It didn’t take long for the day to become bright for Jason May who won his second consecutive Redondo Beach Triathlon while improving his 2010 winning time by six seconds, completing the 1/2 mile swim, 6 mile bike and 2 mile run in 41 minutes, 46 seconds.
With the ocean water colder than in the past few triathlons and strong surf breaking onshore, May used the conditions to his advantage. The 1993 graduate of Mira Costa High School became an L.A. Country Lifeguard after swimming and playing water polo for the Mustangs and at UC Berkeley. The 36-year-old is an eight-year veteran of the Redondo Beach Fire Department.
“For me, my strongest leg is the swim,” May said. “Most triathletes will tell you that the swim is the most difficult leg for them.”
Competing in the 35-39 age group that was included in the second wave of participants that began five minutes after the first group hit the water, May surpassed all but six athletes to the finish line yet still had the fastest time overall.
The Redondo Beach resident said he always enjoys racing in his hometown.
“This was a fantastic event as always. Rick Crump puts on a great race and the community support is fantastic.”
Crump, a physical education teacher at Adams Middle School in Redondo Beach, produces the annual event with his wife Connie. Crump said he was thrilled to see May win among such a strong field of athletes.
May is already looking forward to October 8 when he will be competing in what he terms “the Holy Grail of Ironman competition.”
“It’s great to win the Redondo Triathlon but my toughest race this year will be the Hawaiian Ironman over in Kona,” May said. “I qualified for it last year and we were just over there doing some training and it’s going to be a very tough event for me but I’m very excited. Just to be able to compete in the World Championships is something special.”
May edged fellow Redondo Beach resident Mark Tripp, 31, who was competing in the first wave and, after being the first person to cross the finish line with a time of 42:02, had to wait to see how May finished.
In only his second time competing in the event, Tripp improved his third-place time of 43:52 in 2010 for a second-place finish. Like May, he enjoyed the conditions in the first leg of the event.
“I like the waves and tough ocean conditions,” Tripp said. “It gives me a challenge.”
At the age of 51, Bill Macleod of Rolling Hills Estates finished third with a time of 45:02. Macleod placed fifth overall in last year’s competition.
In the women’s division, Debbie Richardson, 49, of Palos Verdes Estates captured her first Redondo Beach Triathlon with a time of 47:07. The longtime triathlete and distance runner finished second place in the women’s division in 2006 (48:54) and 2008 (50:15).
Richardson is no stranger to the podium. She has won eight triathlons, including the Day at the Beach Triathlon in Hermosa Beach in 2008 and 2010. Richardson has also finished first in two marathons and numerous other running events throughout her career.
“The Redondo Triathlon is such a fun event,” Richardson said. “I was really happy with my splits but it’s more challenging at my age because I’m in a wave with older women and I don’t know who my competition is or what time I have to beat. I have to really push myself and just go as hard as I can.”
The long-time runner enjoys the diversity of triathlon competition and is training for the Alcatraz Triathlon in August. Richardson runs with Club Ed in Manhattan Beach and said she is working more on her speed now than distance running.
Competing in the first wave of women competitors, Erika Lilley, 32, of Stevenson Ranch was the first woman to cross the finish line and placed second in the division with a time of 50:07.
Lilley has raced for seven years and is also a volleyball coach. She said she was in the South Bay last week for a volleyball tournament and ran down to Redondo Beach, where she found out about the triathlon.
“I’m competing in a race next weekend in New Mexico and wanted to get in some open water swimming,” Lilley said. “Plus, sprints are fun and get you out of your comfort zone. I did the Ironman St. George a month and a half ago and it’s a totally different sport. It’s fun to do this well because it’s tough to be in this shape after doing an Ironman.”
Lilley said she enjoyed competing in the Redondo Beach Triathlon and facing the challenge of the surf.
“The swim the toughest leg,” Lilley said. “With a race this short and a bike this short, the swim is so important. The swells weren’t that big but there were a lot of waves coming and if you weren’t a good swimmer and you couldn’t paddle out past the first few sets you were going to have trouble. There was such great support for a small triathlon and great volunteers. The boys club down there was really pumped up. They were really cute.”
Jill Johansen, 34, of Bakersfield, placed third with a time of 51:33, edging out Anneka Sakovich, 37, of Manhattan Beach, who finished in 52:25.
“This has turned into a great community event that draws many athletes from outside of the area,” Director Crump said. “It has grown to where we don’t have to print flyers for the event anymore and we were able to put that money toward better medals and the design of a new logo. It’s a fun reunion for not only the athletes, but for our crew who may not see each other eight months out of the year.”
Crump acknowledged The Portofino and Crown Plaza hotels for donating rooms for the announcing and timing crews.
“The crews do such a remarkable job each year and seem to enjoy their time in Redondo Beach,” Crump said. “They even donated the use of a flat screen monitor providing participants and spectators up-to-the-minute times and finishes in all divisions.
Crump is also a triathlete who competes throughout the year and looks forward to the day he can once again compete in the Redondo Beach Triathlon.
“I miss competing here but I have too much on my hands directing the event on race day. In a couple of years when my kids are about 10, I might join them in the relay.”
Local men finishing first in their age divisions included: Timothy Burdiak (Manhattan Beach, 20-24, 47:52), Brent Clissold (Redondo Beach, 25-29, 52:03), Tripp (30-34), May (35-39), James Hoeschler (El Segundo, 45-49, 48:06), Macleod (50-54) and Patrick Wickens (Redondo Beach, 70-74, 55:12).
Local female athletes placing first in their age group included: Paige Sullivan (Redondo Beach, 13-15, 58:51), Anneka Sakovich (Manhattan Beach, 35-39, 52:25), Patti Lange (Hermosa Beach, 40-44, 1:04:45), Richardson (45-49) and Jean Custer (Torrance, 65-69, 1:37:23).
Michael Seward, 31, of Hermosa Beach won the Clydesdale category and Penny Fogel, 49, of Hermosa Beach took top honors in the Athena division.
In the Sprint Relay, Murray Company won the men’s division with a time of 47:21. Team members included Travis Taylor, Jake Cleland and Donnie Odom.
The Walking Wounded team of Samantha Cusumano, Valencia Wilson and Sandi Hogan won the women’s category with a time of 1:01:31 and Team Klahr won the Mixed division as Ethan Peak, Sarah Klahr and Joebob Klahr finished at 50:06.
Jackie Golison, 49, of Long Beach, had the fastest time in the Mini Sprint at 33:10 to win the women’s division. She was followed by Jeffery Turek, 41, of Torrance, who took top honors for the men at 39:02.
The Mini Sprint Relay was won by Team 783 which consisted of Madeline Belt and Claire Bachter, who finished at 39:16.
Dede Moore, a family physician, put her medical practice on hold for a year and a half to organize and produce the inaugural Redondo Beach Triathlon in 2005. Proceeds from the event continue to benefit Cheer for Children, a Redondo Beach-based nonprofit organization that gives seasonal parties and raises money for acutely ill children at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
Complete results are available at www.rbtriathlon.com.
