Bundaberg's Ben Artup threw down the gauntlet in the Bargara Triathlon Club’s 1300 Smiles Standard Olympic Distance event last week before being taken on by Gladstone gun Rhys Jones.
Ben was leading after the 1.5km ocean swim leg but the younger Rhys took the lead in the 40km cycle leg then held on in the 10km run to claim victory in a slick 2:14.59.
In a field of 27, Ben, 45, clocked 27.23 to have a 1:15 lead at the first transition, but Rhys, 15 years his junior, registered 1:03.32 on his bike while Ben’s split was 1:06.48.
Rhys also managed a slightly better run time of 41:04 to 41:34 to cross the line victorious by 2:06, with another local, Dwayne McKay, a further 3:15 away in third position.
Debra Minor was the Female winner, in 2:40.15, placing 10th overall, with Joanne Findlay and Olivia Curry filling the placings in 12th and 14th with 2:41.39 and 2:45.37 respectively.
‘Worth a Try’ took out the Standard Distance Teams Event.
Fourteen competitors also lined up in the Sprint Triathlon over distances of a 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run, and 14-year-old Ben Rudd continued his stellar season, grabbing the Male title in a time of 1:05.19, with Tom McKean (1:08.28) and Trent Hooper (1:18.29) filling the minor placings.
Allison Vella, who ran third overall was the Female champion with 1:17.12, from Ann-Marie Chapman (1:23.44) and Ben Artup’s wife Renee (1:24.24).
The Chris Rudd combination, which included Ben Rudd’s brother, were run-away winners in the Sprint Tri Teams category in 1:11.26.
A further 15 young guns battled it out in the Give It A Try (GIAT), incorporating a 350m swim, 10km bike ride and 2.5km run, and Max O'Brien beat all comers in 36:46 to be the Male titlist, clear of Levi Marsman (38:44), Lachlan Wyllie (40:25), and Allison Vella’s son Vinnie (41:13).
Maya McCrystal, who was second overall in 37:06, took home the Female Trophy, with another Vella sibling Lilly third overall but the Female runner-up in 37:29, with third Female going to Kaleisha Hilborn in 41:42.
B.A.M. made the GIAT Team event their own.
A day earlier, the Club also conducted the Coral Coast Physio Junior Triathlon and Pub to Club.
In total, they had 38 children who swam, rode, and ran in the Hatchling and Turtles race around Christen Park, and the 1300SMILES Tooth Fairy presented them all with a medal and a little gift bag.
1300SMILES also presented the first placed boy and girl each with a toothbrush, and congratulations goes to Cooper Dale and Bethany Marsman.
In the 3km ocean swim, Dave Moreny beat off Warren Ryan and Colin Stollery for the Male title, while Vanessa Wallace secured Female honours from Janet Cochrane and Olivia Curry.
There was also 1.5km race and Queensland Junior Life Saving champion Kobi Holden, 14, beat 12-year-old talent Max O'Brien for the Male spoils, with senior competitor Bob Johnston coming in third.
Maya McCrystal and Chantel O’Brien tied for the Female No. 1, with Anne-Marie Chapman following them home in third place.
