Smith and Fleming win the Ontario Duathlon Championship
The last qualifier for the 2013 World Duathlon Championships in Ottawa.
Kevin Smith of Oakville and Mindy Fleming of Ajax won the Ontario Duathlon Championship today at the Cobourg International Duathlon, part of the Recharge With Milk Triathlon Series.
Smith, who finished third last weekend at the National Duathlon Championships, engaged in a head to head battle with Hamilton’s Jesse Bauer right from the start. Smith finished the first 10 km run in 33:14, with Bauer just two seconds back. The veteran Smith then executed a speedy T1 in 28 seconds and picked up 12 seconds on Bauer. Smith continued to lead and rode the challenging 40 km course in 1:06:29, and added another 29 seconds to his lead. Smith, who is gearing up for the 2012 Duathlon World Championships in France in September, completed another quick transition and ran the final 5 km in 17:56 to win the Ontario Championship in 1:58:38. Bauer applied constant pressure from behind to finish second in 1:59:35, and Mississauga’s Larry Bradley had the top ride of 1:05:09 while racing with a broken rib (hockey injury) and took third (2:05:05).
Fleming on the other hand, had to come from behind to earn her victory. Toronto’s Jennifer Faraone ran out with the early lead (38:30), but Fleming used women’s best 1:13:53 bike split to get to the front of the race and stay there for good. Fleming, who is in the final stages of her preparations for Ironman Mont Tremblant, finished with a 21:15 run to cross the line in 2:18:02 to take the women’s crown of the Ontario Duathlon Championship. Faraone closed with another top run of 20:45 to finish second (2:20:00), and Judy Andrew Piel of Nepean rounded out the top three (2:23:19).
Athletes were vying for two qualify slots per age group to be part of the National Age Group Team for the 2013 World Championships to be held in Ottawa.
| Top 5 Men | Top 5 Women |
| 1. Kevin Smith Oakville, ON 1:58:38.0
2. Jesse Bauer Hamilton, ON 1:59:35.1 3. Larry Bradley Mississauga, ON 2:05:05.7 4. Colin Runions Ottawa, ON 2:12:36.7 5. Corey Turnbull Jasper, ON 2:14:36.2 |
1. Mindy Fleming Ajax, ON 2:18:02.9 2. Jennifer Faraone Toronto, ON 2:20:00.1 3. Judy Andrew Piel Nepean, ON 2:23:19.3 4. Christine Richardson London, ON 2:31:26.8 5. Jade Carrington Brampton, ON 2:33:43.6 |
Photos are courtesy of Mysportshooter.
