{"id":403799,"date":"2024-01-17T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=403799"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Hess-Taflinger-sweep-Trinity-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Hess-Taflinger-sweep-Trinity-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Hess, Taflinger sweep Trinity series"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the snowy Alps to the sunny tropics, Swiss visitor Martin Hess blew all local runners out of the water as he swept the competition and set two new course records in the three-day Run Saipan 2024 Trinity Race last Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.<\/p>\n

In the women\u2019s division, a young up-and-coming student-athlete Addalee Taflinger made her mark in the series as she swept all three race days as well.<\/p>\n

The last race on Monday was the Route 30 Drag Strip 5K, with Hess setting a new course record with a sub-18 time of 17:57. Second was Jody O\u2019Sullivan at 18:54; and third was Sildrey Veloria with a time of 19:31.<\/p>\n

Taflinger came in at 24:39; Ann Bang overtook Shawna Brennfleck for second place at 25:44; and Brennfleck was third with 25:53.<\/p>\n

Hess, who is visiting with his wife for two weeks, decided to join the race after his wife told him about it and the rest was history.<\/p>\n

The third installment of the race, Hess said, was nice as it\u2019s a much flatter course than the steep Mt. Tapochau 5K race last Sunday, and much shorter than the 10K Beach Road course last Saturday.<\/p>\n

He said this course, which was slightly uphill, was against the wind, while going down, it was with the wind, so it helped. As for the lead, he was running with three or four other runners and pulled away 1K into the race.<\/p>\n

As for the experience of running three consecutive early races, he said, \u201cI really liked it. I\u2019ve never done this before and in the morning when I woke up, I\u2019m like, \u2018oh no, I\u2019m doing that.\u2019 I\u2019m all still so sore, but in the moment when you\u2019re about to race, it\u2019s nice, because you feel like you\u2019ve accomplished something.\u201d<\/p>\n

His favorite race, he said, was the Mt. Tapochau 5K in which he also set a new course record. \u201cWe were up there with the sunrise, and the course was a little bit on the dirt road. It was a beautiful course and a beautiful finish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

When he was told he broke two course records, he was shocked and said he didn\u2019t know. \u201cIt feels nice! I hope someone, someday, someone who\u2019s living here will break it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The 37-year-old engineer and his wife first traveled to Saipan eight years ago while doing her language studies and returned this time around for work again. They are leaving this Thursday and said they have been sight-seeing and visiting friends. Hess said he would love to return to Saipan for another vacation.<\/p>\n

For 13-year-old Taflinger, she said the course was nice with the downhill return to the finish line. On how she felt finally finishing three races in a row, she said, \u201cI\u2019m exhausted because all of the races have been so hard. Waking up early every morning was exhausting, and my legs are hurting really bad. I haven\u2019t rested them that much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her favorite course, she said, was the first day. \u201cI haven’t run that much on Beach Road and like since it was the first day, it wasn\u2019t that tiring.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for her overall thoughts on her first Trinity race, she said, \u201cIt was fun and challenging because you don\u2019t get a day in between for a break. So, it\u2019s really [fulfilling] to finish because it\u2019s like a hard race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Results of the overall Top 10 in the men and women categories will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Swiss runner Martin Hess runs into first place for the third day in a row last Monday, of the Run Saipan 2024 Trinity Race, setting two new course records\u2014the Mt. Tapochau 5K and the Route 30 Drag Strip 5K.<\/p>\n

-CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Saipan International School middle school student-athlete Addalee Taflinger swept all three races of the Run Saipan 2024 Trinity Race, and is seen coming into first place on Day 3\u2014the Route 30 Drag Strip 5K laset Monday.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Participants of Day 3 of the Run Saipan 2024 Trinity Race, Route 30 Drag Strip 5K pose for a photo at the finish line last Monday.<\/p>\n

-LEIGH GASES
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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