Aptos’ Marissa Ferrante wins West Coast Collegiate Triathlon Conference Championship

Aptos High alumna and Stanford Triathlon Club member Marissa Ferrante won the West Coast Collegiate Triathlon Conference Championships in Arroyo Grande on Saturday, according to preliminary results that will become official Tuesday at 3 p.m.

“My race went really well,” Ferrante said in a phone interview Sunday. “I made some big improvements from last year.”

The sophomore who studies anthropology completed the Olympic-distance triathlon at Cal Poly in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 55.3 seconds to finish with about a two-minute lead over the next closest competitor. Erika Erickson was second in 2:12:56.5 and Katherine Nielsen was third in 2:15:13.9.

“Some of the girls I placed ahead of yesterday placed in the top 10 of Nationals last year, so I think I’m right on target,” said Ferrante, who plans to compete in Nationals next month.

Ferrante finished the swim in 19:54.4, the bike in 1:11:56.9 and the run in 36:51.8. Coming out of the water, Ferrante was in fourth just behind the strongest swimmers, and she caught the first girl “right away” on the bike.

“I hit the run and just ran hard and ended up with a two minute lead,” Ferrante said of the final portion of the tri.

Berkeley’s Yoni Doron-Peters won the men’s race in 1:59:07.7 with just a four-second lead, Jane Smith won the female Olympic division in 2:24:55.3 and Tom Trauger won the men’s Olympic division in 2:10:50.1.

Next weekend, the Stanford Triathlon Club plans to compete at the UC Santa Barbara Sprint Triathlon. Collegiate Nationals are scheduled for April 21 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“Ultimately, I would love ot win nationals, but definitely my goal is to get top-five,” Ferrante said.

– Christina Gullickson, on Twitter at CGullTweets

Santa Cruz’s Kelley Puglisi breaks into top five in Hellyer Half

Santa Cruz resident Kelley Puglisi broke into the top five of the women’s field at Brazen Racing’s Hellyer Half Marathon on Saturday. She placed fourth among women in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 3 seconds, and was 18th overall at Hellyer County Park in San Jose.

Puglisi averaged a 6:48 per mile pace time.

San Francisco’s Nick Grover, 32, won in 1:18:51, and Burlingame’s Verity Breen was the women’s winner in 1:23:41.

The half is held in conjunction with a 10- and 5-kilometer races.

In the 10k, Santa Cruz’s Rebecca Doty won the women’s field, placing eighth overall. She finished in 35:47. Aptos’ Jennifer Willoughby, 33, placed second among women and 14th overall [37:24]. The men’s winner was Berkeley’s Brian Collett [31:04].

In the 5k, Capitola’s Angela Wilson placed fifth in 24:49. Morgan Hill’s Kiele Anderson won in 22:15.

The next Brazen Racing event includes the Badger Cove Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k, and is scheduled for March 17 in Del Valle.

–Christina Gullickson, CGullTweets on Twitter.

Santa Cruz’s Stefano Profumo wins Bay Breeze 10k race

Santa Cruz’s Stefano Profumo won Brazen Racing‘s Bay Breeze 10-kilometer race from the San Leandro Marina Park on Saturday, finishing the course in 34 minutes, 46 seconds.

His 5:36 per mile pace was enough to edge Berkeley’s Brian Collett, who was second in 35:19, and Oakland’s Tim Stahler, who was third in 36:50.

San Francisco’s Meghan Morris was the top female finisher, coming in 10th overall [40:56].

In the Bay Breeze Half Marathon, the top local finisher was Santa Cruz’s Carl Roth, who crossed the finish line for 11th place in 1:27:41.

Tim Long won [1:21:02] and San Francisco’s Adriane Puetz was the top female finisher [15th overall, 1:30:10].

In the Bay Breeze 5k, Elk Grove’s Greg Mandler [18:43] won and Oakland’s Amy Brennick was the top female finisher [ninth overall, 21:21].

The next Brazen Racing event includes the Hellyer Half Marathon, 10k and 5k. The races are scheduled for March 3 at Hellyer County Park.

–Christina Gullickson, CGullTweets on Twitter.