Published July 11, 2011 09:22AM
Even without goggles, Jackson wins big at Carlbad Triathlon, with Christian Kemp taking the men’s title.
As an elite multisport athlete coming into her own as a professional triathlete, Heather Jackson is still working on being comfortable with the swimming aspect of her sport.
Losing her swim goggles just prior to re-engaging heavy surf did nothing to help the situation for the Carlsbad resident Sunday morning in the Carlsbad Triathlon.
“I hate the swim in general,” Jackson said after recovering to win the annual race that starts and finishes at Tamarack Surf Beach. “And then I lost my goggles coming around the last corner.
“I just tried to pretend I was just at the beach, trying not to panic, convincing myself I didn’t look goofy since I wasn’t wearing goggles while trying to ride the waves.”
Buoyed by a strong performance on her specialty, the bike, Jackson finished the 1-kilometer swim, 25K bike and 5K run more than four minutes before any other woman. Her victory in 1 hour, 15 minutes, 46 seconds added to an impressive resume amassed since April. Jackson was the runner-up at the Ironman 70.3 California in April, won the Encinitas Sprint Triathlon in May and then placed in the top five at half Ironman distances in Connecticut and Idaho.
Sunday was Jackson’s first attempt at the Carlsbad Triathlon. The same goes for Australia’s Christian Kemp, who won the men’s title in 1:10:13 after making an early move on the run course to pass defending champion Lewis Elliot.
Read more: North County Times