Isaiah, Kaithlyn repeat in Aquathlon

Aleksenko

Isaiah Aleksenko and Kaithlyn Chavez made their best amphibian impersonation by repeating as top finishers in the 8th Saipan Aquathlon and 10K Pathway Run held early Saturday morning along Beach Road and the waters off Kilili Beach in Oleai. 

Aleksenko continued to impress by coming in first overall with a time of 36:04, slashing more than 10 minutes from his time a year ago in the 2.5-kilometer run, 1km swim, and 2.5km run event. He beat Michael Miller and Moshe Sikkel who crossed the finish line in 38:31 and 41:14, respectively. 

“The weather was good, not too hot and not too cold. The course was better this time and the water was good too. Didn’t really prepare and just came. The last run was the toughest part of the race,” Alekenko, a 17-year-old junior at Marianas High School, said after the aquathlon, which he also won last year with a time of 46:25.

Chavez, a 10th grader from Saipan International School, was first among the women in the Triathlon Association of the CNMI-organized event after tearing the tape in 42:32. She was followed by Jinie Thompson in 45:59 and Shawna Brennfleck in 47:45.

The course today was actually good but the swimming was hard. The weather was perfect as it wasn’t too hot and wasn’t too windy so it was easier to run,” said Chavez, who timed in at 53:44 last year.

Chavez

Asked what was the toughest part of the Aquathlon, she said hands down it was the swimming.

“I knew a lot of people were stronger [swimmers] than me  so I used all my advantage in running to get a big lead…Usually I go hard in the first 2.5K and then in swimming I just do my pace and then the last 2.5K I go hard in the last half,” she said. 

Topping their age respective groups were Matthew Szefler (51:12) and Maria Batallones (48:42) in the U20; Kerri Bauer (51:08) in the women 30-39; Travis Spaeth (47:36) and Robyn Spaeth (48:13) in the 40-49; Anthony Raho (49:48) and Yulia Aleksenko (57:09) in the 50-59; and Buboy Aguilar (52:04) in the men’s 60-69.

In the kids relay, Haole Pinoys Leilani Ruszala and Gabriel Walsh finished first with a time of 46:13, followed by the aptly named Amphibians of Lovel Spaeth and Scarlett Burrell, who came in a milliseconds later in 46:15.

Results of the 10K run will be published in tomorrow’s issue of Saipan Tribune.