Sports

Wilkes-barre triathlon

By Dave Konopki dkonopki@timesleader.com
Assistant Sports Editor

Sean Robbins says he wish he hadn’t read about the recent deaths of several athletes who passed away during the swim portion of separate triathlons.

But that won’t stop the Shavertown man from getting into the water at Harveys Lake on Sunday morning.

Robbins will be one of the hundreds of athletes competing in the annual Wilkes-Barre Triathlon this weekend. The three-sport competition features a 0.9-mile swim, a 24.8-mile bike race through the Back Mountain and 6.8-mile run to the finish line at Penn State/Wilkes-Barre in Lehman Township.

Donald Morehouse, 60, and John Hobgood Jr., 52, died in separate triathlons last weekend, one week after 32-year-old Esteban Neira passed away while competing in the New York City Triathlon. The three deaths bring the total number of athletes who have died while competing in triathlons – all of them during the swim portion of the race – to eight in 2008.

“I wish I never read about it, but it really hasn’t bothered me,” said the 38-year-old Robbins, who began competing in triathlons in 1994. “I think most guys approach the race with an ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude. It sounds as though it was a couple of freak accidents.”

The deaths of Morehouse and Hobgood were ruled as accidental drownings and an initial autopsy on Neira was inconclusive.

Organizers of the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon go to great lengths to ensure safety of the athletes – especially in the water.

There will be 75 lifeguards at the lake and more than a dozen kayaks and canoes will be on the course in the water. Members of several Back Mountain area ambulance companies, as well as paramedics, will be on the beach

Pontoon boats will be on the lake and speed boats will be positioned on the outskirts of the course. Members of the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue dive team are also expected to be there, said race director Joanne Gensel.

“I think we have a very safe race,” she said. “We take all of the safety precautions we can. We’ve been very fortunate. But Heaven knows anything can happen.”

Robbins has competed in many triathlons in other states – including the grueling Hawaiian Ironman in Kona, Hawaii. He says one of the safer ones takes place in his back yard.

“The people in Wilkes-Barre do to a great job,” he said. “In the water, there are always people around. If you pop your head out of the water, you can see someone who can help if needed. Most of the safety concerns usually pop up when it rains and the bike course becomes wet. Other than that, I feel safe at this race.”

One of the safety concerns involves the use of wetsuits by the athletes. The suits can give the athletes a little buoyancy, allowing them to glide a little easier through the water. But they can also be dangerous when worn in warm water.

“It’s like putting on a rubber suit and going in a sauna,” Gensel said. “If the water temperature is 80 degrees or more, the athletes are going to boil. It’s very dangerous.”

If the water temperature is between 78 and 82 degrees, athletes are highly encouraged not to wear a wetsuit. If they do, their time will not be compiled and they will not be ranked either overall or in their respective age group division. If the water temperature is more than 82 degrees, wetsuits are forbidden.

The water temperature Monday morning was 77 degrees, said Gensel. With all of the warm weather this week, she expects that number to rise.

“I’m confident wet suits won’t be allowed,” Gensel said.

That means athletes who usually wear wetsuits better be prepared, said Robbins. He swam in Harveys Lake last weekend for the first time in a while without a wetsuit.

“For some people who are comfortable with them, it could be a little daunting. It usually feels weird for the first part of the swim. If (a wetsuit) is you’re safety blanket, get in the lake now. You don’t want to be hyperventilating in the water during the race.”

Despite some of the safety issues, Robbins is looking forward to the race.

“I’m ready to go,” he said. “It should be a lot of fun, as usual.”