Calm seas and sunshine prevailed for the third of five events in the St. John F.I.G.J.A.M. triathlon series on Sunday, April 9, as 15 athletes competed in the half-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run.
In the women's field, Jude Woodcock came in first despite complaints of being tired because of baking brownies and dyeing Easter eggs for all the participants. Louise Depuy was a solid second, and Kathie McMurtrie was third, even with swimming an extra half mile before the race started.
Betty Story from St. Thomas was fourth — in her third triathlon this season on three different bikes. She is recovering nicely from a dog bite received in a race on St. Croix. Cindi Escardo made her first appearance, in the swim and bike segments. Nursing an injured knee, she was unable to run. Jane Rollins, also with a sore knee, passed on the run, too, but she has been working hard on her swimming and biking and will be a threat once she adds the run. Miller Scholz and Liberty Bryer came out for the swim only, both persevering despite troublesome goggles.
Among the men, winner Mike Striebel of St. Thomas took the lead in the swim and never looked back, although he waved a lot, because the course is a loop, so the athletes pass each other. Bill Gladfelter, the old man in the field, spent forever wrapping his knee before the run but on the junkiest bike ever came in second. Newcomer John Padgett, who took some abuse for needing a tan, was third.
Tom Kelley was fourth, clocking a minute faster than last time in his third performance in the series. Miles Stair, looking for a distraction before running the Boston Marathon, placed fifth. And Peter Alter with mask, fins and snorkel was sixth. Adam Thill, also making his third appearance in the series, holds the record for most flat tires!
F.I.G.J.A.M., for those who missed last month's Source report, is an acronym used a lot by Woodcock's friends in Australia. The J.A.M. means "Just Ask Me." If you want to know what the F.I.G. stands for, she says, well, "just ask me."
The participants thank Dan Depuy for keeping time, Peter Alter for sweeping the bike course and the Sunday morning motorists for sharing the road.
The fourth triathlon event is set for May 21. Anyone interested in participating is asked to call Jude at 693-5283 or e-mail to woodjudecock@hotmail.com.
