Redondo Beach Triathlon race director Rick Crump smiled Sunday morning as he watched 20-year-old DIllon Nobbs cross the finish line 2 ½ minutes ahead of his closest competitor.
“It’s nice to see new faces win and the younger generation become so competitive,” Crump said. “It’s great for the sport.”
Nobbs captured the 11th annual event with a time of 40 minutes, seven seconds thanks to a strong swim in the first leg of the race. Shortly after runner-up and four-time champion Chris Foster finished at 42:37, Crump requested a photographer take a photo of the three men standing together.
Prior to taking over as directors of the race with his wife Connie, Crump won the inaugural event in 2005 with a time of 43.31.
“This is a passing of the torch having a young guy like that win,” said the 33-year-old Foster, who missed last year’s race after claiming the title in 2013. “I’m really glad to see so many young competitors doing well. It’s necessary for the the sport.”
Nobbs’ win was the first of his two attempts at the Redondo Beach Triathlon.
“I competed here in 2013 but I was just a kid,” said Nobbs, who won the 16-19 age group and finished fifth overall that year with a mark of 41.17.
Originally from La Verne but now living in Colorado Springs, CO, Nobbs created a lead that was unsurmountable. He completed the 1/2 -mile ocean swim in 11:14, well ahead of Foster’s time of 12:54.
“I’m mainly know for my running but I’ve been focusing on swimming that last six months thanks to my coach Ken Axford out of Colorado Springs,” said Nobbs, who is training to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. “I was drifting out a little bit between the second and third buoy but I just focused on the line.”
Nobbs increased his lead with an impressive time of 14:57 in the 6-mile bike and finished the 2-mile run in 11:30.
Foster, of Redondo Beach, tried to gain ground in the run, posting a time of 10:55, but it was not enough.
“He got away from us pretty much at the first buoy. He put a big gap,” Foster said. “I’m a good swimmer but I had no chance at closing that gap in the swim. I was hoping to gain ground on the bike and run but it just didn’t happen.”
Nobbs and Foster competed in the Men’s Elite division while Michael Collins, 49, of Irvine finished third overall winning the 45-49 age division with a time of 43:55.
There was also a first-time winner in the women’s division with 16-year-old Illi Gardner taking top honors with a time of 46:43. The Palo Alto resident finished eighth overall in her first competition at Redondo Beach.
“It seemed like a nice vacation area so I entered,” Gardner said. “The swim was my best leg. It was a bit warmer than I usually compete in. I’m excited, and a little surprised, to win.”
Gardner outdistanced Megan Sullivan, 26, who posted a time of 50:03 and 2012 champion Jane Esahak-gage who crossed the finish line at 50:51.
Males winning their age divisions included: Jorge Benitez (13-15, 49:30), Ryuya Souther (16-19, 44:46), James Shalvoy (20-24, 47:40), Adam Ritchie (25-29, 44:59), Jimmy Wills (30-34, 47:34), William Stauffer (35-39, 51:11), Noah Balch (40-44, 46:20), Gunnar Granquist (50-54, 47:04), Mike Lyle (55-59, 47:13), Terry Loftus (60-64, 50:13), Steve Polley (65-69, 57:23), Patrick Wickens (70-74, 58:36) and 80-year old Larry Senn (75-99, 1:55:01).
Peter Kelley, 50, won the Clydesdale Division with a time of 58:37.
Female age group winners included: Peyton Heiden (13-15, 54:35). Gardner (16-19), Courtney Barr (20-24, 56:34), Sullivan (25-29), Kimberly Nakamura (30-34, 51:20), Christin Chapman (35-39, 53:15), Astrid Cybulskis (40-44, 52:56), Elizabeth Granquist (45-49, 57:16), Esahak-gage (50-54), Allison Sherwood (55-59, 51:04) and Maggie Riley-Hagen (60-64, 1:01:55).
Verena Thompson, 38, won the Athena Division at 1:07:12.
For complete results, visit rbtriathlon.com.
