Craft, Kimball win in Knik

August 9, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE\Frontiersman reporter

KNIK - John Craft and Jenny Kimball were pushed to their limits by the weather, the course, and their fellow competitors en route to winning the Alaska State Triathlon Championships Sunday at Knik Lake.

It was hot at the start of the race, with temperatures in the mid 70s. The temperature in Knik Lake was a cool 60 degrees an hour before the start, and a cross wind kicked along portions of the bike leg. Not to mention the rolling hills along Knik-Goose Bay Road, which challenged competitors during both the bike and run.

For Craft, his obstacles also included a late-race challenge from Will Kimball over the last half-mile of the race.

"I had to dig deep over the final portion of the run to keep up with Will," Craft said. "I let up a little before the final hill thinking I had a comfortable lead. He surprised me and we were sprinting down the stretch."

Kimball beat Craft to the finish line, but since he was competing as part of a relay team, Craft became the race winner. His winning time of two hours, four minutes and 53 seconds was beaten only by two relay teams.

"When I saw his name on the list of entrants, I was worried," Craft said. "When I found out he was part of a relay team, I was relieved.

"There's no hiding the fact that he is a running machine. I knew he was coming, it was just a matter of how long it took to catch me."

Craft was fifth out of the water behind four relay-team swimmers. He made the transition from bike to run with nearly a four-minute lead over Jason Lamoreaux.

He finished a split second behind Kimball and seven minutes ahead of runner-up Brett Rosane.

The race started predictably with Matt Dixon, part of the "No Transitions" relay team, putting a minute thirty on the field in the swim. Teammates Clyde Sniffen and Bruce Anders built on the lead, eventually crossing the finish line in 2:00:21, four minutes ahead of Kimball and Craft.

It was the second straight year the trio has been the first across the line of the state championship race.

Will's wife, Jenny Kimball, who finished fourth last year, relied on her strength in the swim and cycling legs of the triathlon to hold off the late challenge of Barbara McMullen, winning the women's title in 2:25:17

"I really pushed hard in the bike leg, knowing that there were strong runners in the field," Jenny Kimball said. "I paid for it a little in the run and started to hear footsteps the closer I got to the finish."

The two-minute lead she had built over the first two disciplines of the race had shrunk to a mere 40 seconds.

"I lost a ton of time, probably two minutes on the run," she said. "I looked back after reaching the top of one of the hills and saw Barbara closing in. I did the Daisy Chain women's mountain bike yesterday and I was starting to feel it. Barbara and Janna (Miller) are such strong runners. I got lucky today."

The newly crowned state champions echoed the opinions of nearly every competitor in praising the course and conditions.

"The hills at the start of the bike and run can really do you in if you're not careful," Craft said. "But overall this is a challenging course that forces you to be at your best."

"The setting is just incredible," Kimball said. "And the management at the Knik Bar has been incredible hosts. They've been so gracious and welcoming." Knik Bar's parking lot served as the start/finish area for the race.

As for the race, according to director Bill Fleming, it has found its permanent home.

"We raced at Kincaid Park in Anchorage last year," Fleming said.

"But if they will let us come, we will gladly call Knik Lake home for the future."

Contact Darrell Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.