Water and pasta tonight for Rota racers

It’s time to start hydrating and carbo-loading for the more than 100 participants making up the international field of swimmers, bikers, and runners gearing up for the one of the most physically challenging events in the Commonwealth, as multisport enthusiasts from Saipan to Sendai will see if their preparation for tomorrow’s Rota Blue Triathlon have been enough.

Once again the KFC Triathlon Club will be hosting the Rota Blue Olympic Distance Triathlon in association with the MVA, and this year they will continue to test the wills of the hardest hustlers with the Half Ironman distance race—consisting of a 2km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1 km half marathon.

According to organizers of the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation, the 1.5K ocean swim, 40km rolling hills bike ride, and a 10km run of the Rota race is one of three events that will determine the CNMI’s competitors for the 2006 Micronesian Games next summer.

After running well in the 15th Tagaman Triathlon in 2003, professional triathlete Taro Shirato of Japan made a triumphant return to the CNMI in 2004 by winning the 11th Annual Rota Blue Triathlon last year.

Shirato topped a field of 102 participants after crossing the finish line of the more challenging B Type course in 4:37:32, and he finished about 18 minutes ahead of the second place finisher-fellow countrymen Mikine Yamada (4:55:28), and third place finisher Takahiro Tsunakawa (5:11:25).

Last time out the first place finisher of the women’s division was 23-year-old Sachi Nakamura of Japan. Nakamura was the sixth to cross the line overall at 6:00:32. Second place finisher Toshie Takeuchi was a good 15 minutes behind Nakamura, but her 51-year-old legs were some 22 minutes better than third place finisher, 27-year-old Yoshiko Kitamura (6:39:19).

Of the 102 racers, 37 hardcore veterans went out in search of a real workout by opting to challenge the 2km swim, a 90km bike course, and a 21km run of the B Type course. Remaining 65 racers that opted for the 1.5km, bike 40km, and run 10km Olympic Distance A Type course.

Japan’s Noriaki Ito and Hidea Miyazuka took the top two spots in the A Type test of endurance, finishing at 2:05:27 and 2:14:26, respectively, but Saipan’s Dirk Sharer spoiled the sweep by taking third with a time of 2:26:22.

The top females all hailed from Japan, as Takeo Kinoshita (3:06:16), Yoko Mineo(3:07:42), and Yumi Nakajima (3:11:48) finished one-two-three.

Other local finishers were Christopher Fryling (2:47:21) and Florian Braig (2:57:36) of Saipan, Rai Manglona (3:51:25), and Takahashi Yamamoto of Rota (swim only 0:30:16).

Though only a day remains until the race, it isn’t too late to sign up. The fee for the Rota Blue Triathlon is $80, and registration is possible through Onishi-san at KFC triathlon via email to kfc-onishi@gem.hi-ho-ne.jp. For more information about the race, contact Frank Tudela at the MVA by calling 664-3210 or visit http://www.gem.hi-ho.ne.jp/kfc-onishi%20/.