said. "I was just happy crossing the finish line winning my wave."

Jacksonville's Daniel Domingo won the men's overall for a second straight year.

Daniel Domingo did not necessarily surprise anyone in winning his second consecutive St. Anthony's, but the margin of victory may have been a shock. The 28-year-old Jacksonville resident won in 1:58.15, more than two minutes ahead of Matt Nuffort of Lexington, Mass. (2:00.33).

Domingo said he likely would apply for a USA Triathlon pro card with a good performance and showed nothing would keep him from taking a good shot at the top elites.

John Reback, 32, of North Palm Beach improved on last year's fifth-place finish with a third in 2:01:27.

Bruce Gennari was fourth in 2:01.39, unable to pull off what some expected to be a close battle with Domingo. Gennari, 36, edged Domingo for USA Triathlon Amateur of the Year honors in 2001, but arrived with a virus that left him with a faint voice and faint hopes of victory.

"I didn't know if I was going to race today, I just thought I'd go out there and see how I felt. At about mile four (of the run) I almost packed it in, I was feeling really bad," Gennari said. "I just figured, 'you flew down from Nashville, Tenn., you might as well finish.' "

Finishing 2:10 behind him in sixth was McLarty's younger brother Dustin, who generated almost as much buzz as Domingo. Dustin McLarty, 15, became the highest-finishing junior in St. Anthony's.

"This is what I've been training for. I can't do much this summer, because I'll be working," said Dustin McLarty, who is finishing his sophomore year at Deland High.

Tampa's Linda Musante, 48, won the women's masters division in 2:22.40, and Somerset's Kent Richardson, 43, won the men's in 2:07.38. Joan Kelley, 51, of Framingham, Mass., won the women's grand masters in 2:43.54 and Harry Barnes, 55, of Ontario, Canada, won the men's in 2:20.17.

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