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Competitive Vodacom Corporate Triathlon Challenge 2013

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Excitement and competitive spirits filled the air at The Vodacom Corporate Triathlon Challenge, powered by Algoa FM on Saturday morning. The biggest short-course triathlon race on the African continent was accompanied by uplifting music, sunny skies and a chilly 17 degrees Celsius water temperature.

ECM Avengers won the title of the best corporate team with a time of 00:43:57. The first school team across the finish line was the Pearsonites 1, with a time of 00:49:37. Richard Laurie was the individual winner of the men’s category, with a time of 00:51:20, while the individual winner in the women’s category was Lauren Dougall with a time of 00:53:46.

Amongst the teams hoping to obtain corporate champion status was Port Elizabeth’s civil engineering company, Bosch Stemele. Kirstin Field, who participated in the swim for the company, was appreciative of the good weather but still very nervous. “I am doing this all for the love of company spirit” said Field.

CESA (Consulting Engineers South Africa) has a competition within the Vodacom Corporate Triathlon Challenge that includes all engineering teams entered and Bosch Stemele is hoping to place well in that. This year marks the company’s fourth year of participating in the Challenge and the company entered two teams of three this year.

Pearson High School cyclist, Delvan Taljaard, said he was nervous for the event as he really wanted to do well. Taljaard was confident in his team, which includes runner Courtney Shaw and cyclist Amy Morden. Taljaard said: “I really like the IRONMAN vibe.” Pearson High School placed twice in the top five schools.

Individual competitor, Claire Balshaw, was weary of the cold water but said: “I entered this event to challenge myself and achieve a goal”. Mark Smith, representing CSSA Manufacturing, was also amongst the individual competitors and said: “I am doing this for the fun and in the hope of getting fit”.

The contagious atmosphere at this race, which was ten per cent of the full IRONMAN distance, was a great continuation of the festivities of the Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa weekend.

Provisional results:

Top 3 Corporate Teams

  1. ECM Avengers 00:43:57
  2. ECM Destroyers 00:44:08
  3. ISUZU B 00:44:27

Top 3 School Teams

  1. Pearsonites 1 00:49:37
  2. Allie Auto Grey 00:55:12
  3. DF Malherbe 00:55:20

Top 3 Male Individuals

  1. Richard Laurie 00:51:20
  2. Keegan Scott 00:53:17
  3. Matthew Derek Scott 00:53:55

Top 3 Female Individuals

  1. Lauren Dougall 00:53:46
  2. Liza Bright 00:55:58
  3. Alexia Loizou 01:00:22
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.