Team Zen takes Just For Fun Tri

Nearly 40 multisport enthusiasts journeyed from Pau Pau Beach to the top of Suicide Cliff the hard way on Friday evening as participants of the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation’s latest test of endurance—the Just For Fun Triathlon.

While the emphasis was placed more on getting people together before the start of the 2006 season of triathlon, eight teams of adrenaline junkies swam, biked, and ran their way through the lagoon, roads, and trails of Saipan’s northernmost bastion of beauty.

Sybilla Leon Guerrero, Joshua Berger, Butch Sublemente, Chris Fryling, and Monica Yamaguchi of Team Zen were the first to make the trip around the tip in an overall time of 2:57:00 as Yamaguchi finished the grueling run from Cowtown to the top of Suicide Cliff with only a flash light to shine the way.

The Mama’s and Papa’s took second place as Sue Knecht, Dick Brostrom, Gary Padsing, Rob Schultz, and Irma Halaby completed the five-leg circuit in 3:02:00. Cinco de Trio was just two minutes behind in third as Jessica Jordan, Louie Tenorio, Brad Ruszala, and Shan Seman welcomed heir final runner Mieko Motoyoshi atop Suicide Cliff at the 3:04 mark.

Due to the high surf advisory and the recent rash of foul weather, the course was changed a bit from its original outline as swimmers were moved from the Tanapag Harbor to Pau Pau for a 1.2-kilometer swim.

Rachel Bandelin of Team Woody was the first to reach the beach where she tagged road bike rider Gayle Berger and sent her on her way toward the first turn around at the San Roque Shell station, then out to the Bird Island Lookout for the second turnaround, and onto her final stop at Banzai Cliff.

Somewhere along the line, Berger was passed by road rider Lewie Tenorio of Cinco de Trio, and the voice of KZMI completed the journey to give Ruszala a healthy lead heading onto the mountain bike course that took riders down the trail to Cowtown.

After taking the jeep trail down to the Grotto, back past Bonzai, and down Chalan Pale Arnold until the riders went left again to climb the San Roque hill to the million-gallon water tank, Cinco de Trio was still in the lead.

Their advantage held until Gary Padsing of the Mama’s and Papa’s gained ground along the gravel path behind the Marianas County Club golf course before surging ahead during the final mile and a half ascent to the top of Suicide Cliff.

Padsing’s tag sent Rob Schultz running down the Banandero Trail from the cliff to the monuments at the base of the Last Japanese Command Post, where he continued across the street to the Bonzai parking area and along the trail to Cowtown to tag teammate Irma Halaby.

Along the way, Fryling passed Schultz and was the first to pass the torch to Team Zen’s final runner, as Yamaguchi ran to the top of the tip ahead of the pack.

Bandelin’s squad finished in fourth as teammates Berger, Max Simian, Yogi Singh, and Krista Hawley of Team Woody combined for 3:07:00, while Leila Qudasi, Fred Camacho, Stuart Smith, Steve Pixley, and Suzy Kinzel of the Sky Runners took fifth with a time of 3:09:00.

Mister Boyer’s Jewell Piercing wrapped up sixth place as Carolyn Pierce, Angie Mister, Tyce Mister, Glenn Jewell, and Gabe Boyer completed the five-course race in a combined 3:33:45, while Elisa Long, Betty Johnson, Mike Johnson, and Vicki Taitano of Better Than Nothin’ bagged seventh at 3:39:40.

Closing out the Just For Fun were the Eye Candy Skiers, as Peter Sinclair, Jim Arenovski, Tim Goodwin, Kathy Sinclair, and the skirt-wearing Russ Quinn completed the race with a total time of 3:40:30.