On Saturday and Sunday, the beach section near the Colonial Beach American Legion building, at 27 Colonial Ave. was transformed into a haven for endurance athletes. With 315 athletes competing in the 26th Colonial Beach Triathlon, residents and onlookers got a glimpse of what it takes to be a considered a be a true tri-athlete.
The Olympic course featured a 1,500-meter swim, a 40K bike race and a 10K run. The event featured 151 athletes.

The male winner for the Olympic version of the event was 22 year old Fairfax resident Gregory James Grosicki with a time of 2:04:15; seven seconds more than last year’s winner, Karl Kahsar who finished at 1:56.26. Kristin Laura Andrews, a 29 year old from Bethesda, Md., won the ladies’ title with a time of 2:13:44 — just a few seconds behind last year’s winner, Michelle Bozarth, at 2:13:12.

The rest of the top five Olympic male finishers consisted of the following competitors: Peter J. Nguyen, age 27 (Washington, DC, 2:07:42); Benjiman Farrell, age 28 (Virginia Beach, Va., 2:08:06); Christopher Lemos, age 33 (Rockville, Md., 2:08:31); Konrad Hell, age 40 (Fredericksburg, Va., 2:10:10).
The rest of the top female Olympic finishers consisted of the following athletes: Molly Roohi, age 29, (King George, Va., 2:18:18); Allison Moon, age 28 (King George, Va., 2:24:18); Edith Nault, age 22, (Poquoson, Va., 2:25:53); Roberta K. Parsons, age 26, (Alexandria, Va., 2:26:56).
Other Olympic competitors from the King George metropolitan area were: Alan Adam Moss, age 33, 2:18:27, 16th; Jeff Kraisser, age 42, 2:43:45, 83rd; Carlin Morris, age 27, 2:27:54, 93rd; Michael Schrantz, age 50, 3:22:23, 103rd; Elizabeth Guthrie, age 61; 3:16:14, 146th; Cyrus Roohi, age 29, 3:44:16, 148th.
On the first day of the event, during the sprint version, 42-year-old Craig Lavinger captured the title for the second year in a row, with a time of 1:09:55. Last year he finished the course with a time of 1:05:59. The ladies winner was King George resident Molly Roohi (1:15:02).
The event featured 164 athletes. The course consisted of 700-meter swim, 14-mile bike race, and a 5K run.
The rest of the men’s top five consisted of: Adam Locke Northup, age 36 (Richmond, Va., 1:12:41), 2nd; Rob Price, age 43 (Richmond, Va., 1:12:49), 3rd; Matthew Kirkendall, age 30 (Manakin Sabot, Va., 1:14:34); Joey Murray, age 20 (1:15:01) 5th.
Roohi’s fellow King George residents Allison Moon, age 28 (1:15:30), and Debi Bernardes, age 52 (1:18:39), finished second and third respectively. Stephanie Raddatz, age 20, from Arnold, Md., (1:21:03), and Andrea Wuebker, age 35, from Washington, DC, finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Other area residents who competed in the sprint portion of the triathlon were: Max Bernardes (King George, 1:15:43, 8th); Cainon Coates, age 24 (Colonial Beach, 1:24:14, 30); Jeff Kraisser, age 42 (King George, 1:25:54, 38); Brad Sevart, age 50 (King George, 1:28:00, 44); Matthew Faulds, age 23 (King George, 1:29:14, 53); Matthew Cook, age 20 (King George, 1:30:48, 63); Garrett Faulds, age 54 (King George, 1:33:22, 77); Benjamin Tritt, age 40 (King George, 1:33:34, 78); Thomas Cook, age 33 (King George, 1;34:21, 80); Michele Tritt, age 40 (King George, 1:38:28); Ben Shows, age 45 (King George, 2:16:39); Connie Perry, age 46 (King George, 2:16:39).

Leonard M. Banks
Sports Editor