The 21st annual Full Vineman Triathlon was renewed on Saturday,
providing the ultimate test of will and endurance for those fit and
brave enough to tackle the challenge.
This year’s race, run in conjunction with Barb’s Race, and an
Aqua-Bike, drew more than 700 participating athletes, a record
number for the event.
The oldest continuously run full Ironman triathlon in the
continental US, the Vineman began in Guerneville with a 2.4-mile
swim, continued with a 112-mile bike ride through Sonoma County,
and ended with a 26.2-mile marathon run. The marathon consisted of
three loops of 8.7 miles, beginning and ending at Windsor High
School.
Scoring their first Full Vineman victories in the men and
women’s races respectively were 25-year-old Max Biessmann of
Irvine, California, and 38-year-old Teri Albertazzi of Tucson,
Arizona.
While cool temperatures greeted Vineman starters at dawn in
Guerneville, warm conditions during the last half of the race
proved the undoing for many of the top athletes.
The men’s race provided plenty of drama, as one of the
favorites, Staffan Westerberg, surged into the lead early in the
bike segment. Westerberg led Biessmann by 13 minutes and had a
17-minute cushion on former Vineman champ David Glover. Meanwhile,
two-time defending champion Dan Arlandson was forced to drop out,
further changing the dynamics of the race.
Biessmann took the lead for a good 10 kilometers into the
26.2-mile run, as Westerberg succumbed to the warm conditions.
Glover would get within about four minutes of the lead, but
Biessmann had plenty left in cruising to victory in a time of 9:21
to claim sole possession of a $4,000 bonus for finishing in under
9:30.
“I was just hoping for a good race, and wanted to execute the
best I could,” said Biessmann. “The wheels started coming off on
the run so I was getting a little worried coming in, but overall I
felt pretty good.”
Rounding out the top five men’s finishers were Keish Doi
(9:31:57), Glover (9:40:57), Matt Zanger (10:46), Andrew Minck
(10:08:48). Windsor’s Jady Palko, 37, turned in a great effort to
garner eighth place in 10:16:55.
The women’s Full Vineman race was equally suspenseful, as
Albertazzi passed South Africa’s Kathryn du Buisson at the
beginning of lap two of the three-lap marathon run and never looked
back in powering to a relatively easy victory.
Albertazzi produced a methodical race, slowly chipping away at
an early, 16-minute deficit before eventually passing du Buisson
nine miles into the run. It was clear sailing from there, as she
cruised to victory in 10:59:01.
Joining Albertazzi on the women’s podium were Deborah Battaglia
(11:08:22), Darcy Bushnell (11:10:59), Janie Hayes (11:20:09),
Zolia Herrera (11:30:15), and Kathryn Throoln (11:35:35).
Local athletes shine
Other notable local Full Vineman finishers included Healdsburg’s
Ross Anderson (11:22:14), Windsor’s Donovan Quinn (12:15:26), Clay
Popko of Sebastopol (12:57:09), and Sebastopol’s own Carmen
Sinigiani (15:03:15).
The Full Vineman men’s relay team comprised of Healdsburg
residents Eric Johannsen, Glen Mitchell and Sean McKenzie took
second overall in 10:16:55, while Healdsburg’s mixed relay team of
Jana Harrison, Scott Kerson, and Brenda Phelps were also second in
10:11:27.
Forestville’s Leslie Shaw captured fourth overall in the women’s
Aqua-Bike in 6:57:22. Other locals included Windsor residents
Patrick Krueger (6:59:14), and Troy Tuscher (7:44:29).
Windsor’s Dan Taylor finished the Half-Vineman Aqua-Bike in
3:57:45, followed by Sebastopol’s Catrina Dierke (4:43:25),
Windsor’s Julie Krueger (4:51:08), and Guerneville’s David
Youngberg (5:27:09).
Results for all Vineman races are available online at www.vineman.com.
Barb’s Race goes over $433,000 mark
Saturday marked the 10th running of Barb’s Race, the only
all-women’s half triathlon distance contested in the world. The
annual event has been a huge success since its inception, raising
over $433,000 for local cancer charities.
This year’s 10th anniversary event featured a “survivor’s
category,” as five women in pink caps went off in the first wave of
racers, with four of the five crossing the finish line in
Windsor.
“I continue to be inspired by the strength and commitment of the
women who participate,” said race founder and cancer survivor
Barbara Recchia. “As one of our racers so eloquently put it,
‘Barb’s Race brings women together, supporting each other, as we
bring hope to others.’ For me, this is the essence of Barb’s
Race,” she added.
The 2010 Barb’s Race champion was 24-year-old Cal Berkeley
student Erika Erickson, who crossed the finish line in a record
time of 4:47:10, providing her with a comfortable, 12-minute margin
of victory.
“I wanted to win, but my goal coming in was just to break five
hours,” said Erickson, citing a pre-race talk by Recchia as added
incentive. “I was really touched listening to Barb talk on Friday,
she is so inspirational.”
Rounding out the top five Barb’s Race finishers were Joanne
Gilchrist (4:59:52), Lisa Heisinger (5:00:44), Gayle Gajus
(5:04:20), and Heidi Spees (5:04:55).
Top local Barb’s Race finishers included Healdsburg’s Erin
O’Dwyer (6:12:15), and Ciara Meaney (7:07:19), and Graton’s Carol
Livramento (8:09:07).
