Triathlon: Miami International Triathlon

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 10:35 PM

Nothing like a March dip in the ocean....

Matty Reed, 33, of Boulder, Colo. (1 hour 45 minutes 31 seconds) and Sarah Haskins, 27, of Colorado Springs (1:58.12) won $8,000 each for winning the Olympic distance race, which included a 0.9-mile ocean swim, 24.8-mile bike across the Rickenbacker Causeway and 6.2-mile run.

Like many in the field of 16 male and nine female professionals, money wasn't the main motivation Sunday. Reed and Haskins used the event as a tune-up for the Olympic Trials on April 19th in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Another 731 participated in an elite Olympic-distance race and an age-group sprint distance consisting of 0.45-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike, and a 3.1-mile run, all of which began and ended at the Miami Marine Stadium.

After a two-person canoe that guided swimmers through predawn twilight after a 7 a.m. start, Reed won the swim in 12:34, one second ahead of Brian Fleischmann, 30, of Colorado Springs.

But on the bike, Fleischmann faded and Chris Lieto, 36, of Danville, Calif., pedaled at a 33-mph pace to take a 40-second lead going into the run.

Then Reed, who is 6-5, regained the lead just past the halfway point of the run and kicked it in for the win. Oscar Galindez, 37, finished runner-up and collected $4,000 for his 1:45:39 finish. Lieto won $2,000 for third in 1:46:08, and Fleischmann collected $1,000 for forth in 1:48.33.

''During the run I was just trying to conserve energy,'' Reed said.

Unlike Reed, Haskins was never challenged.

''I just wanted to stay comfortable and maintain my pace,'' said Haskins, who beat runner-up Pip Taylor by 2:02. ``I know my running is strong. But I never let my guard down.''

South Florida's top pro finisher was Reinaldo Oliveira, 30, of Fort Lauderdale. He took 15th in 2:05:06.

One of the most inspiring finishes of the day was turned in by Marine veteran Dan Lasko, who lost his left leg in a bomb attack in Afghanistan.

Lasko, a member of team Semper Fi, used two prosthetic legs for the cycling and running portions of the triathlon, and swam with one leg. He finished in 3:15.

''My swim was the best, and it was really easy,'' Lasko said.

``But going over the bridge was kind of tough.''


RESULTS

Men Pro:

Matty Reed, Boulder Colorado ($8,000), 1:45:31; 2. Oscar Galindes, Santos, Argentina, $4,000), 1:;45:39; 3. Chris Lieto, Danville, California, $2,000,1:46:08 ; 4. Brian Fleischmann, $1,000, 1:48:33; Elite: Richard Swor, 1:56:49;

Female Pro:

1. Sarah Haskins, Colorado Springs, (8,000) 1:58:12; 2. Pip Taylor, Lennox Head, ($4,000) 2:00:10; 3. Jasmine Oeinck, Colorado Springs, ($2,000) 2:02:10; 4. Nina Kraft, ($1,000) 2:03:14; Elite: Kassianna Rosso, 2:18:45