Scott Kolofer won Sunday’s triathlon by a margin of more than four minutes. (Presidio Sports Photos)
Even though he showed up late to the race, Scott Kolofer rallied to earn the top honor at the third annual Goleta Beach Triathlon on Sunday morning, taking home first place overall on the Olympic distance course.
?I was a little late to the start,? Kolofer said after the race. ?When the gun went off I was just putting on my wetsuit, so I was about 30 seconds behind without a warm-up, so I had to book it, but I got the lead after about the first turn buoy, and then just settled into a pace and focused on getting the job done.?
The 21-year-old Cal Poly student and Monterey native was clocked at 1:48:56. He placed first in both the running and swimming sections of the race, and finished fourth in the biking.
Kolofer, who will be a fifth-year senior on Cal Poly?s triathlon team next year, said that cycling is usually his strongest suit.
?I?ve been cycling for eight years, and just picked up the running and swimming when I started doing triathlons in college. There were a couple turns [on the cycling course] today when it was a little bit sketchy with the bikers coming the other way, so the times were a little slower,? Kolofer explained.
Megan Severa was the fastest female with a time of 2:09:02. The 31-year old Severa, whose race was highlighted by a top-four overall finish in the swim, was the only woman in the top 20 finishers.
RESULTS: Olympic Course – Sprint Course?- Duathlon
Colleagues Carl Parker, 37, and Adrienne Brown, 28, clocked in at 52:50 and 59:15 respectively to earn the best times in the sprint course. Brown, a San Marcos High School graduate, finished first overall in the swim with a time of 6:58. Parker was right behind her with a time of 7:19.
?I came out of the water in the first wave this time, which is unusual for me,? Parker said. ?At that point, you just kind of run scared and hope no one catches you.?
This was the third year of the Goleta Beach Triathlon
Brown, who holds the record at Auburn University in the 1000-yard freestyle swim, is no stranger to exiting the water first. She said that she relies on the swim to carry her throughout the rest of the race.
?The swim is always going to be my strongest part,? Brown said. ?I?ve been swimming my entire life so that?s where I try to get as much of a lead as I can, then just hold on after that.?
Parker and Brown, who work together at IPT in Goleta, have been competing in triathlons for five years. Both compete in several sprint triathlons each year, and Brown recently completed her first half-Ironman race in May.
?We bounce ideas off each other for where to go for races,? Parker said.
Devin Matlock, Gerard Deegan, and James Ballantine finished 1-2-3 in the Duathlon, which consists of a 2.5 mile run, a 22-mile bike ride, and another 2.5 run. Matlock owned the fastest time by 52 minutes with a time of 42:12. Deegan and Ballantine posted times of 1:34:55 and 1:36:44 respectively.
In the Aquabike, Matthew Trost took home a first place finish with a time of 1:32:04. Sarah Kiley?s time of 1:39:19 earned her the fastest female time and third place overall.
