6 GWTC Tris complete Great Floridian Triathlon

A small contingent of Gulf Winds Triathletes made the trip to Clermont October 20 for the Great Floridian Triathlon, all completing the 140 mile event.

The 2001 edition of the Great Floridian Triathlon, billed as "Florida's original and most challenging iron-distance race," served as the 2001 USAT Ultra-Distance National Championship as well as a qualifier for the 2002 ITU World Long Course Championship.

At 7:30 a.m. doves were released, the cannon sounded, and close to 1000 individual athletes and teams charged into the 74-degree water of Lake Minneola. The laser sighted 2.4 mile swim course consisted of two loops, the half-way point being a run onto the beach, thru the timing mat, and back for the 2nd loop. A stiff breeze from the North for a choppy swim on the out-bound leg.

After a frantic swim-bike transition, athletes headed out onto the 112-mile bike course. Un-expected road construction a week earlier had precipitated a last minute course change, so instead of the usual hilly then flat course, competitors were greeted with 112 miles of rolling hills, with at least 5 NC (off the scale) climbs. Additional hills, combined with a steady 20mph wind, made for slower than normal bike splits. The only saving grace on this leg was the overcast sky that kept temperatures in check the entire morning.

As fate would have it, the sun reared its hot face just as athletes begin to dismount their bikes and begin the 26.2 mile sojourn around Lake Minneola. The marathon portion consisted of a 5-mile jaunt through a residential area, up several steep hills, and back to the lake for the 1st of three 7-mile-loops around the lake. Temperatures peaked at 85 degrees with high humidity, reducing a majority of the competitors to a shuffle.

Despite the tough course, the Great Floridian continues to be a favorite, 48 states and 10 different countries were represented at one of "North America's Best Triathlons."

GWTC and Local Area Results:

Jeff Bowman		13th Overall Male	2nd Age-Group	10:38:31
Carlos Veigas		106th Overall Male	3rd Age-Group	12:02:04
Cindi Sedberry		30th Overall Female	8th Age-Group	13:09:32
Kaye Galloway-Herzog	55th Overall Female	20th Age-Group	14:03:07
Andy Wall		503rd Overall Male 	10th Age-Group	16:53:57
Tom Rowland		520th Overall Male	12th Age-Group	17:03:05

Complete Information and Results at: www.greatfloridian.com