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Wachtel Has Very Busy Fourth Of July Weekend

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By LARRY BUGG

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 8, 2008

CRYSTAL RIVER - CRYSTAL RIVER - Jacki Wachtel could have been content with winning Friday's Lutz Fourth of July race, but Wachtel, ever the competitor, felt compelled to swim, bike and run Saturday in the Crystal River Fourth of July Sprint Triathlon at Fort Island Gulf Beach as well.

Wachtel, a New Port Richey resident, finished 19th with a time of 1:07:27.

"I was really trying to focus on my bike," said Wachtel, also the Pasco-Hernando Community College women's cross country head coach. "I beat my goal time on my bike. I am really happy. I won the girls race in Lutz. I did enjoy the race today."

A fixture at Crystal River triathlons, Tracy Parker, also participated in Saturday's race. The Odessa resident finished 25th with a time of 1:09:10. The 38-year-old stay-at-home mother of two felt she has done better at other triathlons.

"I got fourth overall among women competitors," she said. "There were some really fast young girls here today. I wasn't really happy with my run. I took the whole winter off due to a hamstring injury. The run is not where it should be. We are trying to do our best."

Parker did something, however, that youngsters should not try at home.

"I went to a Fourth of July party Friday," she said. "That was not the wisest thing to do before a race. I am so dehydrated. The run was a little hot. I got in at 11 p.m. I got up at 4:30 a.m. You get your workout and you spend the rest of the day at the beach."

Canadian Nat Faulkner was on fire - swimming, biking and running his way to a 56:55 finish and the overall victory.

Tampa's Andres Munera was second with a 59:33.

"I did good," Faulkner said. "This is my fourth year I have won it. Running is the best part of my competition."

Gainesville's Amanda Hahn, a former cross country and track and field runner at Florida State University, won the women's title with a 1:05.12.

Tampa's Kevin Bradbury won the men's Masters title with a time of 1:02:54, while Brooksville's Laura DeWitt won the women's Masters title with a 1:09:20.

The relay team of Dale Haze and the Champions from Ocala won the relay competition with a 1:07:26.

St. Petersburg teenager Shayne Murphy was 17th with a time of 1:07:21, running for Team USA.

"This is my second one," Murphy said. "I did all right. It is not one of my 'A' races. I have been on Team USA for four months. It's a nice course. The swim is a little short."

The race director was happy with the Fourth of July Triathlon, especially since clean water didn't become the issue some feared it would.

Race director Chris Moling said the state Health Department checks the beaches and last week, there was an advisory posted. Fortunately, the water cooperated with the triathlon.

"It was a very good reading," Moling said of the latest water reading. "We know that mornings are at a safer level. We followed the Health Department's advice.

"We had good times today. Several guys were under an hour. ... We had a good turnout, over 200. We had great support from the community. Traffic was a little sketchy but not too bad. The water was clear for us."

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