June 30, 2005


Triathlon draws 1,800 participants to Almaden Lake Park

Steve Hackett and Becky Gibbs Lavelle win event

By Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writer

An Australian athlete and a South Bay sports figure took top awards this past Sunday during the San Jose International Triath-lon at Almaden Lake Park.

Stephen Hackett of Australia finishes the bike portion of the event and prepares for the run that will win him victory in the event. Photo by Sheila Sanchez

The Olympic-distance event drew a total of 1,800 triathletes and about 5,000 spectators to the valley during the early hours of the weekend mornings with cloudy skies and cool dawn weather that is perfect for racing.

For some of the women participating in the event, it was their first Olympic-distance triathlon. Some had completed their first sprint-distance triathlon in Napa Valley.

“They’re embarking on a new way of life, fitness and empowerment,” said See Jane Tri professional trainer and coach Dorette Sommer, of Mill Valley.

In 2000, Sommer raced in the event. She calls the local triathlon user-friendly, as other events can be intimidating. The triathlon is event management company J&A Productions’ premier competition. It’s considered the third largest triathlon in the country and it keeps attracting more first-time athletes and different age groups and body shapes and sizes every year. “You don’t have to be stud to do a triathlon,” Sommer declared, kneeling on the lake’s deck to get a good camera shot of her trainees.

Arms work vigorously for this wave of swimmers during the San Jose International Triathlon at Almaden Lake Park June 26. Photos by Sheila Sanchez

Australian triathlete Stephen Hackett, 23, crossed the finish line in 1:50:07 to claim the event title. He was followed by Joe Sanders, 37, and Pete Kain, 41, who came in second and third place, respectively, after finishing the 1.25-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bike ride and 10-kilometer run.

Kain, of Cupertino, is head coach of Kain Performance Multi-Sport. Previously he was the Almaden Valley Athletic Club fitness director. On Sunday, he was sporting a fat lip after being hit by a fellow athlete during the swimming portion of the competition. Kain is a three-time world champion in the age group division. Kain’s goal is the amateur triathlon world championships in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Kona, Hawaii Ironman, in October.

“It was a tough ride,” noted an exuberant Hackett after winning the event. “It was very windy on the bike.”

Sanders, of San Jose, is a member of the Running Revolution training club in Campbell. He complained of lack of leg speed, but was grateful for the workout as he’s training for Ironman Canada.

Jose Sanders and Pete Kain came in second and third place overall during the San Jose International Triathlon competition June 26. Photo by Sheila Sanchez

“The Australians completely dominate the sport and Hackett comes from that culture. He can beat almost every top American,” said Brad Kearns, a spokesman for Zoot Sports, the race’s sponsor.

Winning the women’s overall category was Becky Gibbs Lavelle, 30, who crossed the finish line in 1:56:36. Sara Watchorn, 23, and Erin McCarty, 34, followed her coming in second and third place, respectively.

Lavelle, of Los Gatos, was a trainer at the Almaden Valley Athletic Club. She was one of the youngest members of the U.S. National Triathlon Team. She did her first triathlon when she was 19 years old. She turned pro after graduating from Louisiana State University. She’s married to pro triathlete Brian Lavelle. She won the St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Fla., last April, after nursing a knee injury for a year.

“We had a pretty strong head wind going on the bike the first half and that was really hard, but it was great race,” Lavelle said shortly after her win.

Two women triathletes wave hello before the first leg of the competition. Photo by Sheila Sanchez

Rooting for Watchhorn, a former Stanford University swimmer, was her mother Faith Watchorn, of Salt Lake City.

Tom Mills of Walnut Creek was standing on the lakeshore to root for his wife, Jamie, 45, who was participating in the triathlon after competing in the Tri for Fun series in Pleasanton, catering to beginners. “She’s been training for three months and she’s never been in better shape in her life,” Mills said, praising the event for its organization and safety standards, even requiring bicycles to have rubber protectors on handle bars.

Many Almaden residents turned out to support their loved ones competing in the triathlon.

Bill and Debbie Seip, who have lived in Almaden for more than 20 years, were standing by the water to root for their son, Zakk DeVine, 26, who placed third in his division. His fiancée, Rita Gabino, was also on hand for extra support. It was his second time participating in the event.

DeVine works out between 15 and 18 hours a week. He grew up in Almaden and began swimming with the Montevideo Piranhas, a local swim team in the valley sponsored by the Montevideo Homeowners Association. He attended Guadalupe Elementary School, Valley Christian Junior High School and Archbishop Mitty High School. Three years ago, DeVine decided to transform his life and lost more than 120 pounds and started to get into shape slowly by running, cycling and swimming.

Becky Gibbs Lavelle finishes first in the women’s overall category and fourth in the San Jose International Triathlon overall category. Photo by Sheila Sanchez

“His big motivation was losing the weight and getting into shape,” said Debbie Seip. DeVine now competes around the state and has participated in more than 20 triathlons. “I’m very proud of him. He set his mind to lose his weight and he set his mind to place,” she said.

The weekend competition also had more than 400 racers in the San Jose Mountain Bike Triathlon on Saturday, which consisted of a 500-yard swim, 10-mile mountain bike ride and a 3.1-mile run. The winner of the event was Chris Barrett crossing the finish line in 59:34.8. Steven Garza, 25, and Gabriel Lombriser, 23, took second and third place.

Large contingents of collegiate competitors from a dozen different universities such as Stanford, many of the University of California campuses in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Davis, University of Southern California and others traveled to San Jose to celebrate summer vacation and battle it out for top team honors and a $3,500 price per team. “It’s remarkable how many college athletes are here,” Kearns said. “Supporting the sport at this level brings them into the sport as adults.”

More than 400 volunteers, many from local high schools, assisted the athletes on the racecourse. A festive party atmosphere prevailed throughout the event with great food, dozens of expo vendors and music.

Simon Brewer, 11, a student at Los Alamitos Elementary School, was one of the hundreds of Almaden residents who turned out to watch the event. Accompanied by his mother, Judy, the future triathlete said he was impressed by the athlete’s discipline and dedication to health and fitness.

“It’s a great event,” said Judy. “It’s a lot of fun to watch. I love to see the swimmers come out of the water and get on the bicycles.”