Bajan dominates Rainbow Cup Triathlon
By Ian Gooding

After winning the Sprint Triathlon in 2006, 18-year-old Barbadian Jason Wilson returned to show his dominance in the Olympic Distance at this  year’s Toyota Rainbow Cup International Triathlon held at Grafton Beach, Tobago.

Toyota Rainbow Cup 2009 Olympic Distance Winners (l-r) Kelsey Withrow (USA) and Jason Wilson (BAR)

The young Bajan who received a scholarship from the International Triathlon Union (ITU), dominated the Olympic distance event, even lapping last year’s winner Reginald Douglas of Nevis, who finished second.

Three Trinidadians, who are now the National Champions, include Clarance Tobias, Ancil Greene and David Hay grabbed the third, fourth and fifth overall spots respectively. The event doubled as the National Championships in both Olympic and Sprint distances.

In the female division, Kelsey Koorman, of Utah, USA, returned after two years to recapture the number one spot. She was followed home by Kristina Stoney of St. Kits/Nevis and veteran triathlete Trinidadian Jacqueline Jodhan, the national female champion. Gwen Pullman of the USA and Rebecca Cross of T&T took the other top spots.

The top five winners in the Olympic distance event received cash prizes and specially-designed ceramic plaques. All finishers received specially-designed Rainbow Cup medals.

Hailed as the “biggest and best” triathlon event in the English-speaking region, the fifth annual Toyota Rainbow Cup attracted 19 competitors in the Olympic distance race and 82 in the Sprint (half the Olympic distance), plus 20 youngsters and 9 relay teams.

Over 40 members of Team Hope completed the event for the first time in their lives, after training under Jason Gooding and Sebastien Paddington since November last year. The group raised $250,000 to help kids with special disabilities. Their goal is to raise a million dollars next year when the event is staged at the same location on Saturday May 29 (a long week-end)

The winner of the Sprint (male) was  James Weekes, of St. Kitts/Nevis followed by Trinidadian Daniel Koo, Samuel Blankendal of Suriname and Troy Felix of Grenada.

Tamiko Butler of Antigua was the first female in the Sprint, followed by Carolien Marlet of Suriname followed by Lara Smith and Marydell Westman, both of the USA, and Rebecca Mendes of T&T.

The promising Trinidadian Akeil Baptiste, suffered some shoe problems after being fourth overall in the Sprint, falling to seventh overall, and the second Trinidadian behind Koo. (All results can be  found on www.odesseytiming.com )

THA Secretary for Sport Claudia Groome-Duke started the race as she did last year. She was high in praise of the event and its organizers, the Rainbow Warriors Triathlon Club.

Other sponsors of the premier triathlon event included Toyota, Tobago House of Assembly, Grafton Beach Resort, Blue Waters and Monster Energy Drink, Plantation Beach Villas, NLCB, Peter Gremli Car Rentals,  Ice House, Summerland Suites, Sullivan Court, Crown Point Hotel, Blue Horizon, Radio Tambrin and Tobago Channel 5.