n Special to the Dispatch
The Hammerhead Triathlon team is continuing to win awards.
The team competed in the Tri–California Triathlons at Pacific Grove and Scott Tinley Adventures (better known as the Dirty Series due to the tough off-road venues).
The youth team ran at Lopez Lake outside San Luis Obispo for Scott Tinley’s Adventure triathlons on Sept 29-Oct 1. The Hammerheads had someone on the podium in the top three for almost every race.
Kooper Knutson, 12, was the youngest ever to participate in the Besty’s Toughest Series at Scott Tinley’s Triathlon. This was a grueling three days of races that consisted of:
Friday – The king of the Hill climb – a timed 1-mile bike Switchbacks, single track, hike and bike.
Saturday – Olympic Distance On Road Triathlon – 1-mile swim in 66-degree water, 25-mile bike and 6-mile run.
Sunday – A tough off-road Sprint Distance Triathlon – 0.25-mile lake swim in 66-degree water, 12 miles (two loops) through the rolling hills of Lopez Lake on single track and fire roads, 3-mile run in Lake Lopez Park.
Knutson placed first in his age group for the Olympic distance and the Sprint Distance Triathlons at Scott Tinley’s Triathlon.
He also was fourth at the Youth National Championships competition in Wisconsin, competing against the top triathletes across the United States
Gabriella Cinkova,13, the top youth female athlete in the Hammerheads, holds the female 11-12 course record for the Sprint Distance Triathlon at Pacific Grove. Cinkova won first place in both the Scott Tinley and Pacific Grove in the Sprint Distance Female 13-14 division.
Katie Knutson, 9, participated in two races at Scott Tinley and placed first in both. It was her first Sprint distance triathlon.
Emma Ball, in her second year with the Hammerheads, placed second in her division for the Sprint On Road Race. ”
For more information about the Hammerhead Triathlon, go to www.bodyandmindsolutions.com.
ON ROAD SPRINT TRIATHLON (.25-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike and 3-mile run)
First – Katie Knutson (F9-10)
First – Gabriella Cinkova (F13-14)
Second – Emma Ball (F11-12)
OLYMPIC ROAD TRIATHLON (1 mile swim,
25-mile bike, 6-mile run)
First – Kooper Knutson (M11-12)
OFF ROAD SPRINT TRIATHLON (.25-mile swim, 12-mile bike, 3-mile run)
First – Kooper Knutson (M11-12)
OFF ROAD KIDS TRIATHLON (200-yard swim,
5-mile bike and 1-mile run)
First – Katie Knutson (F9-10)
Others
4th – Jay Elkerton (M45-49) Sprint On Road
5th – Kimberly Elkerton (F11-12) Kids on Road Race
6th – Patrick Elkerton (M15-16) Sprint On Road
Pacific Grove Triathlon Sept 9-10).
Second – Emma Ball (F11-12)
Fourth – Kooper Knutson (M11-12)
Tenth– Cody Kent (M11-12),
First – Gabi Cinkova (F13-14) by 6 minutes.
21st – Mandi Middleton (F30-34) finished first triathlon
Husband and wife team:
Second – Christopher Bosso (M35-39)
10th – Nicole Bosso (F35-39)
Others
3rd – Matt Sosa (M15-16)
13th – Patrick Elkerton (M15-16)
8th – Kelli Carter (F20-24)
9th – Andrea Castro (F35-39)
12th – Jay Elkerton (M 45-49)
5th – Michael McKeever (M 50-54)
16th – Paul Zarka (M50-54)
