Last Sunday's Florida Half Ironman Triathlon at Walt Disney World Resort attracted an international field of 1,970 athletes, including some of the area's best. Great Britain's Simon Lessing was the top professional, winning in 3 hours, 52 minutes, 2 seconds. Canadian Lisa Bentley was the fastest female pro (4:22:04).
There was $25,000 in the prize purse for the professionals, and the amateurs competed for 30 Ironman Triathlon World Championship qualifying spots.
Lessing was the first to reach the Bay Lake swim exit, in 25 minutes. Though he was challenged on the bike, Lessing ran well on a sandy Osprey Ridge Golf Course.
Chris Lieto, of Danville, Calif., was second (3:54:19). Mike Lovato, Boulder, Colo., took third (3:55:06).
Among the top U.S. pros, James Bonney, Austin, Texas, finished 11th in 4:04:46.
"This was one of the toughest half Ironman courses I ever did," Bonney said. "I even got stung by a bee twice on the bike, right through my shirt."
Bentley had a tough fight from three-time Ironman Wisconsin champion Heather Gollnick, of Hartford Wis., who was second (4:26:10); and Hawaii Ironman champ Heather Fuhr, Canada, who placed third (4:27:41).
Breaking into the big time, Tampa's Lara Shaw had the best area performance. She captured fourth, 4:28:00. Looking fast as she ran out of the transition area, Shaw set a 6:33 pace. She posted a 1:25:38 split, but a dehydrated Shaw spent an hour in the medical tent. "I hung it all out on the swim and the bike," Shaw said. "I knew that if I was going to be up there with these girls, I had to go for it." Rob Skaggs, a TECO engineer from Tampa, made the top 20 in 4:17:06. He was second among 325 athletes 35-39. "I came up here to ride this bike course with a group of riders from Tampa," Skaggs said. "It seemed windier, but it was still windy today. We had a strong tailwind on the way back, so I think it was a fast bike course. The run was hard, and there were no straightaways anywhere." University of Tampa professor Linda Musante, of Tampa, who recently turned 50, won her age group (50-54) in 5:12:55 and was the top grandmaster female. She accepted the qualifying slot for the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Treasure Island's Carol Jean Vosburgh said she surprised herself by finishing in 5:59:11 for a third-place award in the 55-59 group. Vosburgh's husband, Kip, was among the cyclists involved in an encounter with an automobile in St. Petersburg in July.
Encouraged by St. Anthony's Wellness Center physical therapist Beth Shaw, Vosburgh's close-knit group of friends call themselves "The Rehab Warriors." The Vosburgh family training appears to be a success, because Vosburgh's performance in the Half Ironman shows she finally has found her form after recovering from open-heart surgery several seasons ago.
"I was very prepared for the Disney bike course, that's for sure," Vosburgh said. "I've never done a half Ironman distance before. And the fact that I was able to crank out a 2:03 run, well, I'm thrilled with that." Age-group winners included Joe Bonness (45-49), Naples, 4:37:34; Linda Neary (40-44), North Palm Beach, 4:54:22; and Sara Megan Quinty (25-29), Naples, 4:56:54. BEACH BIATHLON: The 16th annual Indian Rocks Beach event took place at the county park on Saturday. The biathlon, which benefits The Sea Turtle Search & Rescue Program, is a 2-mile run, .5-mile swim and 2-mile run. Nearly 100 competitors toed the line in the sand for the start. The overall winners were Orlando's Andy Farrell and Clearwater's Chrissy Carpenter. Women's age-group winners were Amy Minkin (25-29), Orlando; Rachel Winter (30-34), Pass-a-Grille; May-Li Cuypers (35-39), Belleair Bluffs; Patty Farese (40-44), St. Petersburg; Leslie Gerlach (50-54), Largo; Sandy Meneley (55-50), Holmes Beach; and Nancy Dantzler (65-plus),Odessa. For the men, it was Chris Kloosner (20-24), Seminole; J.P. Atherholt (35-39), Clearwater; Les Usiak (40-44), Bloomington, Ill.; Brian Aldridge (45-49), Winter Haven; Steve Ainsley (50-54), Tampa; and Paul Brown (65-plus),Clearwater.
