Three wins in three weeks for the Aussie
By Brad Culp
March 29, 2008 -- With only one pro in the field, it was Aussie Andrew Noble’s race to lose at this morning’s XTERRA Guam Triathlon, and the off-road superstar did not disappoint. Noble won the race easily, in 2:13:57, making it three wins in three weeks for the 42-year-old. Noble, who now lives in Boston with his wife Candy Angle (also an XTERRA pro), won two weeks ago at XTERRA Saipan and then followed that up last weekend with a win at the Tagaman Sprint Triathlon, also on Saipan.
Only 80 athletes started the swim this morning, a welcome reprieve for racers accustomed to wave starts and crowded transitions. The overwhelming majority of competitors were from the Micronesian Islands (mainly Guam and Saipan), with a handful of other athletes making the trip from Japan or the American mainland. Triathlon is quickly gaining popularity on the tiny island of Guam, with almost 100 locals actively competing in various races each year.
Noble easily led out the swim, finishing the 1,000-meter dip in Piti Bay in just over 15 minutes. Close behind were the women’s favorites, Shannon Cutting of Guam and Mieko Carey of Saipan. Local age-grouper Eli Torgeson, Noble’s only real competition, emerged four minutes behind the leader.
Onto the bike, Noble proved why he’s a pro and not just a weekend warrior. The Aussie tore through the challenging bike leg in 1:17 and hit T2 with a 10-minute lead on the top amateur athletes. The real race was being had between the top women, as Cutting and Carey kept in close contact for the entire 27km ride.
Noble breezed through the picturesque run course, which includes a descent down a fast-flowing waterfall and a few river crossings.
“The run course is great,” Noble said after the race. “All the water really helps to cool you off.”
Running through water was no doubt a challenge for many of the athletes, but with temperatures peaking at 90 degrees in the jungle, few had any complaints.
Noble finished with a run through the shallow waters of the bay, and spectators had to wait almost eight minutes for the next finisher to come in. Torgeson crossed the line in second, impressive considering it’s only his second XTERRA event, with Japan’s Hideto Sato taking the final podium spot.
In the women’s race, Carey was able to overtake Cutting on the run to secure her first win of the season (she finished third in Saipan).
“The course is amazing,” Carey exclaimed at the finish. “I loved the run – the waterfall was so cool.”
Cutting finished eight minutes back of Carey and another Guam-native, Susan Seay, took third in the women’s race.
To learn more about the event visit xterraguam.com