The U.S. Navy men’s team took first place in the U.S. Armed Forces Triathlon on Saturday, May 30, at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu. ENS Derek Oskutis, the runner-up at this year’s Collegiate Nationals before graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, was the first person to cross the finish line with a time of 1:54:50.22. He joins six-time champions MAJ Mike Hagen of Army and LT Timothy O’Donnell of Navy as the only men to win armed forces titles.
The race was open to all four services: Navy, Army, Marine Corps and Air Force, and each service brought a team of 12 to compete. The times of the fastest eight men on each team were combined to pick the service winner. When all of the times were added up, the Navy’s men’s team came out on top. The Navy women’s team took third.
The triathlon all service teams are given one day to go out and represent their service, and do it well. This is the triathlon’s ninth consecutive year at NBVC, which is the permanent host for the annual event. The triathlon consists of an approximately one mile swim, 25 mile bike ride and about a six mile run.
The Armed Forces was also open to other military members and the Canadian military triathlon team.
CAPT Julia Kockie, Army, had the great opportunity to participate in the Triathlon. Her favorite part of the triathlon was the bike ride. “They happened to pick me, and I am very grateful,” Bryan said. “I have been doing triathlons for three or four years now, and I will participate as long as they take me.”
The base course is set up differently then any other course. Participants have to swim in the ocean, and since they are from all over the world, not all of them are used to the ocean temperature, waves and current.
LCDR Daniel Frost, Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) assistant chief staff officer for admin and a member of the Navy team, says the bike course at Mugu is one of a kind, because it is made up of four loops. This allows the course to fit inside the confines of the base. Most triathlons, besides the Olympics, consist of one or two loops.
Just like the bike ride, the run also consists of four loops. This allows the athletes to go back and forth four times. Frost says this is good, because it allows the crowd to see the runners multiple times. It also allows the participants to keep track of each other better.
The weather on race day may have been gloomy, but all of the athletes were pumped and ready to go. The race started with the swim and ended with the run. A transition area was also provided for racers to store their bikes and belongings. They could use the area to change, pick up or drop off their bikes.
MAJ. John Hatala, part of the Marine team, says he trained for the competition by spending a lot time on his bike, in the pool and running; a lot. He decided to try out for the team after a friend mentioned it to him during a previous triathlon.
“I made the Marine team and figured I’d come out here,” Hatala said. “My favorite part of triathlons is the good sense of accomplishment you get when you do well. You work hard training for it, so seeing that hard work pay off is nice at the end of a race.”
The Armed Forces Championships are conducted under the auspices of the Armed Forces Sports Council, which is responsible to the Senior Military Advisor for all matters pertaining to the organization and administration of armed forces participation in national and international sports competitions. The purpose of this program is to promote understanding, goodwill and competition among the armed services through inter-service sports competition and to provide the means of selecting teams and individuals to represent the Armed Forces in national and international competition.
Armed Forces Sports competitions involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard (combines with Navy except for Rugby) are conducted for men and women in the sports of: basketball, wrestling, bowling, marathon, volleyball, softball, cross country, golf, triathlon, rugby, boxing and soccer.
Participants for each sport are selected at highly competitive training programs and trial camps by each of the respective services. At the conclusion of the Armed Forces competitions the best players are selected to represent the U.S. at International Military Sports Competitions hosted worldwide or at U.S. national championships.
Normally, the winners of the Armed Forces Triathlon go on to the World Military Triathlon Championships, but this year they were cancelled. This is unfortunate for the top men and women finishers, because if the championships hadn’t been canceled, they could be training right now to compete in Russia. Of course, there is always next year. If you missed the Armed Forces this year, be sure to come out next year to show your support.
WOMEN'S DIVISION:
Gold - LTC Heidi Grimm (Army) Fort Carson, CO 2:08:54; Silver - Capt D'Arcy Spiese (Marine Corps) MCB Quantico, VA 2:09:48; Bronze - Maj Abigail Ruscetta (Air Force) The Pentagon, Arlington, VA 2:12:00
MEN'S DIVISION:
Gold - ENS Derek Oskutis (Navy) U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 1:54:50; Silver - Capt James Bales (Air Force) Lackland AFB, TX 1:55:29; Bronze - 2LT Nicholas Vandam (Army) U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY 1:56:24
TEAM STANDINGS - WOMEN
1st Place - Air Force 24 points
2nd Place - Army 27 points
3rd Place- Navy 40 points
4th place - Marine Corps 45 points
TEAM STANDINGS - MEN
1st place -Navy 93 points
2nd place - Army 127 points
3rd place - Air Force 127 points
4th place - Marine Corps 154 points
For complete results of the 2009 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship visit www.eternaltiming.com -- click on "Event Results" and "NBVC Armed Forces & Admiral's Cup Triathlon"
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