Foreign men showed their American counterparts how to win triathlons Sunday by taking the first seven places in the 2000 St. Croix International Triathlon. American females fared better, winning first and third places in the women's division.
By the time last year's winner, Jimmy Riccitello of Arizona, crossed the finish line in Christiansted Sunday morning, triathletes from Belgium, Argentina, Denmark, New Zealand and Canada were already cooling down after swimming, cycling and running under a blazing sun.
First place and a prize of $7,000 went to Belgium's Luc Van Lierde in his initial St. Croix appearance. Van Lierde, winner of the 1999 Hawaii Ironman, finished in 2 hours, 31 minutes and 39 seconds, 1 minute and 36 seconds more than the St. Croix record of 2:30:03 set in 1995 by Australia's Greg Welch.
Argentina's Oscar Galindez won $4,500 for finishing second, Denmark's Peter Sandvang finished third for $3,250, New Zealand's Peter Clode was fourth for $2,200, his fellow New Zealander Cameron Brown was fifth for $1,500, Canada's Jamie Cleveland was sixth for $1,350, and Denmark's Allan Mansson was seventh for $1,250.
Then, and only then, came Riccitello, who had beaten everyone else for the past two years in St. Croix.
Among the women, with the same allocation of prize money, Joanna Zeiger, a Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, narrowly beat Canada's Carol Montgomery to the finish line. Zeiger's time was 2:53:44, almost 10 minutes short of the record.
Defending champion Karen Smyers of Massachusetts was third, Susanne Nielson of Denmark fourth, and Lisa Bentley of Canada fifth.
Among the many local men competing was The Source's own Jamie Bate, who, in his first attempt at a full-length triathlon, predicted that his time would be close to four hours. Bate crossed the finish line at the fort in Christiansted as the electronic timer showed 3 hours and 59 minutes.
All the contestants swam 2 kilometers (1.2 miles), biked 55 kilometers (35 miles) and ran 12 kilometers (7.4 miles).
FINANCE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW 5-YEAR PLAN
The Legislature's Finance Committee on Monday reviews the government's five-year strategic financial plan, which details various government reform recommendations and private sector initiatives aimed at reducing the government's $1.1 billion debt.
The plan was developed in response to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's creation of an economic recovery task force and was drafted by its chairman, John P. de Jongh.
The plan proposes possible privatization and outsourcing of several state entities to boost revenue, including VITRAN, solid waste management, the Virgin Islands Lottery and government vehicle fleet management. It also suggests initiatives for the reorganization of central services and other governmental agencies.
The Finance Committee is chaired by Lorraine Berry. Also on the committee are Senators David Jones, Violet Anne Golden, Gregory Bennerson, Roosevelt David, George Goodwin and Alicia Hansen.
The meeting is slated to begin at 10 a.m.
The plan was developed in response to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's creation of an economic recovery task force and was drafted by its chairman, John P. de Jongh.
The plan proposes possible privatization and outsourcing of several state entities to boost revenue, including VITRAN, solid waste management, the Virgin Islands Lottery and government vehicle fleet management. It also suggests initiatives for the reorganization of central services and other governmental agencies.
The Finance Committee is chaired by Lorraine Berry. Also on the committee are Senators David Jones, Violet Anne Golden, Gregory Bennerson, Roosevelt David, George Goodwin and Alicia Hansen.
The meeting is slated to begin at 10 a.m.
CLINIC TO OBSERVE HOSPITALS AND NURSES WEEK
The Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center on St. John and the Roy L. Schneider Hospital on St. Thomas are hosting various activities to mark National Hospitals Week and National Nurses Week, both being observed May 7-13.
The theme for the local observances is "Touching the Future with Care."
Activities throughout the week will include a religious program, an open house, employee recognition for years of service, a fashion show and auction and a dinner dance. While most of the observances focus on employees and their families, all are open to the public.
On St. John, Keating Clinic administrator Erica McDonald said special in-house events are planned throughout Thursday. They include recognition of staff members with long years of service, honoring an employee about to retire, announcing the employee of the year and a luncheon for employees. While no formal "open house" is planned, McDonald said, "This would be a good day for people who haven't been to see the clinic before to stop by."
On St. Thomas, the first event will be a religious service on Monday at 10 a.m. in the Schneider Hospital lobby.
On Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the lobby will be the scene of an "open house" featuring exhibits of laboratory services and other aspects of health care.
On Wednesday at 10 a.m., the hospital's first-ever ceremony to recognize employees of long standing will be held. Certificates will be presented to those with 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 years of service. The program will also include announcement of the employee of the year, supervisor of the year, physician of the year and nurse of the year. In addition, certificates will be presented to graduates of the hospital's recent customer service relations course who were not on duty on the day that presentations were first made. All of those employees recognized this day will be treated to lunch.
Friday evening will bring an event for nurses — a cocktail sip, fashion show and auction at Palms Court Harbourview Hotel, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The week's observances will conclude on Saturday with a dinner dance, also at Palm Courts Harbourview, honoring the four employees of the year. It will feature music by the Starlites and a silent auction of jewelry and weekend getaways. Tickets are $25.
For more information, call the Schneider Hospital at 776-8311, ext. 2273, or the Keating clinic at 693-8900.
The theme for the local observances is "Touching the Future with Care."
Activities throughout the week will include a religious program, an open house, employee recognition for years of service, a fashion show and auction and a dinner dance. While most of the observances focus on employees and their families, all are open to the public.
On St. John, Keating Clinic administrator Erica McDonald said special in-house events are planned throughout Thursday. They include recognition of staff members with long years of service, honoring an employee about to retire, announcing the employee of the year and a luncheon for employees. While no formal "open house" is planned, McDonald said, "This would be a good day for people who haven't been to see the clinic before to stop by."
On St. Thomas, the first event will be a religious service on Monday at 10 a.m. in the Schneider Hospital lobby.
On Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the lobby will be the scene of an "open house" featuring exhibits of laboratory services and other aspects of health care.
On Wednesday at 10 a.m., the hospital's first-ever ceremony to recognize employees of long standing will be held. Certificates will be presented to those with 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 years of service. The program will also include announcement of the employee of the year, supervisor of the year, physician of the year and nurse of the year. In addition, certificates will be presented to graduates of the hospital's recent customer service relations course who were not on duty on the day that presentations were first made. All of those employees recognized this day will be treated to lunch.
Friday evening will bring an event for nurses — a cocktail sip, fashion show and auction at Palms Court Harbourview Hotel, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The week's observances will conclude on Saturday with a dinner dance, also at Palm Courts Harbourview, honoring the four employees of the year. It will feature music by the Starlites and a silent auction of jewelry and weekend getaways. Tickets are $25.
For more information, call the Schneider Hospital at 776-8311, ext. 2273, or the Keating clinic at 693-8900.
RISING STARS
Always inspiring, the Territorial Court Rising Stars may have led with a dragon's fire but the real soul moving fire still came from the rhythm of their steel pans.
STUNTS AND TWIRLERS
Stunts and Twirlers dedicated their near-perfect routine performed to the theme from Mission Impossible to Patricia Sealy Thomas, for 26 years the director of the group.
WE CAME TO LIME
Wrapped in hula-like skirts made of neckties the We came to Lime troupe made their way down the Carnival route tossing ties to the crowd.
CHARMING TWIRLERS
The Charming Twirlers performed their usual precision routine for the judges and crowd and walked away feeling proud!
FRESHWATER YANKEES
They come every year from everywhere — Bronx, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and points beyond — to celebrate Carnival at "home."
And celebrate they did!
And celebrate they did!
CHARTER YACHT CAPTAIN: SHOTS FIRED AT BOAT
The captain of a charter motor yacht made an impassioned radio call to the Coast Guard shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, saying his vessel was under fire from what seemed to be automatic weapons as it approached Charlotte Amalie Harbor.
The boat, Sea Star, was carrying several passengers who were on the last day of a charter. No one was hurt.
Other boaters listening to the transmission said Capt. Ken Tatarow told the Coast Guard he thought he heard "a couple pings," indicating the boat had been hit. But the boat docked safely at Yacht Haven Marina and no damage was immediately apparent.
"We heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," Tatarow said in a brief dockside interview shortly after the incident. "You could see the bullets hitting the water."
He said he could not see the person or persons shooting.
The incident happened near Bolongo Bay in the general vicinity of the old shooting range, but witnesses rejected the suggestion of stray bullets. Tatarow warned other vessels to steer clear of the area.
The Coast Guard took a report and passed it along to local police who met the vessel at Yacht Haven. They did not comment on the incident.
The boat, Sea Star, was carrying several passengers who were on the last day of a charter. No one was hurt.
Other boaters listening to the transmission said Capt. Ken Tatarow told the Coast Guard he thought he heard "a couple pings," indicating the boat had been hit. But the boat docked safely at Yacht Haven Marina and no damage was immediately apparent.
"We heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," Tatarow said in a brief dockside interview shortly after the incident. "You could see the bullets hitting the water."
He said he could not see the person or persons shooting.
The incident happened near Bolongo Bay in the general vicinity of the old shooting range, but witnesses rejected the suggestion of stray bullets. Tatarow warned other vessels to steer clear of the area.
The Coast Guard took a report and passed it along to local police who met the vessel at Yacht Haven. They did not comment on the incident.
MORTON'S MARVELOUS MOCKO JUMBIES
Hailing from St. John, Morton's Marvelous Mocko Jumbies, had some of the brightest costumes of the day along with "jumbies" ranging from daring to darling.
