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Letter to the editor

Fall season kicks off with state championship series

By JESSICA MUNDIE, Times Correspondent
Published September 26, 2007

Local cyclists and triathletes are beginning to enjoy a mix of multisport events that are popping up on fall calendars. Just add the approach of fall training weather, and you have the best conditions in the United States for training and enjoying the area on a bicycle.

Kicking off Florida's fall mountain bike racing season, Floridian Robert McCarty and Namrita O'Dea of Atlanta, Ga., won the 13 Hours Of Santos, located in Ocala. The event was held Labor Day weekend, and organizers called for the race to finish at the halfway mark due to dangerous storms in the area.

Terry and Dave Berger of Gone Riding will play hosts at Razorback MTB Park in Reddick on Saturday and Sunday, where Stage No.2 of the Florida State Championship series will be held.

Gone Riding's Florida State Championship Series continues on with the following stages: Hanna Park in Jacksonville, Oct.7; Haile's Trails in Gainesville, Oct.21; Alafia River State Park in Brandon, Oct.28; and onto the Miami area for race dates in November.

All National Offroad Bicycling Association rules will apply. Many of the weekends offer practice riding and camping. For details, head to www.goneriding.com or call Terry Berger at 352 873-9279.

SAND KEY TRIATHLON: Race director Bev Buysse said she enjoyed Sunday's fourth annual Sand Key Triathlon, mostly because the weather held out for the full field of 500 triathletes at Sand Key County Park.

"With all the phone calls about our Military Division, and the good weather, we had tons of last-minute people hoping to register," said Buysse, who turned some of the hopefuls into race volunteers. "The day went so well that I could not believe how much fun all my volunteers had."

Former British world champion Spencer Smith, 34, won the event in 52 minutes, 33 seconds. The women's winner was Sharon Beltrandelrio, 38, with a time of 1:02:28. Both are from Palm Harbor.

The triathlon was a sprint distance event: swim one-third mile, bike 11 miles and run 3.1 miles.

Log onto www.sandkeytriathlon.com to see results and photos.

STRANGEMANS BEACH BIATHLON: Triathlete, open-water swimming champion, local personality and race director Steve Strange invites all athletes and their families to compete or volunteer at the unique run-swim-run-swim 15th annual Strangeman's Beach Biathlon at 5:30 p.m. on Oct.6 at Palm Pavilion in Clearwater Beach. Go to www.racesaregreat.com.

THE BICYCLE BOOK: Antique bicycle collector and cycling author Chip Haynes of Clearwater is in the news again.

Haynes, who created the familiar green, spiral-bound Pinellas Trail Guide, is having his work published by Jim Joyce of Pittsburgh, Pa. The title of the book is The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings.

The book is a collection of writings by cycling experts and editors ranging from Lance Armstrong's coach Chris Carmichael to USF graduate Richard Fries, founder of Boston's The Ride magazine.

Joyce plans to donate 15 percent of book royalties in equal shares to SoldierRide, the League Of American Bicyclists and the United States Association Of Blind Athletes tandem cycling program. For more, head to www.satyahouse.com/bikebook or call Satya House Publications at (413) 477-8743.

Times correspondent Jessica Mundie can be reached at sptimescycling@yahoo.com.

[Last modified September 25, 2007, 21:46:47]