Santa Cruz’s Lauren Junker, Ventura’s Mike Shaffer dominate Big Kahuna Aquabike

Santa Cruz resident Lauren Junker and Ventura’s Mike Shaffer were the women’s and men’s winners, respectively, of the Big Kahuna Aquabike competition on Sunday.

Junker crossed the finish line in 3 hours, 17 minutes, 27 seconds to win the women’s title and to place in the top 10 overall. She earned her eighth-place finish with a 28:31 swim and a 2:43:31 bike. The swim is 1.2 miles and the bike is 56 miles.

Liz Abbett was second [3:24:54] and Marianne Hernandez was third [3:43:14].

Ventura’s Mike Shaffer repeated as the overall champ — he also won in 2010 — with a time of 2:47:54. Shaffer finished the swim in 20:38 and the bike in 2:22:33.

Ole Jorgenson was second [2:51:03] and Tyler Adams was third [2:51:09].

Results included in this report are from Buzzword Productions.

Santa Cruz’s Cindy Padilla places 39th in 12th annual Barb’s Race triathlon

Cindy Padilla was the top Santa Cruz-area finisher, placing 39th in the 12th annual Barb’s Race triathlon that was run conjunction with the Vineman Triathlon in Sonoma County over the weekend.

Padilla finished the Olympic-distance event in 5 hours, 49 minutes, 3 seconds. She completed the swim in 41:30, the bike in 3:04:17, and the run in 1:53:58.

The all-women event was won by Los Altos’ Liza Rachetto in 4:55:56.

Results included in this report are from RaceResults360.

Santa Cruz husband and wife duo make top 100 in Vineman half-Aquabike

Paul and Kathryn Vroomen made their mark in the Vineman half-Aquabike competition in Sonoma County over the weekend.

Paul Vroomen, 56, was the top Santa Cruz-area finisher in 18th overall, and Kathryn Vroomen, 49, was 24th among women [73rd overall].

Paul Vroomen finished 13h among men and second in the men’s 55-59 age division, completing the 1.2-mile swim and 56-mile bike race in 3 hours, 22 minutes, 18 seconds. He did the swim in 34:58 and the bike in 2:43:23.

Ventura’s Mike Shaffer, 47, won the race in 2:47:57.

Kathryn Vroomen finished the swim in 36:13 and the bike in 3:20:05 en route to a 4:00:37 finish. She was sixth in the women’s 45-49 age division.

The women’s overall winner was Whitney Garcia of Boulder, Colo. Her time was 3:00:05.

Results in this report are from RaceResults360.com.

Sam Shimomura captures Rough Water Swim victories in junior division, masters division

Santa Cruz resident Sam Shimomura swam the fastest time of anyone at the 39th annual Rough Water Swim — a one-mile swim around the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf — and took the junior and masters titles on Saturday, according to preliminary results on bigskyendurancesports.com.

The 18-year-old arrived at the finish line on Cowell Beach in 17 minutes, 16.30 seconds — 15 seconds ahead of runner-up Trevor Gillis [Los Altos-Mountain View] in the masters division and almost two minutes ahead of runner-up Caleb Cripe [unattached] in the junior division. Cripe, 13, crossed the finish line in 19:28.20.

Sandy MacDonald [Sierra Marlins Swim Team] was third in the master men’s race in 18:38.15, and Jonah Silva [unattached] was third in the junior boys race in 20:58.15.

Slug swimmer Janey Heyman, 16, was the junior girls winner, crossing the finish line in 21:00.20. She was followed by runner-up Maddie Stander of Seaside, who finished in 21:10.56, and third-place finisher Mary Welton [Valejo Aquatic Club], who finished in 21:13.45.

Stanford’s Susan Preston, 50, won the masters women’s race in 17:50.50. She was followed by Lynn Jolly [The Olympic Club] in 20:58.30 for second place and Stephanie Rebro [UNAT] in 21:09.85.

In the wetsuit divisions, Margaurite Meyers [TOC] won the women’s race in 20:18.65 and Matthew Benoit [TOC] won the men’s race in 18:35.45.

Video: Interview with Tommy Zaferes after his 3rd straight Sandman Triathlon win

Aptos resident and pro triathlete Tommy Zaferes, who is just back from training and competing in Europe this summer, won his third-straight Sandman Triathlon at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos on Sunday.

Here’s a quick clip of the interview I did afterwards.

Results from the race will be posted as soon as possible here.

Aptos resident Matt Chrabot takes 5th in NYC triathlon

Aptos resident and native Virginian Matt Chrabot, 29, placed fifth in the New York City Triathlon on Sunday.

Chrabot, who is originally from Virginia Beach, finished the Olympic-distance event in 1 hour, 49 minutes, 35.3 seconds. Jordan Jones of Golden, Colo., won in 1:45:03.65.

Chrabot completed the 1.5-kilometer swim in 11:48, the 40k bike in 1:00:52 and the 10k run in 33:17.

Results included in this report are from RaceResults 360.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Aptos’ Tommy Zaferes places 6th in Canary Wharf Super Sprint tri

Aptos resident and pro triathlete Tommy Zaferes placed sixth in the Canary Wharf Super Sprint triathlon after progressing to the final from his qualifying heat in London over the weekend.

Zaferes clocked a time of 25 minutes, 26 seconds — just eight seconds behind winner Aaron Royle of Australia [25:18].

For a full, first-person race recap, check out Zaferes’ blog.

Results in this report are from the British Triatlon Super-Series website.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Harvey West Pool open for the summer

The Harvey West Pool has opened for the summer and will remain open until Aug. 25. Please find the details below:

Recreational Swim: Monday-Saturday, 12:30 – 3:00 pm, $4.00 or $10.00 for family of 4
Lap Swim: Monday-Friday, 11:30 am – 2:30 pm and 5:00 – 7:00 pm; Saturday, 11:00 am – 2:30 pm, $5.00
Water Fitness: Monday-Thursday, 5:30 – 6:30 pm, $6.00
H2O Yoga: Saturdays, 5:00 – 6:15 pm, $12.00

Jim Booth Swim School Swim Lessons: Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday lessons. Sessions start June 18, 19; July 16, 17; August 13, 14; (also in fall) September 17, 18; October 15, 16. Eight 1/2 hour classes. Cost $96.00 plus $18 per year registration fee. Call 831-722-3500 to register.

Harvey West Pool is located at 275 Harvey West Blvd in Santa Cruz adjacent to Harvey West Park. For details on City adult lap swim, recreational swim, water fitness and H2O yoga, call 831-420-5270or visit http://www.santacruzparksandrec.com. To register for Jim Booth Swim School call 831-722-3500. 

 

Aptos’ Tommy Zaferes does two triathlons in one weekend, passes out at finish line

Aptos native and pro triathlete Tommy Zaferes did double duty over the weekend, and it caught up with him as he passed out at the finish line of the Banyoles World Cup, an ITU-sanctioned event, in Spain on Sunday.

“I passed out from heat and exhaustion right across the line and spent 20 min in the medical tent,” Zaferes tweeted after the race. “All better now. My next blog should be fun.”

On Saturday, Zaferes — who is training in Europe over the summer — placed sixth with his St. Rafael team in the French Grand Prix super sprint relay at Toulouse. St. Rafael finished the  400-meter swim, 10-kilometer bike and 2.5k-run triathlon with a time of 1 hour, 27 minutes, 7 seconds.

In Spain, Zaferes ended up placing 17th [1:49:33] and finishing the 1.5k-swim,  40k-bike and 10k-run race with a temperature of about 102 degrees, according to his blog.

Zaferes regularly blogs about his races with an in-depth, blow-by-blow style. For his race report of the Frnach GP, go here, and for a report of the World Cup, go here.

The French GP was won by Les Sables Vendee’s team [1:26:18]. The World Cup race was won by fellow American Lukas Verzbicas [1:47:28].

Results included in this report were from the ITU website and the GP website.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets

Two-time Olympic medalist Bevan Docherty takes 3rd in Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon

Aptos’ Becky Lavelle finishes as the sixth fastest woman; Santa Cruz’s Eric Clarkson breaks into the top 20

Santa Cruz resident and native New Zealander Bevan Docherty, a two-time Olympic medalist, placed third in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco over the weekend.

Docherty, who will again represent New Zealand in the London Games, crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 32 seconds. Colorado’s Andy Potts won the race in 2:03:17 and Australia’s Courtney Atkinson placed second [2:03:53].

Docherty completed the 1.5-mile swim in 27:37, the 18-mile bike in 46:14 and the 8-mile run in 46:06. He finished the sand ladder in 1:51.

England’s Leanda Cave was the first finisher among women, coming in 17th overall [2:18:17].

Santa Cruz had one other triathlete in the top 20: Eric Clarkson placed 16th in 2:16:03.

The top female finisher from Santa Cruz County was Aptos’ Becky Lavelle, 38, who was sixth among women and 37th overall [2:27:09]. Lavelle finished the swim in 30:04, the bike in 54:24 and the run in 56:58. She did the sand ladder in 2:33.

Results in this report are from the Escape from Alcatraz website.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter @CGullTweets