Taylor Reid claims Guelph Lake Olympic triathlon win
GUELPH – Guelph pro triathlete Taylor Reid started his 2023 season by racing to victory in Saturday’s Olympic triathlon at the Subaru Triathlon Series Guelph Lake I meet in and around the Guelph Lake Conservation Area.
Reid was using the race as a tune-up for the Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant where he’s a consistent top-10 finisher.
“That was pretty controlled,” Reid said of his effort. “I sat down with James Loaring, my coach (at Guelph’s LPC) a couple of days before and the plan was to essentially push the swim. There were some really fast swimmers there with Jesse the Elf and Patrick Smith so that was really, really awesome. I was able to sort of get in that group and really push that and then essentially control the ride but ride hard enough to make sure you get into first place and continue.”
While it might have appeared as if Reid never shut it down, he said that wasn’t the case.
“I was pushed by a guy (Brayden Halvorson of Thunder Bay) who came second a little bit harder on the run than I was expecting which is awesome, but I was okay. I can shut it down at about 8k so yeah but it was like if I was not on my game or anything someone was going to get me so you’ve got to be careful.”
And the weather for the meet was the way most triathletes prefer.
“The weather was perfect if you’re honest,” Reid said. “We couldn’t have gotten much better. I think it was about 17 degrees, 20 degrees and not too humid or sunny. We couldn’t have asked for any better, especially with like a week ago with the smoke so we got really lucky that way. If (the triathlon) had been last weekend, we would have been in trouble.”
The win came in Reid’s first appearance at a Guelph Lake triathlon since 2011 and his first win there since taking the Guelph Lake I sprint triathlon a year earlier. He also won the Guelph Lake I sprint triathlon in 2008.
Reid won Saturday with an overall time of 1:52:09 to finish a minute and 29 seconds ahead of Brayden Halvorson of Thunder Bay while Patrick Smith of Ottawa was third and former University of Guelph varsity swimmer Jessey Elf of Waterdown was fourth.
Reid was fourth overall at the end of a 1.5-kilometre swim and led after the 40-kilometre bike ride and a 10-kilometre run.
Top female was Hannah Fraser of Owen Sound 19th overall at 2:11:47 and Christine Cash of Newmarket was second, 36th overall, at 2:19:02.
Other top local finishers were Owen Lane seventh overall, Michael Hay 10th, Adam Epstein 18th, Andrew Edmunds 21st, Eric Greig 24th, Mitchell Gourley of Elora 32nd, Mark Montgomery of Rockwood 39th and Francesco Cuppini 48th.
Freddie So of Milton won the Olympic swim/bike in 1:30:23 while John Rolfe of Waterford was second, 11:50 behind. Top female was Loreen Holden of London fourth overall at 1:51:56.
Romulo Carvalho Murilo of Guelph won the Olympic duathlon (run, bike, run) in 1:53:39. Isaac Veldhuis of Guelph was second in 1:57:13 and Daniel Dalzell of Eden Mills was eighth while top female finisher Angela Hofstra of Guelph was ninth overall.
Team P100 won the Olympic triathlon relay at 2:01:49.
Nick Lambert of Azilda won Sunday’s sprint triathlon in 1:03:22 while Jarod Medd of St. Marys was second in 1:04:55, Andrew Flanagan of Blenheim was third in 1:06:18 and Mark Linseman of Guelph was fourth in 1:06:38. Christopher Grimwood of Guelph was 13th and top female finisher, 17th overall in 1:12:00, was Megan Richer of Guelph. She was eight seconds ahead of Christine Cash of Newmarket who was competing in her second Guelph Lake I triathlon in as many days.
Other locals with top finishes were Alexander Chislett 20th overall, Balint Magyar 23rd, Jeff Moisan 24th, Carleigh Johnston 29th overall and fourth female, Kyle Manchee 37th, Joey Ma of Rockwood 47th, Troy Wiatr 48th and Michael Bales 50th.
Elliot Harvey won the sprint swim bike in 47:25 while Andria Brickman of Stratford was top female finisher eighth overall.
Rob Ingratta of Toronto won the sprint duathlon at 55:45 while Chris Howe of Toronto was runner-up at 1:00:31. Alyssa Muise of Milton was top female finisher 14th overall at 1:13:21.
Team Three Ladies and A Baby won the sprint triathlon relay in 1:09:31.
George Papadakos of Tillsonburg won the try-a-tri in 37:41 while Adam Johnston was second in 38:37 and Steve Pearsall of Guelph was third at 38:59. Top female finisher was Ellen Cadman of Guelph 12th overall at 45:58.
- Guelph Sports Journal