Posted: October 14, 2007

Triathlon: Mother Nature Shines On 2007 Subaru U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series Finale

SAN DIEGO (October 14, 2007) – Mother Nature gave the 2007 Subaru U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series – San Diego an inclement weather day pass, much to the delight of the all-women's field. The Sprint and SuperSprint distance triathlons and three-person relays were held on October 14, 2007, at South Shores Park in San Diego’s Mission Bay. World renown for its superb climate, San Diego typically sprints into a less predictable weather pattern in mid-October. This October was no different with showers, some of the first significant rainfall seen in months, making an appearance at the event’s MultiSport Experience expo held on Saturday, the day prior to the triathlons. “We have had some pretty interesting weather on race day in previous years,” said Kim Kempf, executive director of Capri Events, organizer of the four-city series. “But Mother Nature must have given us a break because the majority of our participants were first-time triathletes and many were raising funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.” Early morning clouds, temperatures in the mid-60s and eventually partly sunny skies proved to be perfect conditions for the 658 finishers. Over 800 women registered for the triathlons – a record in the event's five-year history. “It was fun, especially for my first triathlon,” said Cathy Prvanov of Carlsbad, Calif., who participated in the Sprint event with her sister, Susan Brodeur of Burlington, Vt. Both women were racing to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) in memory of their mother who passed away of ovarian cancer five years ago. “Our mother was with us in spirit,” said Prvanov. Over $900,000 has been raised for OCRF as part of its Team Hope program since the series began in 2002. By committing to raise $500 or more in donations, Team Hope participants received an eight-week coaching program from Well-Fit as well as athletic gear. Many of the participants were there to test their fitness levels including Lesley Paterson of San Diego who placed first in the Sprint competition (.75K swim, 22K bike and 5K run), finishing in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 35 seconds. Deena Bickford of Seal Beach, Calif., was victorious in the SuperSprint event (.375. swim, 11K bike and 2.5K run) finishing in 37:29. San Diego was the final stop in the four-city Subaru US Women’s Triathlon Series, which also included events in St. Petersburg, Florida; Naperville, Illinois; and Federal Way, Washington. The Subaru US Women’s Triathlon Series is sponsored nationally by Subaru of America, Esurance, Speedo, Luna, Well Fit, Inc., TriathlonBag.com, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Triathlete Magazine, Specialized and Her Sports Magazine. For complete results or more information log onto: www.USWTS.com or call 1-800-509-5525. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest