ITC TRIATHLON WILL BE USING IT’S YEAR OLD NEW COURSES THIS YEAR
What is old but new again? Well, the circumstances don’t quite match the song, but in the case of the International Trade Center Triathlon, scheduled for next Saturday, September 17th, the course is new but also a year old.
New Jerseyans will remember when a wicked rain storm hit New Jersey the night before the event that takes place from the trade center in Mount Olive. Water was standing on much of the course and part of the headquarters site was under water. Wind was so strong that whitecaps on Budd Lake forbid any but a tanker from venturing out. The race had to be cancelled.
This year it is a whole new ball game. The 14 kilometer bike course that had been newly redesigned is ready to go according to race director Mark Zenobia.
“Last year we decided to revamp the bike course and the canoe,” said Zenobia. “The bike course, compared to 2003 and before is about the same distance but it’s more difficult, much more trail than it had ever been before. It used to be 60 % trail and 40 % road. Now it’s much more like 80-20.”
“The canoe leg (4 kilometers) used to be across Budd Lake starting at the Mount Olive police station. Now it’s an out-and-back on Sand Shore Drive. Those are the two major differences that we would have known if we’d had a test last year.”
“The canoe leg does a sewing needle loop and comes back to a similar shoreline, right next door to each other,” said Zenobia. “The good news there is that it’s easier for us to manage. Now communications will be easy as the crews will be right next to each other.”
The race has a loyal following and many come from outside the state according to Zenobia.
“Five time winner, Bill Wenrich (from Pennyslvania) is back again,” said Zenobia. He’s an amazing athlete.”
Wenrich, 46, is getting better with age judging by his recent race times. He finished the race in 1:20:23 in 2003, over a minute faster than his 2002 time of 1:21:39.
Also returning according to Zenobia is Brian Shernce of Randolph who placed third in 2003 and second in 2002.
Two well know previous women winners will not be at the race. Angie Dello of Whippany who won the women’s division in 2003 and her training partner Tracey Swenson of Rockaway who was the winner in 2002 will not be competing this year. That will leave the women’s race wide open.
Although focus is on the individuals competing in the race, there are two team divisions; those for a two person team and for a four person team. Also in the line-up is a kids triathlon that goes off after all of the adult athletes have started, beginning with the first wave at 10:00 a.m.
DELLO AND SWENSON TO COMPETE IN WORLD DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP
Angie Dello and Tracey Swenson, mentioned in the article above, will be in competing at the World Duathlon Championship in New Castle Australia on September 24th.
The two women, who are members of the Sneaker Factory club will be leaving next week where they will be meeting with old friends from the U.S. for a tour before the competition, which is a 10K run, a 40K bike and a 5K run. Both women have been competing successfully at both road racing, duathlons and triathons for several years.
Originally p ublished in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County on Sunday, September 11, 2005
Copyright, Madeline Bost , 2005