Youths 5-15 run, bike in Dirty Duathlon
Published: October 9, 2012
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More than 30 youth athletes were at the start line in Gallows Bay on St. Croix for the Dirty Duathlon on Sunday. The run-bike-run event, hosted and sponsored by the U.S. Virgin Islands Triathlon Federation, was the first race in the 2012-2013 Junior Tri VI series.
Children ages 5 through 15 competed in four age divisions, and Elena L. Christian Junior High School's Bevern Sage won the 12-15 age division. He completed the ½-mile run/2-mile bike/1-mile run duathlon in 25 minutes and 47 seconds.
"It was our first race of the series, and we were hoping for more competitors, but with all the changes on the island, we were happy to see so many new faces," said USVI Triathlon Federation General Secretary Theresa Harper, who was also an event organizer. "I know all the kids had a blast."
Six races are in the annual series, and the next event will be a Salsa Splash 'n' Dash at 8 a.m. on Nov. 25 at Chenay Bay.
The Junior Tri VI series is in its third year and is always open to interested athletes looking for a new challenge and first-timers.
"There will be two duathlons, two triathlons and two Splash 'n' Dashes for the series," Harper said. "We want to get as many schools to come out as possible because each race is a great event."
On Sunday, Sage grabbed a big lead during the first portion and stayed ahead until the finish line, despite a hard dismount from his bike.
The always-smiling Eva Luna Wittmann clocked a 28:09 and was the top girls finisher in the 12-15 age division. Sophie Dean was second among the girls, followed by Hailey Coates in third.
Once on the bike, AZ Academy's Colby Moran took off and never looked back in the 9-11 age division.
"When I saw the group of 9-11 year old kids on the line, I knew this was going to be a good race," Harper said. "The finish of the first leg of the race was very tight coming through the chute."
Moran finished the ½-mile run/1-mile bike/½-mile run in 14:04, which was more than a minute and a half in front of second-place finisher Andreas Moorman.
Cooper Crowther had a solid race and took third. Melinda Elser held her own against the boys as the lone girls competitor and clocked an 18:42.
Mikey Dizon-Bumann - who also jumped into the 9-11 age division race for an extra workout - won the 7-8 age division, which had the most participants. He completed the quarter-mile run/half-mile bike/quarter-mile run in a time of 7:10.
Masse Hatcher pressed Dizon-Bumann for the lead early on and finished second, while Stefan Moorman crossed the finish line with a huge smile and was third.
Arias Moses finished first among the 7-8 girls and third overall. Charlotte Halk was second, followed by Zavira Wilson.
In the youngest division, ages 5-6, Devante Larsen of Good Hope School led the group of nine for most of the way. He finished the quarter-mile run/half-mile bike/quarter-mile run just one second ahead of Mason Lambert. Joey Croney was third, while Kirra Lambert was the first-place female finisher, followed by Emberlyn Warehime.
For more information about the USVI Triathlon Federation and future races, go online at www.vitf.org.
- Contact sports writer Aaron Gray at 714-9102 or email agray@dailynews.vi.
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