Triathletes get rare chance for free race

While several of Saipan’s triathletes are enjoying the rest and relaxation of the off-season, the CNMI’s delegation has been busy swimming, running, and cycling for the last few months in preparation for the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Palau later this month.

Natasha Good, Jack Kabiriel, Dirk Sharer, Melissa Coleman, Stephan Samoyloff, and Anneka Sakovich of Team Pepsi will push their bodies to the limits for the Commonwealth in little more than three weeks, but they are looking to the public for a little competition tomorrow morning.

At just about the time that the sun will crest the Saipan ridgeline and shed light on the Philippine Sea, the team will take to the waters along Pau Pau Beach to start a tune-up sprint race designed to gauge their progress.

The distances of the warm-up race consist of a 1,000-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bicycle, and a 5-km run. Rather than go it alone, the half-dozen triathletes are hoping that local multi-sport enthusiasts will come out to join them.

Unlike the several sanctioned races hosted by the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation, tomorrow’s race is completely free of charge. In addition to there being no charge, there will also be no frills, as the event will be absent of volunteers, timers, waivers, prizes, and refreshments.

“It’s a training exercise mostly, and it would be great to have some competitors to race against, even if a person were only to do a single leg of the event to pace against and motivate,” said Samoyloff, who is also president of NMITF.

Those interested in participating in tomorrow’s early morning event need to be ready to go at 5am at Pau Pau Beach for the 5:30am start time.

Though the specific dates and times are still tentative, NMITF organizers have already laid the groundwork for a series of events that could start as early as one month from now.

There is also good news for those who have never entered a triathlon before, as organizers are planning to bring back the NMITF Enticer Series. Last year, the NMITF held a series of races designed to prepare aspiring triathletes for the Tinian Turquoise Blue Triathlon this past February. This year, the organization is aiming to get an early start to get people ready for the Rota Blue Triathlon scheduled for this November.

While the NMITF officers will still have to approve the schedule and have to make sure their schedule doesn’t conflict with other events, organizers also expect to bring back the Kids TRYathlon Series as well—possibly as soon as August.