Today’s Carlsbad Triathlon, which basically took over all of Carlsbadistan for the day, was won by a Canadian. Yes, blame Canada. Michael Simpson of Vancouver, B.C. Canada took the swim, bike, run with an unofficial time of 1:07:03, a full two minutes faster than last year’s time set by Luke Bell.
For triathletes unaccustomed to ocean surf the set waves can be a problem. And there was some surf action inside. “The waves smoked me,” Simpson said after the race. “I was in second pretty much the whole swim and then as we were coming in I looked over and saw Michellie go sliding past me on a wave. I thought, no way.”
But that didn’t slow Simpson. He rolled the bike course right where he wanted to be. It wasn’t until the run that he got worried. Caue Suplicy moved passed him on the sea wall just out of the transition. “He surged and I said, when he fades I’m going to go and not look back for half a mile. I didn’t want to leave it up to the end. It’s more entertaining for the spectators, but I didn’t want to put myself through that. When I finally looked back he wasn’t there.”
For women’s winner (defending champ, Olympic medalist, and 2006 Iron Man World Champion) Michellie Jones the hardest part about winning her sixth Carlsbad Triathlon was rolling past her house on the bike. “I went past my driveway twice and each time the bike just wanted to turn in,” said the Carlsbadistanian. “But some of my neighbors were out so they cheered me on. The spectators were awesome today. And that really helps.”
A journalist asked Michellie how much longer she was going to be doing triathlons, she nodded her head toward her husband/coach/agent Pete Coulson and said, “You better ask him.”
Pete answered back, “As long as she wants to.” Then, after a second thought, “Or as long as her sponsor keeps letting her.”
Click the continue for more photos from the day (click the images to see them larger) and elite unofficial results.
Out of the water, on to the bikes.
The sea of cash. . . we mean bikes.
Transitions.
Bike leg start.
Damn. He must be going fast.
The only time Michael Simpson was worried. Was right here. . .
By the time they got to PCH Simpson had taken off leaving Caue Suplicy all alone in second place.
Didn’t seem to be a whole lot going on at the “Health Fair” this year. What happened to the Tahitian Dancers?
Michellie Jones winning her sixth Carlsbad Triathlon with a faster time than last year, by more than three minutes.
After the race Michael said he was tired, but he didn’t look it.
ELITE DIVISION ‑ MEN
1. Michael Simpson ‑ 1:07:03
2. Caue Suplicy ‑ 1:08:26
3. Rodrigo Lopez ‑ 1:08:53
4. Corey Farrell ‑ 1:09:38
5. Zachary Paris ‑ 1:11:22
ELITE DIVISION ‑ WOMEN
1. Michellie Jones ‑ 1:11:37
2. Rachel Challis ‑ 1:17:33
3. Misako Win ‑ 1:21:27
4. Kathrine Warren ‑ 1:27:57
5. Esme Levy ‑ 1:28:38
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