VALPARAISO | If Saturday morning was any indication, the future is going to be bright for the Valparaiso cross country team.
A trio of future Vikings shined during the second annual Valparaiso Junior Triathlon at Valparaiso High School.
For the second consecutive year, Kevin Mangel ran away from the competition. His time of 28:15.2 was nearly three minutes faster than close friend Adam Sanberg (31:59.4). Fellow Thomas Jefferson Middle School classmate Elizabeth Schlichting paced the females in a time of 33:15.1.
"It feels great (to be able to repeat)," Mangel said. "For the past two nights, I've been really nervous because there were more people competing. In the first transition, you could see there were more people."
It was the first transition that nearly cost Mangel, as the 14-year-old struggled to get his helmet strap in place before he was able to begin the 3.8-mile bicycle race. Once Mangel got on foot, everything fell into place.
"They changed the course a bit this year, and I liked it because I like running on grass," Mangel said. "I'm used to grass from running in cross country and I like the soft surfaces."
Schlichting, who was the third female to cross the finish line last year, spent the last 12 months training on the bicycle, but it was the cycling event that nearly cost her the title this year. Shortly after getting on the bike, the Valparaiso resident hit the ground.
"I was going to make a turn and I just wiped out," Schlichting said. "You just have to get up and go when that happens. There's nothing you can do about it."
Ranging in age from 6 to 14, 102 junior athletes participated in the triathlon. The event was deemed a success by race officials, especially after last year's inaugural event was plagued by rain.
"We're really happy with the way the event turned out," Valparaiso Parks and Recreation Coordinator Megan Owens said. "We made some adjustments from last year and I think everything ran smoother. We have had nothing but positive feedback."
COMMUNITY SPORTS
Valparaiso Junior Triathlon
Male winner -- Kevin Mangel (28:15.2)
Female winner -- Elizabeth Schlichting (33:15.1)
