Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Cycling

Fitness weekend triathlon is success despite some adversity

By JESSICA FISH
Published June 22, 2005

A Sarasota triathlon had to overcome the threat of red tide, stormy weather and smoke from an electrical fire near the transition area.

Last Saturday's Publix/Coca Cola Family Fitness Weekend Triathlon not only survived all that but thrived, with 600 competitors and some of Florida's best enjoying the race venue at Lido Key. The .5-mile swim, 14-mile bike ride and 2.6-mile run was won by Tampa's Rob Skaggs, 38, in a 1- hour, 21-second performance. Skaggs also captured the title of the Dunedin Sprint Triathlon on June 5.

Two-time Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon winner Heather Gollnick of Bradenton topped the Sarasota triathlon's overall female division in 1:05:41.

Gollnick, 35, created quite a stir in Florida after it was reported that she and her family relocated from Hartford, Wis., to Manatee County. Cyclists and triathletes have been looking twice, as Gollnick's professional uniform comes into view during hilly training rides in Pasco County.

"I'm so glad I came out here to the Publix race," Gollnick said. "Not only was this my speed work, but it was hard out here with this heat. I really liked the bike course through Longboat Key. It was so pretty here.

"I love living in Florida," she said. "This is good heat training for Ironman Lake Placid coming up. Now, I'm going out for a 5-hour bike ride."

Another top local was Clydesdale competitor Jim Sheets, 44 of Largo. He has been slimming down and barely made the 185-pound minimum requirement for his division, but Sheets posted a 1:11:32 victory. He leads the Family Fitness Triathlon series points for Clydesdales.

Sheets works as the Seminole recreation director and will play host to Sunday's Tri If You Dare Kids Triathlon at Holland G. Mangum Recreation Complex in Seminole.

Safety Harbor's Carole Torreano used her cycling prowess to win Saturday's 55-59 female class in 1:22:04. In her second year of multisport competition, Torreano, 57, is an expert at time management, rising at 4 a.m. to ride grueling bridge repeats before heading to work.

In her first attempt at Ironman distance racing, Torreano placed second at Ford Ironman Arizona in Tempe on April 9 with a showing of 13 hours, 38 minutes, 26 seconds. In San Francisco, she was the runner-up (3:49:05) at the Accenture Escape From Alcatraz Island on June 12. Torreano has high hopes for a top finish in the USA Triathlon National Championships, Aug. 13 in Kansas City, Mo., but friends say her dream is to qualify for the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

This season, the competition for Florida's 55-59 women remains fierce.

Patricia Hoffman of Palm Harbor said she had to skip the Publix/Coca Cola Triathlon for a trip to the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, where she captured a gold medal on June 12.

Hoffman, 55, recorded a 1:20:22 performance in the .25-mile swim, 12.5-mile bike ride and 5-kilometer run. She won by more than 12 minutes, and her time was good enough for third overall among women.

The next Publix/Coca Cola Triathlon is scheduled for Aug. 20 at Fort DeSoto Park. It has been designated by USA Triathlon as the USAT Florida Regional Club Sprint Triathlon Championships. Early registration is recommended. Go online to www.familyfitnessweekend.com

TEAM OUTSPOKIN: Rob Skaggs, a triathlon winner who's among the area's top USAT All-American competitors, leads the squad's roster. The Largo-based organization also consists of USA Cycling racers. "We started our team in 2003, and it has really taken off," director Paul Williams said.

The 39-year-old Largo man is a USA cycling coach and Masters competitor. Some of Outspokin's top riders are Mark Yeager of St. Pete Beach, Largo's John Tanner and Steve Schuler and Dunedin's Pascal Jugy, who are 35-pointscorers. "I'm honored to be associated with such a talented group of racers," Williams said.

The squad's junior cyclists include Graham Steele, 16, of Belleair; and Alexandria Lechner, 17, Clearwater. Both are headed to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs after being selected for the USA Triathlon Junior National Team. For Team Outspokin information, go online to www.outspokin.net or thesngbrd@juno.com

JUNIOR NATIONALS: USA Triathlon junior coach Adam Graetz will help select the remainder of the USAT National Team Steele and Lechner have been picked at a regional recruitment camp on Friday-July 1 in Peachtree City, Ga. For information on the squad for athletes under 23, go online to agraetz@tampabay.rr.com

KIDS TRIATHLON: Volunteers and competitors are needed for Sunday's Tri If You Dare Triathlon at Holland G. Mangum Recreational Complex, 9100 113th Street N, Seminole. Youths 7-10 will compete in a .5-mile run, 2.7-mile bike ride and 75-yard swim. For individuals 11-14, the event will consist of a 1-mile run, 4 miles of cycling and a 150-yard swim. Racing begins at 8 a.m. For information, call (727) 391-8345 or 319-2453.

[Last modified June 22, 2005, 01:09:13]