Schultz: First Family of Enticer Series

Rob and Brenda Schultz emerged from a field of 52 competitors last Saturday to become the First Family of the Northern Marianas Islands Triathlon Federation’s Enticer Series, when they were the first to cross the finish line at Pau Pau Beach.

Following the success of last month’s Enticer Triathlon in Marpi, the NMITF hosted a second abbreviated event aimed at getting people hooked on a healthier lifestyle. Organizers said that they had some 36 people return from the first Enticer in November, and had an additional 16 racers show up for the multi-sport activity.

This time out, rookie triathlete Rob took the tape in the men’s division of the 300-meter swim, 9-kilometer bike, and 2km run with an overall time of 53:04. His wife, Brenda, matched the accomplishment in the women’s division with a time of 58:07.

Rob said that he had never before competed in triathlons prior to this year’s Enticer Series, and that he suffers from asthma. Rob said that somehow his asthma hasn’t given him any problems since arriving on island.

“I’ve done a little mild training since the first Enticer, and for some reason I can run on Saipan with clear lungs. I’m not sure if I am going to go all the way to the Tinian Triathlon, but I am aiming for the XTERRA Sport course. I’ll see where I am in January.”

Rob isn’t the only member of the family who has been athletically enabled since arriving on Saipan, as Brenda said that she received some much-needed assistance from a local expert in aquatic transportation.

“This was my first ocean swim, and I feel really good now that I finished. I just started biking before I ran in the first Enticer, and I couldn’t even swim with my face in the water, but (Saipan Swim Club coach) Mike Stewart has really helped me out,” she said.

Multi-sport athlete Justin Alexander was the swiftest of the youth in the Enticer distance, as the Little League all-star finished with a time of 57:17.

The NMITF hosted the next level in its series of races for aspiring Tinian-bound triathletes the same day. This event featured a slightly more difficult race than the November outing, while it was shorter than an average triathlon.

“Everyone who entered the Enticer finished with a faster time than they did in last month’s shorter and less difficult race,” said race director Sue Knecht.

Knecht mentioned that the second place finisher of the enticer race, Jeff Taylor, improved his time the most, as he finished over 11 minutes faster than his November outing.

Knecht continued to say that she was impressed that of the 36 entrants from the first Enticer in November, nine made the jump to the sprint race, with distances consisting of a 600m swim, a 15km bike, and a 4km run.

The top male finishers in the sprint race were Butch Sublemente (1:10:10), Josh Berger (1:16:02), and Willy Garon (1:19:16). The top female finishers were Dawn Hammermeister (1:13:30), Hayumi Sugihashi (1:31:35), and Gayle Berger (1:36:27).

Even a handful of youths competed in the sprint race, as Caleb Gabby (1:21:17) took the challenge for the males and Melissa Coleman (1:15:49), Myanna Welch (1:24:10), and Natasha Good (1:24:20) made the leap for the females.

The most intrepid triathletes with ambitions of representing the CNMI in the 2004 South Pacific Mini Games triathlon answered the call of the double sprint of the 1,200m swim, 30km bike, and 8km run, as Dirk Shirer (1:51:10), Stephan Samoylof (1:53:44) and Chris Fryling (2:08:59) took the Top 3 places in the men’s division.

The team of Mike and Fred Camacho were the fastest overall finishers for the sprint race, as the speedy squad finished with an overall combined time of 1:04:44.

The team option was also available to the athletes in the double sprint, as the combo of Kirian Daly and Glen Jewel were the first to finish in 1:57:52, ahead of the Dana Coleman, Doug Small and Joe Author (2:13:21).

NMITF officials have put together the beginners’ series that will prepare the newcomers to tackle the Tinian Triathlon in February 2005, after which, they will award a free entry to Tagaman Triathlon in April to the most promising rookie in the series.

Interested racers or volunteers for the third and final event in the Enticer Series on Saturday, Jan 15, may pre-register by submitting their intentions to sueknecht1@yahoo.com.