89 Individual triathletes and 10 teams each of 2 or 3 athletes from all over the desert southwest and a few other locations from the continental U.S. gathered at Bottomless Lakes State Parks to put their athletic skills to the test. To test their grit, the hundred athletes completed a 400 meter swim, a 6.2 mile bike ride, and a 1.5 mile run. This type of course is known as a super sprint triathlon event. Competitors typically finish anywhere in 30 minutes to an hour or hour and a half. 

 

At the start of the race, athletes swam to the middle of Lea Lake and back to the shore. Then, they transitioned to bikes placed in the parking lot and climbed the hill East of the lake and all along the rims back to the parking lot of Lea Lake where they placed their bikes. For the last leg, athletes took a right out of the main entrance to the park for a short distance run on the road. 

 

Carlsbad and Artesia athletes placed well in the results category. Local Carlsbad athlete Liz Cheli took the top overall female competitor. Artesian Katrina Pytel placed 7th overall female. Carlsbad native A.D. Florez placed 10th overall male. The Triathlon team of Britney Gurule, Becky Devenport, and Cameron Devenport competing as “Just for the Fun of It” placed third in the relay division. Congratulations to all of the local athletes who took up the challenge of the Bottomless Lakes Triathlon!