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Way back in 1982 I traveled to Oahu for my first Tinman Triathlon. Even way back then the Tinman was attracting right around 1,000 participants.

Since the sport of triathlon was just getting it's start there weren't many other races in our state which gave the Tinman the unofficial title of being our state championship event.

Over the past 20 years the Tinman has continued to attract over 1,000 participants each July and besides bringing out our state's best it also is now considered "The People's Race". It's great to see such a diverse mix from the elite racers going for the win to the weekend warriors who swim in real shorts and cycle on a cruiser or mountain bike.

Peter Hursty, 29, of Oahu had dominated the event the past four years but right from the start of last Sunday's 22nd annual celebration he knew his hands would be full with a hungry group of youngsters who seemed to be improving every week.

The early 5:45 a.m. start saw Hursty finish the half mile swim 20 seconds behind the youthful trio of Kailua-Kona's James Cotter, 20, and the Seymour Brothers, Matt (18) and Chad (20). A few miles after leaving Ala Moana Park Hursty was able to catch up to the trio as they headed for the Hawaii Kai turnaround. During the return trip of the 25 mile ride Hursty began to fall behind as did Chad Seymour.

Cotter and Matt Seymour reached the Kapiolani Park bike-to-run
transition together in 1:07:25 with Hursty following about one minute later. In last year's race Hursty, the four time champ and course record holder, hit the transition in 1:04:19. The 6.2 mile grand finale run can be tough as it takes the racers around Diamond Head with a couple of challenging hills along the way.

On the first long climb up Monsarrat Avenue, Cotter was able to open up a gap on Matt Seymour and never looked back. Seymour, a recent transplant from Colorado, felt that it wasn't that he slowed down, but simply that Cotter just pulled away.

Cotter blazed the run course in approximately 34:07. His winning time of 1:41:32 puts him up into the all time, top ten list and also knocks off Brent Imonen's 1993 20-24 age group record of 1:44:04.

With his fast times in all three sports, Cotter looks to be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come. His victory is huge for the Big Island as it's been almost twenty years since a Kona athlete has won the race. Not counting part time Big Island resident Brent Imonen's numerous Tinman titles, our last Kona victories came in 1983 when Gary Shields and Jeanne Knapp swept both the men's and women's titles.

Matt Seymour kept it close by crossing the line in second overall at 1:43:30. Hursty, who felt undertrained for the race, was a solid third in 1:46:28. Hursty vows that "It won't happen again next year".

The ladies race ended up being a three-peat for 30-year-old Deirdre Tennant of Oahu. After a strong swim and bike ride, Tennant began the run with a lead of three minutes over runner up Tanya Sells. Tennant extended her lead during the run and ended up crossing the line with her best time yet, 1:52:02.

Sells took second at 1:56:53. Two time champ Katherine Nichols, 36, wrapped up third just under a minute later at 1:57:50.

Besides Cotter's awesome finish, we also had several other Big Islanders who stood on the podium for age group awards. On the men's side, former Waiakea Warrior Tai Blechta took third in the 20-24 age group at 2:04:05. Thad Calciolari was second for the 40-44 year olds at 1:56:59.

Tim Cotter (James' dad) moved up from second last year to first this time in the 50-54 age group at 2:06:35. In that same division Rob Enright brought home a third place award with his time of 2:10:36 and Tom McCue was the 60-64 champ in 2:11:49.

Finally in the 65-69 division Bill Van Horn repeated as champ in 2:35:02 and Papa Pea Pagett brought home the bronze with his time of 2:54:43.

Melanie Lomaglio highlighted our ladies list with a victory in the 25-29 age group in 2:03:10. I believe Lomaglio's time was the day's fifth fastest.

Back here at home our big event was the 8th Annual King's Swim on Saturday. This first class event once again brought out our island's top ocean swimmers who were ready to test themselves on a beautiful 1.2 mile course in Kailua Bay that finished on historic Kamakahonu Beach.

Fresh off his Hapuna Roughwater victory just six days earlier, James Wee of Kailua-Kona was fit and ready as he pushed the pace right from the start. His main competition came from Bob Momsen, Mike McCary, Keith Johnson, Jim Mellon, 2001 wahine champ Ashley Rose, and a fast bunch of other teenaged speedsters including Aaron Boranian, Micah Kawamoto, Mandy Hamilton, Megan Rose and Sean Cooney.

Wee and the rest of the large front pack stayed together for most of the way but in the end Wee once again proved to be the day's fastest as he blazed up the beach and under the banner in 24:09. Just seven seconds later 55-year-old Momsen clocked in second with a new 55-59 record of 24:16. Momsen's time knocked off the 1999 mark of 26:34 set by the legendary Bill
"Gonzo" Gonzalez.

McCary improved on his fifth at Hapuna with a third place time of 24:21. Keith Johnson held his Hapuna spot by taking fourth in a new 40-44 record time of 24:22.

Defending King's champ and three time Hapuna champ Ashley Rose crossed in fifth overall to take the ladies crown once again at 24:23. Rose's time also gave her a new 15-18 course record.

Just a step of two later Boranian and Kawamoto set age group records with their times of 24:25 and 24:26. Boranian lost his 2001 11-14 record of 25:51 to Kawamoto but he also added it again by taking down Tom Sanford's 1996 15-18 record of 24:37.

Eighth overall went to Mellon at 24:32. Mandy Hamilton, 14, and Megan Rose, 16, wrapped up the top ten overall as well as the wahine top three with their times of 24:41 and 25:48. Hamilton¹s time of 24:41 took down the previous 11-14 record of 24:59, set by Ashley Rose in 1999.

The day's seventh and final record went to 10-year-old Rhys Ward who clocked in at 30:35 and took down Micah Kawamoto's 1998 10-and-under best of 33:14.

In the honorable mention category I must note that Jane Dierenfield almost added an eighth course record but her 50-54 age group winning time of 30:54 fell just short of Jeanne Knapp's 2000 best of 30:53. Both Dierenfield and Knapp are Hall of Fame athletes on this island who just keep on amazing me year after year.

Besides being a terrific event, the King's Swim also wrapped up the 2002 Hawaii Island Swim Series. The H.I.S.S. is made up of the Cinco Swim, Hapuna and, of course, the King's Swim. Since 1998 we have added together the times of each swimmer who completes all three events.

This year's H.I.S.S. championship award went to Jim Mellon of Hilo who took first at Cinco in 21:19, sixth at Hapuna in 18:55 and eighth at King's in 24:32. Mellon's combined time of 1:04:46 gave him the victory by just 18 seconds over James Wee who tallied 1:05:04.

Keith Johnson in 1:05:12, Bob Momsen at 1:05:36 and Aaron Boranian in 1:05:43 completed a very competitive top five. Mellon, Wee, Johnson and Momsen all set new age group records.

Christine Winn took this year's wahine crown in 1:16:29. Her consistent times of 24:26 for Cinco, 22:08 for Hapuna, and 29:55 for the King's Swim boosted her over second place Paloma Vidgen whose three swims added up to 1:17:19.

Third went to Stephanie Okumura and 1:20:42. Autumn Johnson took fourth and earned a new 40-44 record with her total of 1:24:27. Mouse Kelley completed the elite five with her total of 1:28:04.

This year H.I.S.S. saw nine records fall since all bests were established just last year when the Cinco Swim moved to Anaehoolamu. Besides the overall winners and their age group records, Tom Hagen took down the 50-54 best with his time of 1:12:59, Rene Ross totaled 1:37:42 for the 30-34 mark, Thomas Pabila's 1:41:07 gave him the 60-65 best, and Ryan Ross earned the 9-and-under record by doing all three of our awesome Big Island swims in 1:42:50.

Noelani Vargas, 11, and Nathaniel Goodale, 9, topped the keiki division where they swam the 400 yard swim at Cinco then moved up to the one mile and 1.2 mile swims at Hapuna and King's. Vargas took the keiki wahine crown with her total of 1:03:21. Goodale was also very impressive as his confidence and ability improved at each event. At Hapuna he used fins then just six days later he finished the full 1.2 mile King's Swim without them. Goodale's times added up to 1:20:51.

Finally we get to our ultimate series swimmer. Not only did Moose
Mullahey finish sixth overall in our H.I.S.S. events but the next morning he was at Ala Moana Beach Park for the Aloha State Games 1.2 mile ocean swim.

After winning his 30-34 age group at the King's Swim, Mullahey stepped it up a notch on Oahu and took first for the men and second overall. Elizabeth Hanohano-Hong took the overall and ladies gold medal at 29:00. Mullahey followed about 30 seconds later in 29:30.

Mullahey also has been competing in the North Shore Swim Series which will be holding it's third event in the four race series this Saturday at Waimea Bay. Way to go Moose!

This weekend's main Big Island event will be the Hapuna Lifeguard Challenge that will take place on Saturday. For more details on this 1,000 meter run, 1,000 meter swim and 1,000 meter paddleboard call 883-0591.

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