Northpinellas: Bicycle club prepares for its Spring Classic

St. Petersburg Bicycle Club members Patrick McNulty and Pat Ruta have started the spring touring season by making the rounds at bay area bike shops the last few weeks.

McNulty and Ruta have been working to gather support for SPBC's annual Spring Classic Tour, which is scheduled for 8 a.m. April 8.

The Classic, which can be ridden as a comfortable, family outing or as a speedy training session, begins and ends at the Manatee County Fairgrounds in Palmetto.

Only during this popular opening event of the touring season can ordinary folks rub handlebars with two-time Olympic cyclist (1932, 1936) John Sinibaldi, bicycling activist Bill "Boston Bill" Hansbury and the numerous Ironman Triathlon champions, top mountain bike racers or talented Florida state road and track champions who take on the Classic to "pack ride" safely with little or no automobile traffic.

Spring Classic riders may pedal 19, 35 or 62 miles through flat, scenic Terra Ceia, enjoying the beauty of rural Manatee County. SPBC plans to donate the Spring Classic proceeds to The American Cancer Society.

Door prizes, including bicycles, kayaks, Boston Bill sunglasses and bike shop gift certificates, will be given, along with food, entertainment and post-ride massage, at the fairgrounds celebration at the finish.

For further information, contact Danny Staffenberg at: staffenberg@juno.com; or call (727) 344-0185.

DUATHLON: Those multisport enthusiasts who traveled to Grenelefe Resort in Haines City on March 11 were treated to cool, overcast conditions through the wooded roads for competitive Dannon Duathlon Championships.

Overall winners for the duathlon (5-kilometer run, 30 kilometers of biking, 5-kilometer run) were Kristin Armstrong, 27, of Boise, Idaho, 1 hour, 28 minutes, 30 seconds; and Greg Watson, of Newark, Del., 1:16:31.

The top female Floridian was ninth-place Alison Hayden, 29, of Dade City, 1:37:22. The top male Floridian was Alec Rukosuev, 33, of Apopka, second to Watson in 1:17:35.

Age group winners included Alex Jones, 18, St. Petersburg, 1:34:30; Rebecca Clark, 22, Lakeland, 1:38:43; Kimberly Schultz-Hag, 29, Tampa, 1:34:12; Virginia Poyner, 57, Sarasota, 1:55:41; Shirley Taylor, 67, Largo, 2:11:09; Don Ardell, 62, Tampa, 1:36:30; Dennis Gatto, 65, South Pasadena, 1:57:52; Jackie Yost, 72, Treasure Island, 2:38:42; and Al Treichel, 72, Spring Hill, 1:47:17.

The top clydesdale was James Sheets, 40, Largo, 1:35:52. The top female beginner was Kim Donaldson, 39, St. Petersburg, 1:38:29.

FESTIVAL OF STATES: The West Coast Wheelmen have joined the city of St. Petersburg to play host to the annual Festival Of States Criterium At The Bayfront.

It's a full day of bicycle racing on March 31 just south of Straub Park in St. Petersburg. Racing begins at 8 a.m. WCW members Dennis and Sandy Sullivan have announced that their event will feature free entry fees for all junior riders (18 and under).

The fast, flat criterium course is at First Avenue S and First Street. USA Cycling racers will compete in Bayfront Criterium, including juniors, masters, women, and all categories, including the premier Pro 1-2 event at 2:45 p.m. This race will give points to top riders for the Florida Points Series standings.

For more information on the Festival Of States Criterium, e-mail Sullivan at: drsull@gte.net, or call (727) 360-2917.

CHASE THE BUNNY: Completing the weekend for USA Cycling racers, Dave Holt and Team Ringling will play host to the $2,500 annual Chase The Bunny Road Race at 9 a.m. April 1 in Ellenton. The Pro 1-2 distance will be 100 miles. Women will race 60 miles, Category 3 100 miles, Category 4-5 60 miles and juniors 20 miles.

For more information, including registration and volunteer work, e-mail Dave and Julie Holt at: ringling1@aol.com. TEAM IN TRAINING: Rick Downes, a Tampa member of the St. Pete Mad Dogs and the PowerBar Team Elite, says he can show how much one triathlete can squeeze into his daily Palm Pilot.

Downes, 35, a husband and father of two with a background in exercise physiology, teaches Sunday school and works as a personal trainer, along with his career as a medical sales executive. He achieved USA Triathlon All-American status last season, raising $6,500 for the 2000 Leukemia Society, and heads the triathlon coaching staff for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of American Suncoast chapter's Team-In-Training.

Team-In-Training, athletes with the familiar black and white uniforms, have appeared in growing numbers everywhere, including marathons in New York City and Chicago, AIDS Vaccine Rides, the Gasparilla Distance Classic and Walt Disney World Marathon.

Downes is coaching 32 Team-In-Training members who will compete in the St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 29, raising more than $50,000 for the Leukemia Society.

For a closer look at the full field of triathletes who are registered for the St. Anthony's Triathlon and the available registration spots for the Meek & Mighty, call Steve Meckfessel, (727) 825-1271.

NOTE: St. Anthony's Triathlon individual race registration is closed, but there's room for the Meek & Mighty rookies, April 28, and three-person relay competition, April 29. Teams of male, female, mixed, corporate, masters (40-plus) and grandmasters (50-plus) are welcome to register. Check the Web site for details.

Back to North Pinellas news

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

Special Links

Mary Jo Melone

Howard Troxler

From the Times
North Pinellas desks