PROVIDENCE, RI -- For the second consecutive year, Bruce Balch and Kim Jefferson claimed victory at the Amica Lake Las Vegas 19.7 Sprint Triathlon on Saturday.
Balch, an avid triathlete who has competed in more than 300 triathlons, covered the 19.7 sprint distance in a winning time of 1:26:28
"I'm very happy with my win. There's always added pressure when you win a race and come back the next year to defend your title," said Balch, who was sixth out of the water and was able to take over the lead on the bike. "The expectation you put on yourself is high. Everything came together for me. It was a challenging course. I didn't make any mistakes and it proved to be a good day for me."
Balch recently contracted type 1 diabetes and was forced to refine his training and diet. He is now dependent on insulin.
Having type 1 diabetes has not stopped Balch from competing in triathlons. A former Ironman competitor, he now concentrates on the sprint distance because has difficulty swimming more than 1,000 meters while keeping up his blood sugar level.
His dedication continues to pay off. His victory at the Amica Lake Las Vegas was his third win of the summer.
"For me it's (having diabetes) a platform.... No matter what obstacle you are faced with you can still be competitive," said Balch. "Diabetes is an unfortunate condition. However, if you pay attention to your diet and the protocol the doctor provides, there's no reason you can't go above and beyond. It's not a disability. It's just one more variable to deal with. I've learned to deal with it just fine."
Jefferson was also able to capture victory at Lake Las Vegas for the second straight year. Jefferson, 47, repeated as the top female in the sprint triathlon, which featured a half-mile open-water swim, a 16.1-bike and a 3.1-mile run. The Henderson, NV, resident crossed the finish line first with a winning time of 1:39:17.
"I had a very good day," said Jefferson, who now has won two triathlons this season. "I train a lot at Lake Las Vegas so I was on familiar ground. I love racing there. The course was beautiful and well marked. I was happy with my performance and pleased to repeat."
Balch and Jefferson were among nearly 400 triathletes, ranging in age from 15 to 64, who converged at the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson, NV, on Saturday to compete in the 2010 Amica Lake Las Vegas Triathlon.
The half-mile swim took place in Lake Las Vegas. The bike course traveled out of the resort through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and then returned to Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort. The 3.1-mile run continued through the resort out to the desert and headed back to finish at the Village at Lake Las Vegas.
The Amica 19.7 Lake Las Vegas Triathlon is part of the 2010 Amica 19.7 Triathlon Series, a sprint distance series of events held throughout the country. It was the eighth stop of Amica's 10-event series, which culminates in Phoenix, AZ, in November.
To register for any of the races in the Amica 19.7 Triathlon Series, visit AMicaTriSeries.com.
About Amica Mutual Insurance
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation's oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, RI, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,200 people in 40 offices across the country. Visit Amica.com.
About Eident Sports Marketing
Eident Sports is a full-service event management and sports marketing company based in Providence, RI. Eident has several properties in the region, ranging from turnkey sporting events to sponsorship sales alliances with key partners. For more information on Eident's events and offerings, please visit www.eidentsports.com.
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