Originally published August 18, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 18, 2008 at 12:25 PM
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Print viewSeattle Danskin Triathlon | Erin Ford of The Dalles, Ore. wins by almost 4 minutes
Taking first place in Sunday's Seattle Danskin Triathlon made Erin Ford happy. What really got her stoked, though, was the camaraderie.
Special to The Seattle Times
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ROSS MANTLE / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Swimmers head into Lake Washington early Sunday morning for the start of the 2008 Danskin Triathlon. The race consisted of an 800 yard swim, a 12.4 mi bike ride and a 3.1 mi run. The Seattle race is part of Danskin's national women's triathlon series. The series, held throughout the United States, celebrates women and their accomplishments.
Danskin Women's Triathlon
At Seattle
(800-yard swim, 12.4-mile bike,
3.1-mile run)
Overall -- 1, Erin Ford, The Dalles, Ore. (10:56, 28:03, 19:53), 1:02:08; 2, Teresa Nelson, Seattle (10:43, 29:04, 23:20), 1:05:56; 3, Robin White, Sammamish (11:59, 30:38, 22:38), 1:08:31; 4, Kathy Morrison, Kent (14:13, 29:36, 22:28), 1:09:47; 5, Tanis Keenan, Delray Beach, Fla. (12:38, 31:01, 22:51), 1:09:58; 6, Karin Gardner, Seattle (11:53, 29:59, 24:20), 1:10:02; 7, Michelle Fjetland, Renton (14:05, 30:10, 22:46), 1:10:04; 8, Jessica Pollak, Kent (12:53, 30:03, 22:44), 1:10:10; 9, Daphne Slife, Wenatchee (13:37, 29:11, 23:47), 1:10:13; 10, Evi Emmenegger, Seattle (14:28, 29:10, 22:50), 1:10:16.
19 and under -- 1, Alina Fong, Salt Lake City, Utah (11:12, 38:15, 27:45), 1:20:18; 2, Laurel Barrett, Puyallup (11:22, 39:19, 27:18), 1:22:44; 3, Carolyn Stevens, Kirkland (12:34, 39:19, 28:14), 1:24:35.
20-24 -- 1, Christine Grant, Mercer Island (16:59, 34:31, 23:27), 1:20:14; 2, Ashley Sullivan, Portland, Ore. (13:21, 34:18, 25:50), 1:20:44; 3, Mariah Hanson, Seattle (17:21, 33:15, 23:39), 1:20:54.
25-29 -- 1, Jodi Defenbaugh, North Bend (14:48, 34:29, 23:22), 1:17:24; 2, Serene Patton, Bothell (13:46, 33:31, 25:36), 1:18:33; 3, Libby Miller, Gig Harbor (16:06, 33:00; 23:39), 1:18:34.
30-34 -- 1, Maren Bisson, Seattle (14:25, 33:15, 21:23), 1:14:09; 2, Joyce Yi, Seattle (12:20, 34:59, 24:06), 1:16:32; 3, Danielle Hauptman, San Francisco, Calif. (14:40, 30:57, 26:14), 1:18:08.
35-39 -- 1, Jessica Pollak, Kent (12:53, 30:03, 22:44), 1:10:10; 2, Amy Sprouse, Clancy, Mont. (13:03, 32:11, 23:34), 1:14:06; 3, Kristin Dorn, Seattle (14:46, 32:08, 22:54), 1:14:08.
40-44 -- 1, Evi Emmenegger, Seattle (14:28, 29:10, 22:50), 1:10:16; 2, Denise Dierich, Bellingham (13:10, 31:50, 25:05), 1:14:24; 3, Heidi Riley, North Bend (14:43, 29:37, 27:02), 1:15:45.
45-49 -- 1, Hillary Stibbard, Kenmore (16:59, 30:25, 23:41), 1:15:19; 2, Ann Kolvenbach, Seattle (16:06, 32:56, 24:43), 1:19:06; 3, Kim Lobree, Bellevue (18:35, 31:34, 24:28), 1:19:38.
50-54 -- 1, Valerie Ritchie, Seattle (15:33, 30:42, 24:14), 1:14:11; 2, Sandy Laurence, Woodinville (13:23, 31:41, 26:16), 1:15:09; 3, Phyllis Newmark, Portland, Ore. (16:18, 31:08, 25:39), 1:18:02.
55-59 -- 1, Judith Sentz, Seattle (14:38, 33:32, 26:51), 1:19:55; 2, Bobbie Busch, Gig Harbor (15:31, 37:26, 24:13), 1:23:06; 3, Nicolette Athis, Seattle (17:23, 33:39, 31:51), 1:27:58.
60-64 -- 1, Judy Fisher, Auburn (22:44, 35:40, 24:14), 1:27:27; 2, Patricia O'Neill, Everett (24:14, 36:37, 25:25), 1:31:57; 3, Susan Beaudry, Seattle (19:13, 37:12, 31:19), 1:33:21.
65-69 -- 1, Gerri Lewerenz, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (18:56, 37:19, 31:00), 1:33:21; 2, Bebe Burns, Seattle (20:52, 41:17, 33:20), 1:44:54; 3, Pam Kiesel, Belfair (25:37, 37:53, 37:41), 1:52:05.
70-74 -- 1, Astrid Berg, Seattle (28:27, 41:09, 29:36), 1:46:45; 2, Carolyn French, Boulder, Colo. (28:20, 42:22, 38:09), 1:56:06; 3, Janet Bull, Hillsboro, Ore. (26:12, 44:34, 38:21), 1:58:28.
75-79 -- 1, Chickie Buckner, Mercer Island (28:25, 43:55, 40:46), 2:07:20; 2, Ada Waldron, San Antonio, Texas (29:14, 51:44, 42:17), 2:17:27; 3, Helen Louise Lowry, Seattle (33:48, 54:27, 48:23), 2:31:20.
80 and over -- 1, Matsue Watanabe, Tukwila (29:18, 59:35, 49:21), 2:31:11.
Taking first place in Sunday's Seattle Danskin Triathlon made Erin Ford happy. What really got her stoked, though, was the camaraderie.
"It's great to see so many people out on the course," said Ford, 32, of The Dalles, Ore., at Seward Park. "Everyone is so inspired. People are charging after their goals. It's really a fun event."
Ford's time (1 hour, 2 minutes, 8 seconds) ranks as the third-fastest finish among winning times in the past 10 Seattle Danskin triathlons.
Her margin of victory, 3:48, is the second-largest in the past 10 races, overshadowed only by a gap of 5 minutes-plus logged by 2007 winner Alexis Waddel of Monterey, Calif. Waddel, a pro racer like Ford, hit last year's tape in 1:00:41, the top time in the past 10 years.
Ford, in second place after a half-mile swim in Lake Washington that began at 6:45 a.m., took control of the race early in the 12.5-mile bike ride. Ford recorded the day's best times in both the bike and 3.1-mile run.
"Has she already showered?" said Kathy Morrison, 38, of Kent, who finished fourth. "She was way out in front. She was gone the whole time."
Teresa Nelson of Seattle took second in 1:05:56. Robin White, 36, of Sammamish, participated in her first Danskin since 2004 and placed third (1:08:31). Both were among 13 elite class racers in the field of 3,710 finishers — the highest total in seven races in the national Danskin series.
Following Morrison (1:09:47) was Tanis Keenan of Delray Beach, Fla. (1:09.58) in fifth. In sixth was Karin Gardner of Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood. It was Gardner's 11th consecutive Danskin.
Gardner, 39, has competed in past Ironman events and placed third in the 2005 Seattle Danskin. She praised the competitiveness of the elite class but views that as secondary to the goal-meeting vibe of an event that involves many cancer survivors.
"I've been in the triathlon community a long time, but this is always my favorite day," Gardner said. "I find a lot of inspiration here, especially when you see people of all shapes and sizes and walks of life giving it their all.
"You can see people come across that finish line who must be thinking, 'Wow I really did this amazing thing.' For a lot of people this is a really big change of lifestyle. It represents waking up one morning and thinking I'm going to do something good for me. I'm going to set a goal and achieve it. It's pretty neat to be part of it. I want to win this thing one day."
Note
• Jeanne Verville, 67, of Seattle completed her inaugural triathlon in 2:34:28, placing her 3,548th out of 3,710 racers. Verville's last race of any kind was more than 30 years ago, and aching knees required her to walk the concluding 5K distance.
"Riding my bike I only said 'On your left' twice," she said, laughing. "I think I heard it about a thousand times as people passed me. But at least I got to say it twice. And hey, I didn't crash."
Verville has taken on a variety of challenges, from kayaking to jazz singing, in a self-directed campaign to counteract aging. The semiretired lawyer says she'll race again. "I felt so inspired to see that I can do it," she said. "I know I can do it again and I'll do it better. Now I'm motivated to train harder and get in better shape."
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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