Daly did not only defend his title this time but also broke his own record. Carey also beat her last year’s feat and climbed one slot higher.
They were just among many participants who turned the 9th XTERRA Saipan Championship another triathlon event to try their best outdoing their own new record next time.
Daly who did not have a lot of complain about the trail last year, was confronted this time by the same challenge he had in the 2008 XTERRA Saipan: the muddy trail.
But since he had acquainted himself pretty enough to what most triathletes consider as the toughest condition especially for the bike-course, Daly trekked through to lead the men’s sport category posting a new record of 1:57:23. This record also put him on top of the list base on age category besting three other triathlets, 45 to 49 years old.
Daly’s previous best was 2:00:02.
Unlike last year when the trail for bike-course was dry, this year’s trail, Daly said was slippery due to the rain prior to the kick-off of the event.
Coming second in the individual sports was Joshua Stevens who also made it first in this age bracket finishing at 2:23:23.
Maximino Simian, also of Saipan and the sole winner in his age division placed third in the sports race with 2:24:52.
Australia’s Emma Viotto who came third in sports over-all race topped the women’s division completing the course in 2:24:50.
Saipan’s Heather Kennedy who did great in the swim-course won the second place as she finished the entire race in sports category in 2:36:09.
Melody Watson, also of Saipan came third with a time of 2:41:33.
Carey also hit what she was really aiming at. In a recent interview prior to the event, she said it’s not only about racing against other triathletes but also competing with one’s self.
In last year’s Saipan XTERRA, Carey had to endure the pain from the abrasions she sustained in the left side of her torso but she still finished fourth reaching the finish line at 3:44:56.
Last Saturday, she made it to the finish line in 3:11:07 and came third, making her feat this year a personal triumph.
Meanwhile in XTERRA Relay, the team of Philippines’ Arland Macasieb, Mario Galang and Ronald Villafria topped the men’s division with 3:33:11, over the tandem of Shogo Ando and Cesar Fortaleza who came at 3:59:05.
Kai Staal, Rene Calage and Mamiko Berger dominated in mixed division completing the race in 4:07:18, followed by the team of Bryce Daly, Kimiko Hasegawa and Heartim Williams who finished the race in 4:12:02.
The team of Glenn Policare, Ronald Lanuza and Byron Dela Cruz topped the Sports Relay’s men’s division with a time of 2:20:26.
Mayson Esechu and Celerino Calayag won second place with 2:37:22.
Tom Linden, Janet King and Irma Halaby won the first place in Sports Relay mixed with the Tom Linden, Janet King and Irma Halaby won the first place in Sports Relay mixed with the team’s runner reaching the finish line at 3:13:47.
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