During a normal weekend morning on Hermosa Beach’s Pier Plaza, the view would be of dog walkers and joggers and surfers carrying their boards to the beach. But Sunday morning the area from The Strand to Hermosa Avenue looked more like a bicycle swap meet.
Hundreds of multi-geared bicycles filled the walkway in front of bars, restaurants and shops that was used as the transition area for the second leg of the annual Day at the Beach Triathlon.
More than 550 people completed the course that began at 7 a.m. with a 1/4-mile swim that paralleled the beach.
After competitors quickly shed their wetsuits, they hopped on their bikes and headed up Pier Avenue for a 10-mile trip that included three loops around Valley Drive and Ardmore Avenue.
The race concluded with a 3-mile out-and-back run on The Strand that finished on the sand just north of the pier.
Yu Yumoto, 37, was first to cross the finish line with a time of 52 minutes, 48 seconds, yet it was third best behind Jenson Button, 35, who posted a time of 48:25 and Torrance’s Matthieu Gancedo (52:42).
Simi Valley’s Megan Cross, 21, was the top female finisher at 59:25, edging Amy D’Ambra, 48, of Rolling Hills (59:34). Hermosa Beach’s Christin Chapman placed third with a time of 1:01.41.
Males winning their age divisions were Cole Stecyk (Redondo Beach, 14-17, 55:35), Ivan Fernandez (Carson, 18-24, 53:48), Kort Gibson (Encinitas, 25-29, 57:26), Gancedo (30-34, 52:42), Yumoto (35-39, 52:48), Alejandro Pages (Downey, 40-44, 55:35), Paul Connolly (Carlsbad, 45-49, 54:06), Rick Crump (Torrance, 50-54, 55:08), Matt McLaughlin (Westlake Village, 55-59, 55:24), David Stull (Torrance, 60-64, 1:04:39), Steve Polley (Camarillo Springs, 65-69, 1:02:43), John Hall (Aptos, 70-74, 1:15:28), Clint Brookhart (Littleton, Colo., 75-79, 1:13:14) and Larry Senn (Sunset Beach, 80-84, 1:44:52).
Females winning their age groups were Madison McLaughlin (Westlake Village, 14-17, 1:04:38), Cross (18-24, 59:25), Jade Yim (Los Angeles, 25-29, 1:09:05), Susan O’Brien (30-34, 1:01:48), Chapman (35-349, 1:01:41), Stefanie Fiery-Cale (Torrance, 40-44, 1:02:49), Tracy Jones (Hermosa Beach, 45-49, 1:04:56), Debbie Booth (Rancho Palos Verdes, 50-54, 1:02:33), Jeanne Peters (El Segundo, 55-59, 1:22:43), Helen Briglio (Laguna Beach, 60-64, 1:08:17) and Patricia Shapiro (Malibu, 65-69, 1:08:12).
For complete results, visit dayatthebeachtri.com.
