Findlay and McMahon crowned National Champions

KELOWNA, BC - Edmonton’s Paula Findlay and Brent McMahon of Victoria were crowned National Champions in Kelowna, B.C. during the weekend of August 16.

Competing in her second gruelling event of the weekend, Findlay repeated her winning performance in the Junior Elite section by also winning the woman’s Olympic Elite category in the National Canadian Triathlon championship hosted as part of the Pusher Mitchell Apple Triathlon. Never before in the history of the Championships has one athlete won both the Junior and the overall Elite category. Second place went to Victoria’s Kerry Spearing, while third place went to Tenille Hoogland of Ottawa.

McMahon triumphed as the male Canadian National Triathlon Champion. Following a bunched transition from the cycle to the run, McMahon simply outran his rivals. Second place in the male category went to Ethan Brown of Lowell, MA, while third place went to A.P. Baillargeon Smith of St. Catharines, Ont. McMahon finished the 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run in 1:54:45 and Findlay finished with a time of 2.08.35. 

The National Championships saw 34 males and 16 females competing in the Olympic distance Elite event. All Elites competed for a place on the Canadian team for the 2009 ITU BG World Triathlon Championships in Gold Coast, Australia. There are 20 places on the team: ten male and ten female.

Also known as the Apple Triathlon, the event was very well attended with more than 1,300 participants, an increase of 54 per cent from 2007. This included the Age group Olympic distance and Sprint events.

Junior Elite Winners in the 2008 Canadian National Triathlon Championships


Findlay repeated her 2007 performance by winning the female Junior Elite category, sponsored by Teck Cominco, in the 2008 Canadian National Triathlon Championships in the Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon in Kelowna. Ottawa’s Matt Vierula of Ottawa was the male winner and finished the 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run in 54.53. Despite temperatures exceeding 35°C on the day, Findlay improved her time of last year in 58:07.

Competition was very strong in the male category with Victoria’s Matt Sharpe coming in second place with a time of 54:57. Third place went to Cole Stewart of Langley, B.C. at 55:08. The second female in was Marianne Hogan of Bedford, Que., in a time of 58:54 and third was Christine Ridenour of Cowichan Bay, B.C. in 59:08.

For detailed results, visit the website of the official timekeepers, Race Headquarters.

Photo: Apple Triathlon