Junior development director and coach Cyle Sage likes to emphasize "the fun factor" in his USA Triathlon training camps in the Clermont area.
Future Olympic athletes will come from this pool of U.S. junior competitors, Sage says.
"Keep it fun and you will see our junior men and women doing amazing things," Sage said.
"Even the most grueling workouts, which will make them faster as the season goes on, include the fun factor, and they will produce great race performances," he said.
Clearwater High School sophomore Alexandria Lechner appears to be having fun, as she won another race Sunday at Clermont's Lake Minneola. Lechner, 15, delighted her parents and coaches by topping the female 15-19 division in the final stage of the Clermont Triathlon Summer Sprint Series. She completed a .25-mile swim, 11-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run in 1 hour, 6 minutes and 17 seconds.
When not in local triathlons, Lechner competes in soccer, prep cross country and track.
Age division victories in this summer's Coca Cola Triathlon events at Davis Island and Fort De Soto Park showed Lechner's speed.
Her next competition is the 15th annual Tarpon Springs Rotary Sprint Triathlon on Sept. 13.
CLERMONT SUMMER SPRINT SERIES: The final triathlon of the summer series was completed Aug. 17. The overall winner was Jacksonville's Daniel Domingo, 29, with a time of 51 minutes, 37 seconds. The women's champion was Clair Domingo, 26, Jacksonville, 1 hour, 1 minute, 42 seconds. St. Petersburg's Lisa Plescia, 43, was the fastest female Master 1:03:09. Division winners were Alexandria Lechner, 15, Clearwater, 1:06:17; Christina Noordstar, 27, Tampa, 1:03:08; Taylor Dudley, 33, Tampa, 57:02; Kim Donaldson, 41, St. Petersburg, 1:05:48; Kathleen Kaye, 45, St. Petersburg, 1:04:18; Sam Nall, 60, St. Petersburg, 1:07:52; Shirley Taylor, 70, Largo, 1:33:30; Jackie Yost, 75, Treasure Island, 1:47:01; Charles Lasley, 81, Belleair, 1:46:32; Clydesdale Reece Haettich, 34, Tampa, 1:02:34; and Tampa fat-tire competitors Danny Lester, 38, 1:09:11; and Scott Matthews, 43, 1:09:32. Kaye was the overall Masters winner for the three-race series. The CFT/Sommer Sports Great Floridian Triathlon XIII scheduled for Oct. 25. A half-Ironman distance event also is slated for that day, and the number of registrations have reached 1,000. For Clermont information, go online to www.triflorida.com
NATIONAL WINNERS: Former Olympic cyclist (1932, '36) John Sinibaldi Sr. (Team Gearlink), 89, of St. Petersburg won the USA Masters National Time Trial Championships 20-kilometer event (men 85-plus) in 47 minutes, 8 seconds, Aug. 4 in Louisville, Ky. Sherri Stedje (Team BBC), 36, Lutz, captured the title of the USA Cycling Masters National Championship Criterium (women 35-39) Aug. 5 in Louisville. A third gold medal came back to the bay area from the USA Cycling Masters National Track Championships in Kenosha, Wis. Earl Henry (West Coast Wheelmen), 61, Pinellas Park, won the sprint event (men 60-64) on Aug. 12 by jumping down to the finish line in a track sprinter's slingshot move off a steep bank at Washington Bowl Velodrome. Henry's next big event will be the UCI Masters World Track Championships on Sept. 6 in Manchester, England.
STATE ROAD RACE: Atomic Race Team, joined by the Greensboro Kiwanis, will play host to the Florida State Road Race Championships on Oct. 11 in Greensboro. The event, on the same course as last year, will offer a cash prize list of $3,000 and double Florida Points Series points. The start/finish line will be on CR 270-A at Big Bend Jai Alai, about 30 miles west of Tallahassee. For information, e-mail Pete Butler, Pete.Butler@ncgicorp-
.com.
WOMEN'S TRIATHLON: The Reebok Women's Triathlon Series will come to St. Petersburg on Sept. 7. There are two race distances. The sprint event will be comprised of a .75-kilometer swim, 20K bike ride and 5K run. The Supersprint will be a .375K swim, 10K ride and 2.5K run. The first annual tri will benefit Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Inc. Registration and packet pick-up will take place during the Reebok Multisport Experience Race Expo at the St. Petersburg Hilton on Sept. 6. For information, call (800) 509-5525.
TARPON TRI: The 15th annual Tarpon Springs Rotary Sprint Triathlon is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Sept. 13 at Fred Howard Park. The race will consist of a .25-mile swim, 10.5-mile bike ride and 3-mile run. For information, call (727) 934-8357.
8 HOURS OF LABOR: The mountain bike endurance race is scheduled for Aug. 30 at Razorback MTB Park in Reddick. Gates open at 9 a.m. for camping and practice riding. Solo and team competition is set for 2-10 p.m. Expert racer Eddie O'Dea Specialized/Chainwheel Drive of Tampa is hoping to capture a podium spot after placing fourth in the Trail To Trail at Carter Road Park in Lakeland on Aug. 17. For mountain-bike racing information, go online to www.goneriding.com
