Nearly 500 run, swim, bike Jay Benson Triathlon

  • Published
  • By Sheila Rupp
  • Nucleus Journalist
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  Nearly 500 athletes came out to Kirtland Sunday to participate in one of the country's oldest continuing tri-events, the 30th annual Jay Benson Triathlon.

The event was first held in 1977 and was originated by John Shunny. In 1979, the event was named in honor of a friend and co-worker of the founder, Jay Benson, who had passed away due to diabetes complications.

The Jay Benson Triathlon is a Southwest Challenge Series event and is made up of a three-mile run, 20-kilometer biking leg and a 400-meter swim portion.

There were awards in individual men's and women's competitors, age group categories, military division, Clydesdale and Athena divisions, and relay team divisions.
Clay Mosley, Los Alamos, N.M., and Gabriela Jenks, Albuquerque, were the top winners in the men's and women's individual competitions, respectively.

Mosley has been a mainstay in the top spot of the overall men's competition for several years and took home first place again this year with a time of 16 minutes, 49 seconds; a bike leg of 28 minutes, 14 seconds; and a swim time of 7 minutes, 6 seconds. Rounding out the top three in the men's individual competition were Shaun Burns, Los Lunas, N.M., and Perry Toles, Roswell, N.M.

Jenks improved her time this year, finishing with a run time of 18 minutes, 41 seconds; a bike time of 33 minutes, 12 seconds; and an 8 minute, 25 second swim leg. Aubrey Blair-Pattison and Amy Hinnerichs, both of Albuquerque, N.M., finished out the top three in the women's individual competition.

In the team relay division, 2 Lab Rats and a Fish came out on top with a run time of 17 minutes, 51 seconds; a bike time of 28 minutes, 25 seconds; and a swim time of 7 minutes, 3 seconds. Team Speed and Desperate Housewives took the second and third place spots, respectively, in the relay division.

Daniel Peden, Albuquerque, took the top spot in the military division, with a run time of 19 minutes, 36 seconds; a bike leg of 34 minutes, 58 seconds; and a swim time of 9 minutes, 37 seconds. Paul Porter, Albuquerque, and Ricardo San Pedro, Aiken, S.C., took the second and third positions, respectively, in the military division. Lisa Gregoire, Rio Rancho, N.M., was the first woman to finish in the military division with a run time of 40 minutes, 51 seconds; a bike time of 56 minutes, 18 seconds; and a swim time of 27 minutes.