BY ERIC ELLIS
DRIFTWOOD CONTRIBUTOR
Spring is the beginning of the multi-sport season and Salt Spring has been well represented in the first major triathlon event of the season, the Subaru Victoria 70.3-K triathlon on Sunday, June 2 at Elk Lake.
The morning dawned bright with over 2,000 competitors lined up for the swim start, a 1.9-km loop of Elk Lake followed by a 90-km bike loop of the Saanich Peninsula from Elk Lake to Land’s End Road and back, and finally, 21.1-kms (half marathon distance) comprised of two loops of Elk Lake.
The first Salt Spring competitor to finish was Richard Hayden in five hours, 10 minutes and 57 seconds, earning him 14th of 135 men in his age group. He finished the swim portion 58th place in his age group, the bike portion at 25th place and the run portion after five hours of competition in 14th place in a time of 1:37 a time that most road runners would die for.
The second Salt Spring competitor to finish was Marcia Jansen in an overall time of five hours, 31 minutes and 47 seconds. This effort earned her ninth place of 91 women in her age group, and 83rd of 786 women. She earned a second place in her age group in the swim portion despite taking a tumble exiting the lake, third place in her age group in the bike portion and what she characterized as a disappointing time in the run that saw her drop from third to ninth place.
Marion Young was the third Salt Springer to finish, crossing the finish line in six hours, 21 minutes and eight seconds for fifth place of 31 women in her age group. Having worked intensely on her swimming skills for six months, she finished 17th in her age group in that section, seventh place in her age group in the bike portion and fifth place in her age group for the run.
This race was but a preparation for our Salt Spring competitors, who are going on to bigger and maybe better things. On July 13, Hayden will be doing the Laugavegur 55-km ultra-marathon in southern Iceland, a journey through ice, snow and rivers. On July 28, Jansen and Young will be competing in the Whistler Full Ironman competition, a 3.8-km swim, 180-km bike race and full marathon run.