Isaiah Aleksenko completes the first 1.5KM foot race of the TRAC’s 8th Aquathlon on Saturday in the Kilili Beach Park area.
Kaithlyn Chavez makes her way to the transition from swimming to running during the TRAC’s 8th Aquathlon on Saturday in the Kilili Beach Park area.
ISAIAH Aleksenko and Kaithlyn Chavez topped their respective divisions in the Triathlon Association of the CNMI’s 8th Aquathon in the Kilili Beach Park area on Saturday.
Aleksenko, who is known for his swimming skills, also led both legs of the 1.5KM distance race. He excelled especially in the water to gain a massive advantage and finish with a time of 36:04.
When asked how the course was this year, he said: “It was good — not too hot so it felt good. The course was better and the water was pretty cold.”
The 16-year-old Marianas High School student said he “wasn’t surprised that I was leading all the way.”
In second place was Michael Miller who clocked 38:31 and was followed by Moshe Sikkel who came in third with a time of 41:14.
In the female division, Kaithlyn Chavez finished first, and was also third overall.
After completing the first 1.5KM race on foot, she trailed a bit following the swimming portion of the event.
However, she still led the rest of the female runners by nearly four minutes, clocking 42:32.
“The course today was actually good,” she said. “The weather was perfect, not hot and not windy, so it was easier to run.”
Chavez said she is not the strongest swimmer, but she had a strategy. “I used my advantage in running to get a big lead. For swimming I kept an easy pace and then halfway through the last run I pushed for the finish,” the 16-year-old Saipan International School student added.
Coming in second in the female division was Jinie Thompson with a time of 45:59 followed by Shawna Brennfleck in third with a time of 47:45.
Also joining the podium finish were the age division winners:
• U20 — Maria Battalones (48:42) and Matthew Sezfler (51:12)
• 40-49 age group — Kerri Bauer (51:08) and Travis Spaeth (47:36)
• 50-59 age group — Robyn Spaeth (48:13) and Anthony Raho (49:48)
• 60 and over age group — Yulia Aleksenko (57:09) and Buboy Aguilar (52:04)
In the kids team relay, Haole-Pinoy’s Leilani Ruszala and Gabriel Walsh took first place with a time of 46:13 followed by the Amphibians’ Lovel Spaeth and Scarlett Burrell who clocked 46:15.
