Temperley wins women’s triathlon title in Hermosa Beach
The first wave of competitors do their best to stay warm before beginning the ?-mile swim at the Day At The Beach Triathlon in Hermosa Beach. Photo
After placing third in the women’s division at last year’s Day At The Beach Triathlon held in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach’s Jennifer Temperley regained her winning ways, besting her 2009 winning time by 15 seconds to capture the 2011 women’s title with a mark of 57 minutes, 43 seconds.
More than 640 individuals, including those participating in 35 relay teams and 20 coed teams, overcame a cold start before competing in mild conditions and warm ocean water in the ?-mile swim before proceeding on the course that included a 10-mile bike course that began with a steep incline up Pier Avenue before looping around Valley Drive and Ardmore Avenue and ending with a 3-mile north-to-south out-and-back run on The Strand.
“I was really psyched to win my division,” Temperley said. “My fingers and feet were getting numb, but once I got into the water, the swim was great. I got out in front and kept going from there.”
A former collegiate swimmer, Temperley said she has competed in triathlons on-and-off for the past 10 years.
“Now that my two children are a little older, I’ve been more focused on competition and setting higher goals for myself,” Temperley said.
After a ?-mile swim, competitors transition to a 10-mile bike up the steep incline on Pier Avenue during the Day At The Beach Triathlon in Hermosa Beach. Photo
In addition to winning the women’s championship in Hermosa Beach, Temperley has captured titles in Malibu, Santa Barbara and the LA Series this year. Her accomplishments have qualified her for the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Long Distance World Championships to be held Nov. 5 in Henderson, NV, the first time since 1996 the United States has hosted the event.
Temperley will be one of 350 competitors in various age groups to represent the United States in the triathlon that consists of a 4K swim, 120K bike and 30K run.
Crossing the finish line first in Hermosa Beach was Monrovia’s Brett Mirly. The 16-year-old placed second overall with a time of 52:15 behind Venice’s Tyler Willingham (50:36).
“The toughest part was waiting for the swim because it was pretty cold,” said Mirly, who competes in six or seven triathlons each year. “The water was warm and then I ran (the course) barefoot but I got through it. I felt good at the end. The last triathlon I ran I wore shoes and didn’t feel that comfortable so I ran the last mile barefoot and decided do the whole run barefoot this time.”
Mirly beat another teenager, Duncan Reid, 14, of Manhattan Beach for second place. Reid completed the course with a time of 53:31.
Temperley outpaced Julia Juliusson, 46, Laguna Beach (58:19) and Debbie Booth, 42, of Rancho Palos Verdes (58:56) for the championship in the women’s division.
Race supporters congratulate Hot Dog man as he reaches the finish line. Photo
Local male competitors finishing in the top three in their respective age divisions were Duncan Reid (Manhattan Beach, 2nd 14-17, 53:31), Kevin Wright (Manhattan Beach, 1st 25-29, 55:21), Jeffrey Kinley (Manhattan Beach, 3rd 35-39, 59:12), Jorge Lanza (Manhattan Beach, 1st 40-44, 57:45), Brian Dougherty (Redondo Beach, 3rd 40-44, 58:55), James Reilly (Redondo Beach, 1st 55-59, 58:35), Doug Boswell (Redondo Beach, 2nd 55-59, 50:36), Matt Tarnay (Torrance, 1st 65-69, 1:04:31) and Patrick Wickens (Redondo Beach, 1st 70-74, 1:03:39).
Local women placing in the top three in their age groups were Siena Oberman (Palos Verdes Estates, 2nd 15-17, 1:07:51), Kaitlyn Murphy (1st 25-29, Hermosa Beach, 1:03:49), Elizabeth Ayer (3rd 30-34) 1:09:30), Temperley (1st 35-39), Beatrice Dartley (2nd 35-39, Manhattan Beach, 1:03:18), Sarah Kiley (3rd 35-39, Redondo Beach, 1:03:49), Bufonda Soule (2nd 40-44, Redondo Beach, 1:02:52), Jean O’Shaughnessy (3rd 40-44, Redondo Beach, 1:03:07), Booth (2nd 45-59), Michelle Landes (3rd 45-49, Manhattan Beach, 1:04:04), Kathy Troeget (1st 50-54, Manhattan Beach, 1:09:30), Barbara Frank (2nd 50-54, Hermosa Beach, 1:09:47) and Gwen Powell (3rd 55-59, Torrance, 1:24:12).
South Bay men took the top three spots in the Thunder Thighs division, led by Preston Jeppson, 35, of Torrance (56:10), Chris Holly, 39, of Playa Del Rey (59:04) and Nate Balfanz, 28, of Hermosa Beach (1:00:35).
Hermosa Beach athletes Michael Steward, 31, and Johnny Groff, 27, placed first and second in the Clydesdale 200-224 division with times of 55:55 and 57:21, respectively.
Jim Lundy, 40, of Manhattan Beach finished second in the Clydesdale 225+ division with a time of 1:04:38, just ahead of Derrick Tracy, 35, of Redondo Beach who posted a time of 1:07:25.
The men’s relay title went to Synergy Group with Kurt Takayama (swim), Grant Fontan (bike) and Jason Adang (run) combining for a time of 52:22
Local athletes finishing in the top three of the Men’s Mountain Bike competition were Redondo Beach cyclists Andrew Chest (2nd, 1:01:17) and Hunter Schmidt (3rd, 1:03:53).
Team Visor captured the Coed Relay title with Mary Donlevy, Steve Rash and Shannon Ross turning in a time of 52:26.
The women’s relay crown went to Team Zimmerman when Sammy Aaron, Emma Zimmerman and Haley Webb posted a winning time of 1:10:20.