Eleuthera, Bahamas (By Race Staff) – Registering just days before the event, Island School staff member Leigh Schmitt took a hardy field of men and women triathletes by surprise, and only just denied New Providence’s Simon Lowe a third Pineappleman Sprint Triathlon title Saturday morning in Gregory Town.

Schmitt, 42, who took second in January’s Bahamas Marathon in the capital, caught Lowe, 32, in the last kilometer of the 500-meter swim, 16-kilometer cycle, 5k run triathlon that went off successfully between frequent rain showers; the weather keeping some registered racers away.

“I saw Simon at the top of the hill near Laughing Lizard,” said Schmitt via email.  “I was at the bottom, about 300 meters away.  I had just passed the third place finisher, Romeo. At that point, I figured that I had to hammer it. At the turnaround, he appeared to be climbing the hill at a slower pace.  Ultimately, I didn’t catch him until about .5 miles to go.  I passed him, then he kicked past me, and then I passed him again. I was hoping that he didn’t have another kick, because I was just about out of gas.”

Schmitt crossed the Sands Beer finish line in a course record 53 minutes, 13 seconds, with Lowe also under the course record 12 seconds back.


Top: Participants in the swim/cycle/run events prepare to take off on the tough first leg against a strong current on a rainy but beautiful morning in Gregory Town. 
Second row: Winner Leigh Schmitt is out of the water first as he glances back at the defending champion Lowe who is shown in the second photo in a close second. Schmitt is then shown on his cycle leg and then coming in to claim the 2015 title. 
Bottom: Lowe congratulates Schmitt at the end of the race; Romeo Seymour, Grand Bahama third; Donovan Rolle of New Providence fourth; in the final picture, Kelsey Trainor, Toronto, Canada claims the women’s triathlon title. 

 

With two-time defending women’s champion Vicki Stafford of Grand Bahama in Sao Paulo, Brazil for a Rotary event, that division was wide open, but 26-year-old Kelsey Trainor from Toronto, Canada quickly took control on the cycle leg out to the Glass Window Bridge and back and would not be challenged winning in a speedy 1:03:45.

For their efforts Schmitt took home a 3-night stay at Pineapple Fields Resort and a case of Sands Beer, while Trainor won a dinner for two at Ocean Tally Restaurant and her own case of Sands Beer.

A hotly-contested 5-kilometer fun run and walk, two junior races and Slowest Bicycle race also featured at the event, part of the annual Pineapple Festival. A group of Floridian competitors in pink costumes embraced the festival spirit.

With support from featured race sponsors Think Simple, Island Made Gift Shop, Rainbow Inn, Sands Beer and Pineapple Fields Resort the Pineappleman Sprint Triathlon raised almost $2,000 for the Zion Children’s Home of Current Island.

In fact, Z.C.H. staff mother Alicia Munroe took first in the walk division, chased to the line by Whale Point resident Bob Knaus.

Governor’s Harbour’s own Safyha Bryan, 16, made a strong showing in the women’s 5k road race, taking second place in 26 minutes flat. While another teen, 15-year-old Corby Bertolett, a part-time Eleuthera Island Shores resident, took the men’s race, finishing over six minutes ahead of his younger brother.

Bottom: 5k racers take off on their run over hilly Gregory Town from the harbour to The Cove and back. 
Top (L-R): Corby Bertolett, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., (15), 21:55;  Eve Tschirhart, Ohio, (18), 24:24; Safyha Bryan, (16), Governor’s Harbour, Eleu. 26:00;  Kelby Bertolett, Ft. Laud., (13) 27:53.

 

Men’s Pineappleman Sprint Triathlon Results, June 6, 2015
1. Leigh Schmitt, Cape Eleuthera, 42, 53:13 (6:36, 29:16, 17:21) 2. Simon Lowe, New Providence, 32, 53:25 (7:21, 25:47, 20:17) 3. Romeo Seymour, Grand Bahama, 43, 59:26 (7:38, 27:09, 24:39) 4. Donovan Rolle, N.P., 37, 1:03:37 (10:17, 31:21, 21:59) 5. Jermaine Mackey, N.P., 35 1:09:32 (11:22, 31:47, 26:23) 6. Jeffrey Robertson, N.P., 63, 1:16:39 (11:09, 31:57, 33:33) Rowshan Jones, N.P., 32, DNF. Troy Forde, Florida, 22, DNF

Women’s Pineappleman Sprint Triathlon Results, June 6, 2015
1. Kelsey Trainor, Toronto, Canada, 26, 1:03:45 (9:14, 30:37, 23:54 2. Mary-Ellen Garner, 22, 1:14:49 (12:52, 40:33, 21:24) 3. Lauren Palmore, Nashville, Tenn., 30, 1:15:58 (9:30, 41:36, 24:52) 4. Jessica Robertson, N.P., 43, 1:35:00 (10:04, 43:12, 41:44) 5. Rachael Kelly, Harbour Island, 35, 1:37:00 (13:23, 49:06, 34:31) 6. Susy Siel, Kenosha, Wisc., 53, 1:51:37 (10:28, 54:32, 46:37), 7. Ashley Bethel, N.P., 27, 2:03:28 (11:23, 59:05, 53:00)

Relay Pineappleman Sprint Triathlon Results, June 6, 2015
1. Bananas for Ananas (Judy Bertolett, Ted Bertolett), 1:19:12 (11:44, 41:19, 26:09) 2. T-T-R (Romeo, Tom, Tom), 1:04:29 (7:38, 33:24, 23:27) DNF The Alburys (Connor, Chad, Kirby) (7:40, 0:00, 23:19) 4. Vicky Parmentier, Whale Pt., Eleu., 63, 19:48

Men’s Pineappleman 5K Fun Run & Walk Results, June 6, 2015
1. Corby Bertolett, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 15, 21:55 2. Kelby Bertolett, Ft. Laud., 13 27:53, 3. Terry Schuster, Eleuthera Island Shores, 30:35 4. Mark Hornsby, Cape May, N.J., 57, 31:14 T-5. Jeremy Adkins, Weston, Fla., 37; Mike Washam, Boynton Beach, Fla., 45, 35:34 WALK: 1. Bob Knaus, Whale Point, 39:48

Women’s Pineappleman 5K Fun Run & Walk Results, June 6, 2015
 1. Eve Tschirhart, Ohio, 18, 24:24 2. Safyha Bryan, 16, Governor’s Harbour, Eleu. 26:00 3. Barbara Dalton, Eleu. Island Shores, 28:54 T-4.  Crystal Adkins, Weston, Fla., 33; Haylee Befeld, Tequesta, Fla., 27; Lindsey Ratliff, Wellington, Fla., 29; Rebecca Washam, Boynton Beach, Fla., 40, 35:34 T-8. Alix Hegy, Sheridan, Wyoming, 16, 41:44; Jill Hegy, Sheridan, Wyoming, 43, 41:44 WALK: 1. Alicia Munroe, Current Island, 38, 39:05 2. Emmie Munroe, Current Island, 40+, 44:59

Jr. Pie Aquathlon (200-meter swim, 800-meter run)

1. Drew Richard, Houston, Tex., 9, 6:42, 2. Malik Whitfield, Gregory Town, Eleu., 8, 7:31 3. Noah Freeman, Rainbow Bay, Eleu. 7:43

Jr. Pie 400-meter road race

1. John Brown, Current Island, 11, 44 seconds. 2. Yasmeen Munroe, Current Island, 13, 50 secs.  3. Mercedes Munroe, Current Island, 13, 52 secs ALSO: No. 7, 57 secs.; Dashanti Lightbourne, 11, 1 min., Calvin Mason, 12, 1 min., Nora Reise-Ward, 8, 1:10

Slowest Bicycle Race

1. Friend of the Reise-Wards, T-2. Nora Reise-Ward, Mark Hay