Former Q-C resident sets triathlon record

Mon June 20 2005
Posted Jun 20, 2005
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The sixth annual Quad-Cities Triathlon at Davenport's West Lake Park brought bright sunshine and a record-setting performance Saturday morning. Former Quad-City resident Trenton Tollakson parlayed a strong performance in the cycling portion of the triathlon to hold off former champion J.J. Bailey to claim his first Q-C Triathlon title. "It was definitely my cycling ability that spurred me on today," said Tollakson, whose time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 21 seconds set a new course record. "That's been pretty typical of me lately." Bailey, who won the event in 2002, finished second in 1:02.29. Brad Zoller's 1:04.23 gave him third place. Tollakson, participating in his second Q-C Triathlon, credited close friend and friendly competitor Bailey for helping push him to the title. "J.J.'s one of the top amateur triathletes in the country," Tollakson said. "It definitely helps having someone like him competing alongside of you. He's a great competitor, and I'm good friends with him, too." Because of the sprint-course setup, Tollakson knew there was little margin for error. He avoided any such pitfall by earning the top time in the 15-mile bicycle portion. He also had the second-best time in the 600-yard swim and was fifth in the 3.1-mile run. "This is a quick race," he said. "You have to make sure all your transitions are smooth. Attrition really doesn't come into play on this course." After turning professional last February, Tollakson's schedule has become more crowded. However, after the race, his sights were set on returning next year to defend his title. "Since I'm from (Urbandale) Iowa and used to live in the Quad-Cities, I believe it's really important to come back and support these local races. I'd like to be back next year. I compete in more international events now, but I plan on being back here." In the women's race, Sarah Burge of Wheaton, Ill., captured the title in thrilling fashion. Burge finished in 1:12.12, besting second-place Sarah Kolpin by less than half a second. Kolpin's time of 1:12.53 trailed Burge's winning pace by just .41 seconds. Competing in her third career triathlon, the 24-year-old track star used her strength to deliver a high finish. "I did well in the bicycle and the running, but my swim could have been better," the Madison, Wis., resident said. "I'm just not a strong swimmer. "I liked the course, though. The bicycle (course) was flat, and the first three-quarters of the running was on a trail, which lets you recover from the bicycling since you can be a little wobbly after that." Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or sports@qctimes.com.