The word Monster turned out to be the best description of Sunday’s Team Mango Triathlon events as athletes battled through some monstrous storm conditions just to get to the finish line.
Despite having a potent, low pressure system pummel through the Hawaiian Island chain over the weekend, causing dangerous high winds along west-facing shores and strong swells that turned the ocean into a white-capped, turbulent washing machine, Sunday’s ninth edition of the Monster 140.6 &Mini Monster 70.3 Triathlons still went off without a hitch.
Event organizer, Carl “Gecko” Koomoa said he felt a bit concerned on Saturday as weather forecasters predicted the worst conditions to hit on Sunday. But when he arrived to set up the start and finish area at 3 a.m. on the Kailua Pier, he knew the event would go on as scheduled.
“We were really lucky,” laughed Koomoa. “The weather was actually really nice early on, the surf was down, and the tide was going out. It was a little windy but it wasn’t bad. All 15 people got through the swim no problem.”
It was the lowest turnout for the event that had one person registered to compete in the Monster Triathlon (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run) and 14-people in the Mini Monster 70.3 (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run), but Koomoa said he wasn’t surprised.
“Yes, the weather definitely had a lot to do with the low turnout,” he said. “I had a few people who planned on racing decide at the last minute not to turn out due to the weather. But this is just one of those kind of events that waivers up and down depending on what’s going on.”
Relay swimmer, Jim McCleery, was the first to exit Kaiakeakua Beach after the 1.2-mile swim in a time of 33 minutes and 13 seconds. He was followed by a finned Vince Bruce Shafer in 33:36, Hilo’s Joe Wedemann in 34:16, Kailua-Kona’s Michael DeCarli in 35:34, and Sam Gibson of Hilo with his time of 36:17.
However, as the winds picked up on Queen Kaahumanu Hwy, leaving athletes to battle the blustery elements on their own over the bike course, everyone began predicting slower finishing times.
“It’s kind of crazy weather,” Koomoa said. “I think times will definitely be slower because of the bike. For the mini, I think Mike will win and I think Sam will be in right after him.
“And for the Monster, Tom (Regal), he’s an Ultra guy, but he didn’t finish Ultraman last year as he had problems on the second leg and missed cut-off by six minutes. But I think he should have no problem today and I think he may beat Staci Studer’s record, but we will have to see with the weather.”
Just as Koomoa predicted, DeCarli was first to return to the bike-to-run transition, posting the fastest bike split of the day in 2:56:54, to start the 13.1-mile run ahead of Gibson with an eight minute cushion.
While Alii Drive is known for being hot and humid, the inclement weather kept athletes cool, an advantage for Gibson who typically trains and races in rainy Hilo as mile after mile, he began to slowly reel DeCarli in.
But in the end, it wasn’t enough. DeCarli finished victorious to claim his first Mini Monster 70.3 title in a great time of 5:24:26. Gibson followed in second place at 5:27:22, with Wedemann taking third at 6:22:12.
Wendy Henly won gold in the women’s division in a fabulous time of 6:54:44, with Ingrid Hillhouse claiming silver in 7:14:35.
Tom Regal, the lone competitor from Chatsworth, California who braved the worst conditions of wind and rain during the full-distance Monster 140.6-mile event, finished in a great time of 14:42:21.
For Koomoa, no matter rain or shine, monster swells or monster winds, organizing the Monster 140.6 &Mini Monster 70.3 Triathlons for those wanting to compete at the distance or validate their Ironman slot, will continue to be on the Team Mango Race calendar for many more years to come.
“It’s just getting harder for people to get into Ironman around here, and the alternatives to travel to qualify just cost so much,” Koomoa said. “There’s also a lot of people that just want to compete in the distance who can’t qualify. So that’s how this all began. This is probably where I will be doing my next Ironman.”
Coming Up
Saturday: The Hawaii Cycling Club presents the Prologue Training Time Trial, the first cycling time trial event of the year, on Queen Kaahumanu Hwy just North of Kaiminani Drive. Start time is 7 a.m. for the 10-mile race with morning registration beginning on Pukiawe St. off of Kaiminani Drive from 6:15-6:30 a.m. For more information on registration and club fees visit hawaiicyclingclub.com.
Sunday: Frozen Pea Productions presents DeCarli Dip &Dash at Kaiakeakua Beach. Start time is 8:08 a.m. for the free half-mile swim and 3.5-mile run. A LavaKids Pea Wee course of a 200-yard swim and 1-mile run is available for everyone. For more information contact Peaman at 938-2296.
