Saipan triathletes conquer Ironman 70.3

Used to the brutal race conditions on island, Charlie Sendin, Tyce Mister, and Manny Sitchon made the grade in last Saturday’s Ironman 70.3 Saipan.

Sendin was the best Saipan finisher in the 1.9-kilometer swim, 90K bike, and 21.1K run after crossing the finish line at Pau Pau Beach in 6:02:03. He had split times of 45:51. 3:03:22, and 2:07:07. Mister was not far behind after posting 6:05:15 and recording split times of 39:28, 3:02:37, and 2:19:30. Sitchon also made the eight-hour cut with a lot of time to spare after checking in at 7:07:53 and tallying split times of 53:51, 3:24:28, and 2:44:19.

The 60-year-old Sitchon went on to top the 60 to 64 age group competition in the inaugural Ironman Saipan and he also earned a qualifying slot to the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee in September. The world championship could be the sexagenarian’s third.

“I did my first in 2013 during the Cobra Ironman in Cebu. I almost did not make the cut-off in my first race because I wasn’t prepared that time unlike in the Saipan Ironman. I was able to lower my time by more than an hour and the feeling is satisfying,” Sitchon said.

“During the whole part of the race I felt OK because I’ve been doing some brick training before the Ironman Saipan. The run portion was brutal but I knew I can survive the run. Maybe it is because of the training I’ve been doing for next week’s Saipan Marathon. I am registered to do the 50K ultra marathon, but I might run the marathon instead because I have a wedding to attend and I need to be home by 10am,” Sitchon said.

Despite the punishing heat last Saturday, Sitchon, Mister, and Sendin said quitting the race did not cross their minds.

“I guessed I am used to the weather conditions. It was very hot, especially in the second lap of the run leg, but I enjoyed every bit of the race. The swim and bike legs were great, while the hardest was the run part,” said Mister, who did two similar 70.3 races before, doing his first in Cairns, Australia and the second during the Tagaman Triathlon.

Sending was a first-timer in the 70.3 race, but showed no rookie jitters and came on strong in the bike leg after a slow start.

“I had a bit of difficulty in the swim leg because I am not really a good swimmer and just started to be one a couple of years ago here on Saipan. However, I just kept pushing myself and enjoyed the race. I never thought of quitting because I prepared hard for this race and I knew I could finish it,” said Sendin, whose stint in Ironman 70.3 Saipan was supported by TRAC’s Ricky Castro.