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Bike portion ruins defending champion's bid

Becky Lavelle, the two-time defending Women's Pro champion, was unsuccessful Sunday in her bid for a third straight title.

By BRYAN BURNS
Published April 30, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Becky Lavelle, the two-time defending Women's Pro champion, was unsuccessful Sunday in her bid for a third straight title.

Lavelle, 33, a native of Los Gatos, Calif., was fifth coming out of the water but fell to ninth after the 40-kilometer bike ride and could not make up enough ground in the 10K run. She was sixth overall in 2:00.32, nearly three minutes behind women's winner Michelle Dillon.

"I don't know, I really didn't feel like I had the snap on the bike, " Lavelle said. "The run felt okay, but I definitely needed to make up quite a bit of ground on the bike. I just didn't have it - I couldn't make it up. That set me behind, and then I don't usually catch a lot of people on the run.

"I was just trying to hold my place on the run and not lose too many spots."

Lavelle finished just 0.28 seconds slower than her 2006 winning time of 2:00.04 and was markedly faster than her 2005 time (2:01.59) - after an illness this month hampered her training.

"That put me out for quite awhile, " she said. "I'm just not quite back up to par yet.

"I hope my normal race fitness comes back around. I thought I'd be there now."

IRON DEFICIENCY: Just more than five months ago, Craig Alexander and Samantha McGlone stood on the winner's podium in Clearwater, having won the inaugural Ironman 70.3.

Both, however, found the going a bit rougher Sunday.

Alexander, 34, entered the final stage in second place, but could not catch race leader Matthew Reed during the run and finished third in 1:48.07, nearly two minutes back.

McGlone also struggled to keep pace during the run, placing fifth overall after entering the last stage second.

The 28-year-old crossed the line in 2:00.26.

OLDEST AND YOUNGEST: Charles Futrell, 87, of the Villages was the oldest competitor in the event and finished in 4:49.36.

A retired teacher and the top-ranked triathlete by U.S. Triathlon for his age group since 1992, Futrell has run more than 400 races, including 17 St. Anthony's Triathlons.

Shayne Murphy, 15, of St. Petersburg was the youngest competitor and finished in 2:55.18.

[Last modified April 30, 2007, 00:27:52]