In 1992 a series of triathlon, cycling and running events burst onto the race scene during a time when island athletes were in desperate need of quality training and racing sessions.
In 1992 a series of triathlon, cycling and running events burst onto the race scene during a time when island athletes were in desperate need of quality training and racing sessions.
The idea blossomed from a local triathlete, Carl “Gecko” Koomoa, who felt that Big Island athletes needed better preparation against tough neighbor islanders and out of state competition at signature events such as the former Keauhou Kona Triathlon, Oahu’s Tinman Triathlon, and Kona’s IRONMAN World Championships.
“We needed a safe and inexpensive way to provide local athletes with a race simulated venue for training purposes to improve upon their triathlon skills,” said event organizer, Koomoa. “And that’s what it’s all about – having quality training sessions to be used as a learning tool for the much bigger events.”
From sprint to full iron-distance triathlons, rugged beach trail runs and epic cycling challenges, Koomoa’s series of events – called Team Mango Races – kept local athletes fit and active year round.
Now 24 years later, Team Mango Races are as popular as ever with Sunday’s Sprint Triathlon coming very close to the race record turnout of 70-plus people.
“I think people doing this race at this time of the year are more prepared to commit themselves to doing triathlons especially with Lavaman coming up,” Koomoa said. “Plus this event has been around longer. It was a big thing back in the day and that was when we were on the seawall.”
Alii Drive Seawall
Until a few years ago, Alii Drive’s famous seawall that extends from the entryway of the Kailua Pier to Hulihee Palace was the designated transition area for nearly all Team Mango triathlon events.
“It used to be so casual,” he said. “We used to park on the pier, line up our bikes on the seawall, and not even worry about our stuff being stolen. You could leave something at the Pier for a week and it would still be there. I can remember one race when the entire seawall was lined up with bikes.”
Since then, the transition area has moved onto the Kailua Pier with custom-made bamboo bike racks housed under shaded canopies and tents. Colored flags mark the swim-to-bike and bike-to-run aisles, while banners plastered with sponsor logos line the perimeter and finisher’s chute.
For Koomoa, stepping up his game to add all the bells and whistles that typically come with larger race events was out of necessity.
“We have a lot more organization now as we have a transition area, we rent the space from DLNR, we got triathlon insurance, a swim permit, and a lot of volunteers helping out on the course,” he said. “It steps it up to a first class training event and it simulates a real race venue. I know athletes appreciate that and it helps to keep everyone safe.”
The Course
According to Koomoa, the course of the Sprint Triathlon was created to give athletes who excelled on the bike the advantage. This explains the short ¼-mile swim in Kailua Bay, 14-mile bike ride from the Kailua Pier to the Pitt (also known as The End of the World) and back, followed by a 2-mile sprint on Alii Drive.
While stronger cyclists such as Kona’s Michael DeCarli, Kris Kiser, and Austria’s Thomas Vonach have added their names to the winner’s list in recent years, it was legendary athletes such as Kenny Gross, Mike French and Sean “Peaman” Pagett who Koomoa fondly remembered as the dominant forces early on.
“Kenny Gross was a cyclist from San Jose and was Mike French’s nemesis,” he said. “Everyone knew that if Kenny was racing, then Mike would always get second. But at every event, it would be one or the other that would win. Peaman was also a threat as he was strong in all three (swim, bike, run).”
Koomoa added that he considered the course a “pure race course” when Alii Drive had only one intersection – Alii Drive and Hualalai Road.
“This is the one race that I really like because this one is all about speed,” he said. “Back then, Alii Drive wasn’t filled with so many cars or intersections. This was one of those races that if you put out a lot of effort, it will pay off for you in the end. And it’s short enough where you can get gutsy and go all out.”
Now with having more intersections along the bike route requiring participants to slow or come to a complete stop, Koomoa says that he likes it because it helps to control those who are racing, forcing them to use their head while focusing on the task at hand.
Disobeying Team Mango Race rules or disregarding traffic laws comes with a harsh penalty – disqualification.
The Competition
In years past Koomoa has seen an all-star list of Olympians, world champions, and IRONMAN winners toe the line such as Tim Don of Great Britain, Americans Matty Reed and Chris Lieto, and of course Kona’s very own, Bree Wee.
“We typically have a very strong Canadian contingency as well as Brazilians due to training camps at this time of the year,” Koomoa said. “But a lot of times, it’s whoever drops in to mix it up with the locals.”
Last year’s champion, Don and Wee, also hold the men and women’s course records of 53:42 (2015) and 58:48 (2007) respectively.
And as Koomoa sees it, competition has changed over the years.
“When we all started it was more rugged,” he said. “It’s all calculated now. Athletes have training programs, coaches, and all kinds of gadgets. Everyone is finishing closer together while back then, you would have more solo breakaways.”
Sunday’s 24th edition of Team Mango’s Sprint Tri began with sunny skies over a serene Kailua Bay.
The Race
In the men’s race for first, Patrice Brisindi from Quebec City, Canada, led wire-to-wire to win in a fabulous time of 57 minutes and 44 seconds, while the race for second came down to a final sprint between Kona’s Dan Gampon and DeCarli.
DeCarli, who won last weekend’s Terrific Turtle Trudge 5.25 footrace, began the 2-mile run just ahead of Gampon. However on the return, it was Gampon who surged ahead to steal second place in 1:00:54, with DeCarli taking third in 1:00:55.
Beata Tou claimed the overall women’s title with her time of 1:11:02. April Peerless was next at 1:12:47, and Francoise Haudry of France rounded out the women’s top three in 1:16:57.
An honorable mention goes out to Aiden Ankrum, who at 11-years of age was the youngest competitor out on the course and finished with an impressive time of 1:21:59. Peaman and “Iron Doc” Frank Ferren also finished in 1:41:08 and 1:59:36 respectively.
While courses, competition, and event logistics have evolved over the past 24-years, it’s the original Team Mango spirit that continues to thrive – enticing athletes from around the world to show up and test their race readiness.