MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Marine Corps Community Services and Marine Corps Air Facility hosted the fourth and final Criterium Bike Race in the Commander’s Fitness Series on the base flight line Sunday.
Racers were split into five categories: expert, senior, women, junior (under the age of 18), and public (open to anyone).
Normally, only the winners of each category for the day are recognized. However, since the race was the final event of the series, overall series winners were also recognized, said Tina Lui, MCCS Varsity Sports Coordinator.
The day’s races were divided into three timed sessions. The experts, who raced for 60 minutes and seniors, who raced for 45 minutes, competed separately while the women and juniors raced together for 30 minutes. The public race was canceled due to inclement weather.
The course for Sunday’s Criterium race was organized similarly to previous races except for the shape of the course, said Master Sgt. David Catimon, airfield operations chief with MCAF. Rather than a traditional oval circuit, the course for Sunday’s race was modified into a “L-shape” featuring two sharp turns due to Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Track Day event which occupied a large portion of the flight line and also a need for a more challenging course.
“This new course is more tactical than it was before,” said Catimon, who helped to organize the race. “With the new turns, it will help to spread the racers out and offer a scenic view of the surrounding waters.”
Not only were competitors introduced to a different track, but also to different weather conditions than the previous three races. Rain fell on competitors in all three racing categories, Sunday.
“This course is the most challenging and technically difficult one in the series,” said Tai Blechta, a graphic designer and competitor in the expert race. “Adding the rain makes it harder to turn, especially with the high speed corners we have on this course.”
Although the weather turned away some would-be racers, the competition was just as fierce and diverse.
There were several members from the Hawaiian Youth Triathlon Club present, said 11-year-old Trevor N.K. Ogden, a member of the club who competed in the junior category.
“I have been doing triathlons for three years,” said Ogden. “Cycling is not my favorite part of a triathlon, but I enjoy the pain I feel when racing because it drives me more.”