Redondo’s Tripp captures Hermosa Beach Triathlon title

When Mark Tripp crossed the finish line at the Day at the Beach Triathlon in Hermosa Beach Sunday morning, the Redondo Beach resident did not receive the applause he deserved.

With participants competing in waves (groups) determined by age, it was not known until the final results were posted that the 37-year-old Tripp had recorded the fastest time of the day.

Competing in the first wave of racers and first to cross the finish line was Duncan Reid, 19, of Palos Verdes Estates whose time of 49 minutes, 44 seconds was approximately three minutes behind Tripp’s winning mark of 46:46. Noah Balch, 41, of Los Angeles placed third at 50:01.

While improvements that began in 2010 can still be made to the event, one change this year was appreciated by most of the participants. Usually held in October after the triathlon season has ended, this year’s competition was moved to July 9.

Competing in daylight and in warmer ocean water with smaller waves pleased most of the returning participants.

Reid, who won the Redondo Beach Triathlon championship in June, is no stranger to the podium at the Hermosa Beach Triathlon. He finished second as a 15-year-old in 2013 and had third-place finishes in 2011 and 2012.

“It’s a great venue but I’m exhausted. I’m in the middle of training block right now and this was just to get the legs moving and the juices flowing,” Reid said after catching his breath. “It’s a beautiful day with warm water. I didn’t even have to wear a wetsuit. The Redondo Triathlon has a long swim, short bike and medium. Hermosa is more like a standard distance for a triathlon.”

The Hermosa Beach Triathlon consists of a ¼-mile ocean swim, 10-mile bike up Pier Avenue with three loops around Valley Drive and Ardmore Avenue and finishing with a three-mile out- and-back run on The Strand.

Reid, who won the 2017 USA Triathlon Draft-Legal Duathlon World Qualifier in Oregon, said he will compete in two more events this summer before returning to Oberlin College in Ohio, where he is a distance runner for the track team.

He will compete at the USA Triathlon Youth & Junior National Championships August 5-6 in West Chester, Ohio, then the World Championships in Canada.

Capturing the Hermosa Beach Triathlon women’s crown was Nelba Robles, 36, of Moreno Valley with a time of 51:56. It was the fifth fastest overall time at the event.

Hermosa Beach’s Megan Cross, 23, was runner-up at 58:37 and Emily Kalmbach, 32, placed third at 58:51.

Jennifer Temperley, 44, of Manhattan Beach finished fourth in the women’s division while winning her age group with a time of 59:15.

Males winning their age divisions included: Zane Grenoble (Playa Del Rey, 14-17, 52:15), Reid (18-24), Matthew Olivas (Sherman Oaks, 25-29, 52:31), Tyler Stover (Ventura, 30-34, 51:56), Tripp (35-39), Balch (40-44), Jon Martin (Santa Barbara, 45-49, 54:26), James Silber (Santa Monica, 50-54, 55:46), Troy Cunardi (55-59, 54:26), Dennis Ferguson (Rancho Santa Margarita, 60-64, 58:39), Steve Polley (Camarillo, 65-69, 1:04:99), Dennis Holderman (San Pedro, 70-74, 1:07:42), Matthew Tarney (Torrance, 75-79, 1:13:47), Larry Senn (Sunset Beach, 80-84, 1:46:47) and Wayne Fong (Chatsworth, 85-89, 1:42:03).

Female age group winner included: Adelaide Scott (Pacific Palisades, 14-17, 1:10:14), Cross (18-24), Sarah Burney (Hermosa Beach, 25-29, 1:02:14), Kalmbach (30-34), Robles (35-39), Jennifer Temperley (Manhattan Beach, 40-44, 59:15), Lara Ray (Camarillo, 45-49, 1:04:13), Debbie Booth (Rancho Palos Verdes, 50-54, 1:03:53), Maureen MacDonald (Sherman Oaks, 55-59, 1:01:19), Suzan Mitchell (Rancho Palos Verdes, 60-64, 1:11:57) and Rosalind Jarrett (Los Angeles, 65-69, 1:31:47).

Complete results are available at dayatthebeachtri.com.

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