Every four years, the world’s best Olympic Distance triathletes gather for one shot at winning an Olympic gold medal for their home country.
Here in Kona, Team Mango’s Sprint Tri race seemed to be on the same quadrennial path, having showcased an all-star list of Olympians, world champions, and Ironman distance winners.
In 2011, Carl Koomoa’s event became a race to remember, when this fun, family oriented triathlon turned into its own “mini Olympics,” giving local competitors the thrill of racing alongside world-class athletes.
Back then, it was Olympian Matty Reed, who decided to make an appearance and give it a go against Kona professional triathlete, uber cyclist and three-time IRONMAN winner, Chris Lieto.
In the exciting race for first, Reed and Lieto matched one another equally in the 1/4-mile swim, 14-mile bike, and two-mile run, giving cheering spectators goose bumps and a front row seat to an amazing all-out sprint finish. In the end, it was Reed who won by just a hair — 54:05.1 to Lieto’s 54:05.5 respectively.
Reed and Lieto ended up with the fastest recorded times in the history of the Sprint Tri, though according to Koomoa’s memory, South African professional triathlete, Jonathan Barber, may have actually been faster, but nothing recorded could be found within Team Mango’s deep archive of historical data.
This time, toeing the line of Sunday’s mass swim start in Kailua Bay was Tim Don, a three-time Olympian, International Triathlon Union) World Champion and multiple IRONMAN 70.3-winner. Right next to him was USA’s ITU specialist, Michelle Mehnert, who also happened to be the USA Triathlon’s 2013 Collegiate National Champion.
Standing amongst the spectators cheering on their friends were other big names in the multisport world: Julie Dibens, a 2004 Olympian and World Champion in Xterra and IRONMAN 70.3; Rachel Joyce, a 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champion and multiple top-five IRONMAN World Championship finisher; and Patrick Evoe, an IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 winner.
“It was a real treat and honor for our local athletes,” said Koomoa of the triathlon super stars. “It was especially fun for our young triathletes, like the Konawaena Tri Club, as they got to see these stars up close. It really gets them motivated and I just love that.”
A cloudless sky beamed over pristine waters of a placid Kailua Bay for the 23rd edition of Team Mango’s Sprint Tri. After the arm thrashing and splashing were complete, it wasn’t a surprise to see Great Britain’s Don run up Kaiakeakua Beach first with women’s leader, Mehnert, a few strides back.
While in the swim-to-bike transition, Mehnert utilized her swift ITU training skills as she quickly exited T1 first and hit Alii Drive just ahead of Don.
Within a mile, Don comfortably regained the lead and shifted into cruise control as he navigated his way over the 14-mile bike course that took riders into the infamous “Pit” and back to Kailua Pier.
“The difference with the bike course this year is the addition of the new intersection at Laaloa,” Koomoa said. “In years past, like the year Jonathan Barber did it, the times were fast because there were no stop signs on Alii Drive.”
Despite now having four main intersections along the bike course — Lunepule, Royal Poinciana, Laaloa and Kam III — that would force riders to either slow or come to a complete stop, Don remained unfazed and ended up with the fastest bike split of the day. Don then zipped through the 2-mile sprint to take the overall win in a fabulous time of 53 minutes and 42 seconds.
Austria’s Thomas Vonach, who won the Springtime Triathlon and Mini Monster Triathlon earlier this month, followed in second at 55:23. While Kona’s Adam Ankrum proved that he is only getting faster and stronger as he has consistently placed among the top overall standings at every race this year. Ankrum once again hit the podium with a third place finishing time of 1:00:46.
On the women’s side, although Mehnert’s strong efforts brought her across the finish line in fourth and first for the women in a great time of 1:02:55, it was not close to breaking the women’s course record. Kona professional triathlete, Bree Wee, who raced the course in 2007 as an amateur, currently holds the women’s record of 58:48.
Francoise Haudry of France was a distant second in 1:14:03, followed by Kona’s Lori Henbest with her time of 1:15:28.
“It’s really neat to have such a diverse group out there,” Koomoa said. “You’ve got some of the old gang out there dusting off the cobwebs, the young high school athletes, the beginners, and the Olympians. Team Mango couldn’t exist without the people of Kona and their enthusiasm. It’s like one big family.”
Sunday’s event became yet another race etched into the memory of all who attended and certainly one to be added to the history books — at least until the next wave of Olympians decide to embark on Kona. And it didn’t matter if you were first or last, a beginner or professional triathlete, just to finish was gold like a true Olympian.