Race records fall in World Cup Triathlon
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
In a fast race where 12 finishers beat or tied the previous record, it was fitting that the end came down to a sprint.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Britain's Tim Don won Honolulu's JAL International Triathlon Union World Cup race yesterday, beating American Hunter Kemper by a second after a 1.5-kilometer (0.93-mile) swim, 40K (24.8-mile) bike and 10K (6.2-mile) run, in and around Waikiki and Diamond Head.
Tim Don outsprinted Hunter Kemper to win the Honolulu's JAL International Triathlon Union World Cup.
Don finished in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 23 seconds, closing out the race by checking back constantly to see how much of a cushion he had on Kemper, who was chasing him down.
"He wasn't giving up," said Don, who broke the previous record of 1:55:52. "He's not that kind of athlete."
Kemper, who placed second in last year's inaugural event, also finished in 1:54:24, and Australian Courtney Atkinson placed third in 1:54:32, in a field of 55 elite athletes, which included 2004 Athens Olympics silver medalist Bevan Docherty of New Zealand.
"It was tough, I finished second here last year, too," Kemper said. "Tim ran a great race. I'm happy with how I did, I just got beat by a better guy."
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Honolulu's race, the only one in the United States this year, opened the ITU World Cup season. It is the first of 12 events in 2005, and by winning Don earned points toward his world ranking, which will determine if he qualifies for the World Championships in Japan later this year.
Hunter Kemper, who finished second for the second consecutive year, and his wife Valerie after the race.
Don, who emerged out of the swim portion in a large pack of participants, finished his bike in 1:03:31, good enough to keep him within distance of the leaders. He caught Kemper with about 1¥ miles to go and held on for the win.
"It was tough, we were pushing each other the whole way, myself and Hunter," said Don, who won $8,000. "I just put my head down and went. Once I made it around the turn and headed for home I thought, 'I can't let him have it.' "
Kemper was the first American finisher and automatically qualified for the World Championships.
"That really didn't enter my mind," he said. "I just kind of assumed that would happen."
Tim Marr, 26, and Matt Seymour, 20, were the only Hawai'i competitors.
Seymour finished 30th in 1:59:03 and Marr was 40th in 2:02:33.
"I get kicked in the face, my goggles come off, I was like, 'Oh, that's not a good way to start,' " Marr said. "It was awesome. These guys are really world class."
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
