By Brennan Phillips

Western News Staff

Experience can be a game changer, just ask Joe Radench of Grand Prairie, Alta.

“I’ve actually been out here in the Okanagan for about three weeks,” said Radench, the first place finisher in the Olympic Standard distance of Sunday’s Peach Classic Triathlon. “I was able to scope out the course, and get used to where all the challenging parts are. Riding it was second nature. “

Radench, entered in the Men’s 50-54 category, finished the triathlon with a total time of two hours, 10 minutes and 11 seconds. He completed the swim in 00:22:17, the bike section in 01:04:37, and the run in 00:40:52. The second-place finish belonged to Adrian Vanderhelm of Port Severn, Ont. who finished just over 30 seconds behind Radench with a time of 02:10:43.0.

In the women’s division, first place in the standard distance went to Kelowna’s Vanessa Tilson, who came out of the swim with a time of, 00:20:10, and went on to finish the cycling portion of the course in 01:13:20, and the run in 00:45:37, for a total time of 02:21:45.0. Just under five minutes separated Tilson from the second place finisher, Yvonne Timewell of Kamloops, who ran a 02:26:20.0 race.

In the Aqua/Bike Division, a qualifying race for the Canadian Championships this year, 50 competitors took on the 1.5 kilometre swim and 40 km bike ride. Alex Szirmai of Revelstoke came out on top with a time of 01:30:27.0, with two minutes ahead of Maple Ridge’s Roy McBeth’s time of 01:31:10.0, and three minutes on first place female finisher and third overall Samantha Hoft’s time of 01:33:59.0.

According to Hoft, of Victoria, she has been focussing on her cycling skills which paid off in the results, adding she is looking forward to competing in a pair of upcoming Gran Fondo’s.

In the Sprint distance, there was proof that just as with age, youth can be advantageous on the course. Cam McInnes, 17, from Kelowna, took the first place finish in the Mens 19 division, and first overall with a quick time of 01:12:27.0. Chelsea Raymond of West Vancouver finished just behind McInnes in second place overall, and first for the women, with a total time of 01:13:51.0.

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