Teenagers take top spots at 13th annual Redondo Beach Triathlon
Palos Verdes Estates’ Duncan Reid, 19, easily won the 13th Annual Redondo Beach Triathlon with a time of 41 minutes. Photo
Move over veteran triathletes, the next generation has caught and surpassed you.
After 50-year-old Michael Collins and Laura McDonald, 34, won the male and female divisions at the 2016 Redondo Beach Triathlon, a pair of teenagers were the first to cross the finish line in Veteran’s Park Sunday to captured this year’s titles.
“It’s nice to see new faces win and the younger generation become so competitive,” Race Director Rick Crump said. “It’s great for the sport.”
Nineteen-year-old Duncan Reid, a former Palos Verdes High School distance runner now competing for the Oberlin College cross country and track & field teams, overtook Zane Grenoble in the cycling leg to win the 13th annual event with a time of 41 minutes.
Grenoble, 16, of Playa Del Rey was first out of the water but had to settle for second place with a time of 42:34, holding off Collins, 51, of Irvine who posted a mark of 42:45.
Reid is no stranger to the race, placing second as a 16-year-old with a mark of 44:25 while edging Collins (44:36) in 2014.
The 1/2-mile ocean swim, 6-mile bike and 2-mile USAT sanctioned Sprint Triathlon that benefits Cheer For Children has become a breeding ground for up-and-coming triathletes.
Victoria Woolfolk, 18, of Santa Ana captured the women’s title while placing 21st overall with a time of 50:04.
She outpaced Long Beach 36-year-old Erin Earlywine (50:58) and Astrid Collins, 43, of Irvine (51:03) for the win.
Woolfolk, who will graduate from Foothill High School this week, has already made a name for herself on the triathlon circuit this year.
Eighteen-year-old Victoria Woolfolk, of Santa Ana, outpaced seasoned veterans to claim the women’s title. Photo
She finished 6th in the women’s division at the UCLA IronBruin competition being the only high school athlete in the top ten. Woolfolk was also the top high school finisher at the UCSD Tritonman All-Female Division with a 24th-place finish.
For Redondo Beach husband and wife Jimmy Wills and Erin Beresini, this year’s competition added another chapter to their favorite triathlon.
As an engaged couple in 2007, the duo won the male and female divisions and on Sunday, they competed for the first time as parents while winning their respective age divisions.
Beresini competed in last year’s triathlon while six months pregnant and found a new joy this year.
“This was my first triathlon since having our daughter, Immy, and it was so fun to stand on top of the age group podium holding her,” Beresini said. “The hardest part of the race was that run from the water to bike transition area. It always takes me awhile to get my land legs back.”
Wills, who finished fifth overall with a time of 45:45, was excited about his performance but admitted not knowing how many young kids were ahead of him after the swim was mentally tough.
“Erin and I have been resourceful with training over the last year so I was happy to win my age group,” Wills said. “It was very special to see Immy on the course and great to see Erin stand on top of the podium again because it’s the first time she’s been able to just go all out for awhile.”
Males winning their age divisions included: Gabriel Sigala (Clovis, 13-15, 48:35), Reid (16-19), Jack Welsh (Redondo Beach, 20-24, 59:09), Chris Depew (Covina, 25-29. 45:23), Aaron Figura (Manhattan Beach, 30-34, 48:46), Jimmy Wills (Redondo Beach, 35-39, 45:45), Quentin Heiden (Redondo Beach, 40-44, 46:40), Hideharu Kojima (Redondo Beach, 45-49, 48:52), Collins (50-54), Marc Mone (Murrieta, 55-59, 49:49), Terry Loftus (Laguna Niguel 60-64, 49:14), Peter Hoyt (Costa Mesa, 65-69, 51:48), Dennis Holderman (San Pedro, 70-74, 1:01:11), Michael Wood (Ventura, 75-79, 56:26) and Peter Alexander (Santa Monica, 80-84, 1:42:41).
Females placing first in their age groups were: Marta Meinardi (Irvine, 13-15, 52:34), Woolfolk (16-19), Caroline Harvey (Pasadena, 20-24. 1:06:58), Susan Sinsheimer (Redondo Beach, 25-29, 57:59), Erin Beresini (Redondo Beach, 30-34, 51:48), Earlywine (35-39), Collins (40-44), Susan Stevens (Hermosa Beach, 45-49, 1:01:16), Rebecca Burch (Hermosa Beach, 50-54, 1:02:58), Maureen MacDonald (Sherman Oaks, 55-59, 51:56), Maggie Riley-hagen (San Marcos, 60-64, 1:03:28), Jacqueline Yukawa (Seal Beach, 65-69, 1:43:45) and Sue Baker (Canoga Park, 70-74, 1:28:31).
Top-three finishers in the men’s Clydesdale division were: Iain Campuzano (Thousand Oaks, 52:03), Ron Long (Torrance, 56:17) and Jason Laurence (Mountain Center, 56:39).
Medaling in the women’s Athens division were: Amanda Muller (Redondo Beach, 1:06:33), Carly Wright (Redondo Beach, 1:14:09) and Sasha Gross (Rancho Palos Verdes, 1:15:23).
The Sprint Relay was won by Team Velofix whose members Perry Alvarez, Robert Carter and Shawn Sharlton posted a combined time of 46:43.
The event also included a Mini Sprint (half the distance) won by Dylan Flores (San Diego, 30:55) followed by Vincent Calta (Redondo Beach, 33:20) and Lukas Anderson (Manhattan Beach, 35:35).
Founder of the Redondo Beach Triathlon and original Race Director Dede Moore, of Redondo Beach, won the women’s Mini Sprint championship with a time of 35:36. She was followed by Jayla Vanover (Indianapolis, Ind., 44:09) and Julie Maynard (Whittier, 44:10).
The Mini Sprint Relay was won by Team Birthday consisting of Christopher Gutierrez, William Gutierrez and Mariah Mobley who finished at 8:31.
For complete results, visit rbtriathlon.com.