By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE Triathlon Association of the CNMI hosted an action-packed race at the pristine shores of Paupau Beach on Saturday as athletes gathered for the Paupau Splash and Spin Aquabike, with Christian Villacrusis and Shawna Brennfleck claiming first-place finishes in their respective divisions.
In the flagship Standard Aquabike category, Villacrusis delivered a dominant performance to capture the overall men’s title.
Navigating a 750-meter swim followed by a grueling 20-kilometer bike leg, Villacrusis crossed the finish line in a blistering time of 52:21, nearly six minutes ahead of the competition. Tyce Mister secured second place with a solid time of 58:38, while James Munnis rounded out the podium in third at 1:02:43.
In the women’s division, Brennfleck showcased her strength both in the water and on the bike, claiming the top spot with a time of 58:57. The battle for second place was the closest of the day, with Denise Myers finishing just over a minute behind at 1:00:01, followed by Robyn Spaeth in third at 1:02:40.
The future of triathlon was on full display in the Super Sprint and Kids divisions. LoVel Spaeth turned heads in the Super Sprint girls division, posting a winning time of 27:28, followed by Jade McCormick at 35:54.
The Super Sprint boys division was led by Gabriel Walsh, who finished in 28:09, followed by Brayden Brennfleck at 32:28 and Declan Spaeth at 33:28.
The Kids Race delivered the morning’s most heartwarming moments as the under-9 competitors took over the Paupau Beach parking area. Cortland Winkfield (5:13) and Milana Sablan (5:39) captured top honors in their respective divisions, demonstrating impressive speed and technique at such a young age.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
