Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 15, 2002
Florida's fall bicycle touring season is rolling along.
The next event will challenge riders with "Buckhill," "The Wall" and daunting "Sugarloaf Mountain."
Got your gears ready for these climbs?
The Florida Freewheelers of Longwood will play host to the 23rd annual Horrible Hundred. The first cyclists Sunday at Clermont's Lake Minneola pedal off at 8:30 a.m.
Freewheelers volunteers will provide various food and hydration, along with tech support, on the routes of 31, 71 and 102 miles. The entry fee is $20, and many riders have registered early.
After the event, there will be a party at Waterfront Park on Lake Minneola, which is the same location as CFT/Sommer Sports triathlons.
"Lots of riders use this for fun, group training," said Largo's Jeremy Tibbetts, a Georgia Six-Gap winner.
"Just make sure you visit your local bike shop for the proper gearing because some riders will need to spin up those climbs and others will put the hammer down big time," he said.
For information, call (407) 788-BIKE.
NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER: USA Triathlon staff member Carol Spaulding conducted a tour of Clermont's new center.
Facilities include outpatient rehabilitation (part of South Lake Hospital), an outdoor Olympic pool, workout equipment, a $900,000 running track, and a human performance laboratory.
Pro cyclist Adam Baskin works as a USAT exercise physiologist when he's not competing. Baskin tests and studies swimmers, cyclists, runners and triathletes using the latest computerized technology in sports science.
"When we obtain data from a rider, either on their own bicycle or our machines, we can give this information to the coaches," Baskin said.
"We can analyze bike position, efficiency, spin, as well as maximal oxygen uptake, lactate threshold, motion and swim-force stroke," he said. "These tools are valuable to competitors."
Spaulding says the National Training Center -- used by British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand triathletes in preparation for last month's world championships -- is open to the public.
"This center is a valuable asset to the community because we offer water aerobics and conditioning, along with the services for highly competitive individuals," Spaulding said.
"All interested people are welcome to call and arrange testing or to become members of the wellness center, no matter their level of play."
For information, call Baskin, (352) 241-7144, ext. 4208. Photos of the center may be seen online at www.usatriathlon.org.
WINTER SERIES: USA Triathlon National Training Center will present the Winter Triathlon Series on Jan. 19, Feb. 2 and Feb. 16 in Clermont.
The race format is a 10-minute pool swim, 10 minutes of transition, a 20-minute indoor bike ride, 5 minutes of transition, and a 15-minute treadmill run.
The total distance will be measured for top-three male and female age-group awards in 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60-plus, as well as in the overall male and female competition.
For information, call (352) 314-7444, ext. 4209, or (352) 394-4071, ext. 4209.
SUNCOAST TRI: Fort DeSoto's triathlon last Saturday was the first local event.
It was chilly enough for director Joe Fernandez to allow competitors to wear wetsuits.
The winners were Patrick High of Sebring, 55 minutes, 40 seconds; and Tampa's Melanie Rowton, 1:07:38. The race consisted of a .33-mile swim, 11-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run.
The division winners were Billy Anderson, 17, St. Pete Beach, 1:06:15; Rick Downes, 37, New Port Richey, 1:02:52; David Noyes, 40, St. Petersburg, 1:05:41; Rick Cervis, 48, Tampa, 1:07:02; Sam Nall, 59, St. Petersburg, 1:10:02; Walt Davin, 61, St. Petersburg, 1:19:35; Joe Cimino, 66, Tampa, 1:23:16; Rick Downs, 35, Clearwater, Clydesdale, 1:08:35; Christa Carpenter, 18, Clearwater, 1:14:39; Erin Kowal, 28, Clearwater, 1:07:22; Bev Buysse, 45, St. Petersburg, 1:11:45; Anne Page, 54, Tierra Verde, 1:17:27; Lilian DeSilvio, 56, Oldsmar, 1:20:59; Phyllis Kessell, 22, New Port Richey, Athena, 1:26:35; Ivette Compton, 42, Clearwater, Masters Athena, 1:29:24; and first-time competitor Linda Howard, 34, Tampa, 1:21:10.
AARP TRI-UMPH CLASSIC: Coach Lewis Bennett will bring his rookies to St. Petersburg's North Shore Pool on Sunday for the popular triathlon.
The event will showcase experienced Grandmaster champions such as Palm Harbor's Patricia Hoffman, 52; Treasure Island's Carol Jean Vosburg, 57; and St. Petersburg's Sam Nall, 59; along with younger newcomers to the sport such as Tierra Verde's Laurie Laurino, 39; and St. Petersburg's Richard Angwin.
Angwin, a marriage counselor, says he's racing in memory of his father and brother, who died in their 50s of a heart attack. Angwin has delighted his dietitian, Jennifer Hutchison, by using swim/bike/run training to shed 100-plus pounds.
Hoffman, a retired registered nurse, is a 2002 Senior Games gold medalist. The champion swimmer captured 7 Senior golds last year, 10 in Kissimmee, 6 in Pinellas County, and 4 in the last month's Games in The Villages.
WATCHING THE RACE: The best place for spectators at the AARP Classic is near the last turn, or the start/finish line, at St. Petersburg's North Shore Pool, 901 North Shore Drive NE. The senior triathletes event, which starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, is comprised of a quarter-mile pool swim, 12-mile bike ride and 5-kilometer run. For information, go online to www.aarp.org/triumph.