Beals and Allan win the Ontario Long Course Championships

Cody Beals of Fergus, Ont. made a stunning Half Iron distance triathlon debut and Aurora, Ont.’s Paolina Allan reclaimed a title she last won in 2011 at the fourth Welland Half Iron Triathlon – a race doubling as the Ontario Long Course Triathlon Championship. Wolfgang Guembel of St. Catharines, Ont. the inaugural Welland Half Iron Triathlon champion, led all athletes out of the Welland Recreational Canal with a 24:55, 2 km swim, after which the two-time defending champion, Toronto’s Nigel Gray dominated the f lat but extremely windy bike with a 2:05: 25 clocking. However, no one was going to stop Beals from getting his victory. The 23-year- old Beals ran an impressive 1:17: 46 in the 30- degree plus heat and humidity to set the new course record of 3:58:32. St. George, Ont.’s Angela Quick, making her half iron distance debut, led all women after the swim (26: 41), but the 2011 champion Paolina Allan soon roared to the front with the top ride of 2: 22:15. Allan, who took a break from triathlon to focus on bike racing over the past few months, relied on her experience and mental toughness for the hot run and closed with a 1: 40: 43 split to take the victory in 4:37:50. Anne Sophy Lainesse (Montreal) 5: 17: 28 Juliane Lacroix (Ottawa) 4: 48:05 Genevieve Croteau (St- Jerome, Que.) 5:01: 32 Leslie Sanderson (Ottawa) 4: 48: 12 Sue Warren (Collingwood, Ont.) 5:06: 31 Francine Comeau (Beaver Bank, N. S.) 6:00: 49 Pierre- Marc Doyon (St- Romuald, Que.) 4: 18: 13 Scott Cooper (Everett, Que.) 4: 25: 33 Louis Therien (Gatineau, Que.) 4: 23:01 Andrew Armstrong (Stittsville, Ont.) 4: 27:05 Marc Flageole (Boucherville, Que.) 4: 28: 13 Tony O’Keeffe (Kanata, Ont.) 4: 37: 37 Paul Turner (Ottawa) 4:58: 15 Len Ireland (Ottawa) 4:59:07