It’s about testing your fitness, challenging yourself physically and mentally, completing a goal and sharing your experience with kindred spirits.
That’s what longtime Santa Barbara Triathlon director Joe Coito emphasizes when discussing this weekend’s event at East Beach.
The 29th annual swim-bike-run challenge kicks off Saturday morning at 7 with the long-course event and continues Sunday with the coed, women’s only and parent-child sprint-course events.
The long course consists of a 1-mile ocean swim, 34-mile bike ride and 10-mile run. The short course is a 500-yard swim in the ocean, six-mile bike and two-mile run. Both events will start and finish near the East Beach Bath House.
“We don’t refer to the event as a race — the word focuses on competition and that is not our emphasis,” Coito, the event director since 1995, said. “We encourage participation from community involvement. We support the idea of completing the event and raising money for the local charity.”
Saturday's triathlon is a 1-mile ocean swim, 34-mile bike ride and 10-mile run.
This year’s charity recipient is the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, a group that provides aid to families of children diagnosed with cancer.
In the short-course event, local Michael Smith is back to defend his title. He won in 35 minutes, 21 seconds last year. He will be challenged by the likes of Michael Organista, the 2009 runner-up, and Doug Parent, who’s performed well in the Reef and Run Series.
For the women, the coed race is wide open. Former San Marcos and Auburn University swim standout Adrienne Binder should be among the leaders. She has won several swims in the Nite Moves Series.
The long-course triathlon has challenged some of the best athletes in the sport.
“We’ve had the likes of Michelle Jones and Paula Newby-Fraser in recent years. Both have used the event as a tune-up or training event leading into the Hawaii (Ironman),” said Coito.
Jones is two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist in triathlon. Fraser is one of the sport’s greats, with eight Hawaii Ironman World Championships in her career.
This year’s field will again include some elite triathletes.
Rhae Shaw, of Seattle, was the third amateur finisher at the 2009 Ironman in Kona, finishing in 10 hours, 2 minutes. Recently, she’s won the Lake Stevens Ironman, Canadian Half Ironman and Hawaii 70.3-mile triathlon.
Lauren Chiodini, of La Jolla, is coming off a win in the Carlsbad Triathlon last month.
Jim Lubinski, a former Ice hockey professional, has first-place finishes in the Breath of Life Triathlon and Boise 70.3.
Mac Brown, the head triathlon coach at UC San Diego, is a four-time USA Triathlon All-American.
Sarah Gott and her husband, Joel, are elite triathletes and accomplished winemakers from St. Helena. Sarah finished fourth in the Olympic distance at the Rock Cliff Triathlon in Utah in June.
Espen Kateraas, of Aliso Viejo, has taken first place in his age group in the Wildflower Triathlon and the Orange County Duathlon.
Another one to watch in the long course is Mitchell Hall. The U.S. Navy Seal earlier this year was awarded the Silver Star for his act of heroism in the Iraq War. Hall finished 20th in the Hawaii 70.3 triathlon.
Chris Latham, co-president of the Santa Barbara Triathlon Club, and Taj Hudson are a couple of the top local entrants in the long-course event.
The Santa Barbara club expects close to 50 participants in the event and many more working as volunteers.
2009 Santa Barbara Triathlon winner John Dahlz.
For the elite athletes, it will take about three hours to finish the long course. Last year’s overall winner, John Dahlz, did it in 2:53.09.
“The Santa Barbara Triathlon is an amazing course that is on par with any course in the world,” said Kyle Visin, co-president of the triathlon club and last year’s top local finisher in the long course in 3:01.52. “East Beach is south facing which makes for a very calm scenic swim. The bike course is pristine as you head out along the coast and wind through the foothills. It is somewhat challenging and technical with several hilly sections but is not overly difficult. The run is magnificent as you run along the coastline and up onto the bluffs. The nature of the course allows you to not only enjoy the scenery but also allows you to survey your competition and high-five your friends as you head out and then back.
“I also love the unique distance,” he added. “The 1-mile swim, 34-mile bike and 10-mile run is a great distance for someone looking for a race that is longer then an Olympic distance triathlon, yet it is not quite as daunting as the half-Ironman distance. Lastly, the event has an incredible local feel with both the competitors and the volunteers. It always seem like participants are just happy to be our racing and enjoying the beauty Santa Barbara has to offer.”
The race suffered a blow two years ago when world-class age-group triathlete Barbara Warren crashed on her bike and later died from her injuries.
“It was a great tragedy and her memory will live on forever,” Coito said. “She was indeed a world-class triathlete and an inspiration to many. We implemented the Barbara Warren Community Spirit Award in her honor. It is received by the individual who raises the most amount of money for our annual beneficiary.”
Coito said Warren’s tragic accident is a reminder that the sport of triathlon “includes inherent risks that cannot be avoided but should be considered while participating.
“We also focus on the fact that this event is about participating and personal challenge, not winning.”
He noted the importance of the volunteers, who help make the race safe and enjoyable for everyone involved.
“The volunteer support that we receive for the event is crucial. Many of the athletes comment after coming here for the first time that they are truly impressed by the support of the community and the amount of support on the course. It sets us apart as an event and a community.”
More information can be found at SantaBarbaraTriathlon.com
