Some 120 fit and determined athletes toed the starting line in Healdsburg on Saturday, July 10 for the fifth annual Sonoma Women’s Triathlon.
Canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the race benefits the Sutter Institute of Health and Healing, raising close to $50,000 in its five-year existence.
The Sutter organization offers physical, emotional and spiritual care and comfort for cancer patients to relieve the effects of their treatment.
In addition, this year’s event also provided support for the Inspiration Sports Foundation, which creates youth programs that increase equity in the sport of triathlon.
Veteran race Director Adam Ray of Scena Performance did everything but sell hot dogs again on Saturday, and was grateful for the opportunity to hold the race after such a tough year.
“It’s amazing to be back,” he said after the race. “We’re just about the first event running since the (state) reopening, and up until a few weeks ago, I had no visibility from the county about whether we’d be able to go at all (because they had no visibility from the state). On race day, we enjoyed the full-throated support of over 50 volunteers, including supporters brought to us by long-time supporter Healdsburg Running Company, as well as carloads of volunteers from San Francisco and the East Bay.”
Unlike the last four events, this year’s race did not include a swim segment due to low water levels in the Russian River. The revised course began and finished at the Healdsburg Community Center and featured a run out Lytton Springs road, with the bike segment taking racers past the Lake Sonoma Visitor Center.
The event got a big assist from main sponsors; Healdsburg Running Company, Bellwether Farms and Sports Basement.
Crossing the finish in first place in 2:29.47 was Vacaville’s Allyson Black, closely followed by second and third place finishers Caroline William of San Francisco (2:32.35) and former Healdsburg High School star Chelsea Bingham (2:32.48). Rounding out the top ten women were Madeline Kirch (2:32.57), Xi Chen (2:39.07), Elisa Grant (2:40.45), Andrea Isaac (2:40.55), Nikki Weerts (2:42.13), Maureen McDonald (2:45.13) and Jacquelyn Read (2:49.58).
