NORSA Triathlon Team Debuts at the 25th Sandman!

Sunday, September 16, 2007, marked a new milestone in NORSA history when several members of NORSA coalesced into the small, but growing, NORSA triathlon team. The Sandman Triathlon, which is held during Virginia Beach’s Neptune Festival every year since 1982, was to mark the tri-team’s tri-umphant entrance into the exciting world of triple-disciplined competition. Those who participated in this historic event were co-founders and charter members Adam and Tom Saffell, charter member Matthew White, and new NORSA members, Jon Spurlock and Leo Weitzenhoff. Leo’s membership was clinched by doing the triathlon, which was also his first participation in a NORSA event. Unfortunately, long-time member in good standing and several-time triathlon competitor, Steven Long, was unable to compete and his inspiration was missed greatly by the whole team. However, Steven was able to offer invaluable advice to the new racers in training sessions and in the hours before the race itself.


Of the five participating members, only Adam had competed in any triathlons before, and, in fact, had finished a half-Ironman the preceding weekend. The other four competitors came as a rag-tag crew with heavy nerves and borrowed equipment, their only snappy attire being their comfy, yet elegant, NORSA team jerseys. The goal of the day for the newcomers was to do nothing more than to finish the triathlon without complication, but they accomplished so much more. All members had respectable, if not excellent, finish times and excelled in their individual categories and age groups. Despite choppy seas, two-way headwinds, and general exhaustion, all five NORSA team members were able to cross the finish line running with large smiles on their faces.

The Sandman Triathlon is on the more grueling sprint distance triathlons that the East Coast has to offer. The competition this year began with a 1,000 meter swim down the beach in extremely choppy seas. Some new NORSA tri-team members remarked about their uncertainty to complete the swim, and, to further demonstrate the tenacity of the team they were 5 of 540 to complete the triathlon – 750 people originally began the race and 210 were eliminated in the early stages of the swim. After the race marshal announced that the buoy marking the end of the swim had come loose from its mooring and drifted away, those members new to the triathlon scene were a little anxious to say the least, but after several mouthfuls of delicious Virginia Beach saltwater, all were able to successfully emerge from the ocean to enter the transition area.

Following a short and stumbly run on the sand to the transition area, the NORSA team athletes tore their goggles and swim caps off and were finally able to sport their NORSA pride in the form of their bright yellow NORSA tri-team jerseys, featuring former president Ronald Reagan on the right breast. Mounting their bicycles, the team biked into a heavy headwind that slowed them to a team average of 16mph down Virginia Beach’s main beach road. Heading north they entered Fort Story, the local Army base and turned the halfway loop in order to return down the beach road. All were looking forward to having a tailwind to propel them at greater speeds. However, nature had a different plan and somehow, bafflingly, the racers were slapped in the face with another headwind much to the amazement of all. None of these discouraging events brought down the NORSA team’s spirit, though, and all five racers pushed on to the biking finish line and back into the transition area.

After hastily throwing on a pair of good running shoes, the NORSA athletes ventured on to the boardwalk to finish the race with a 5K run. With the end in site, all of them valiantly pushed themselves to their limits despite the fatigue. After rounding the halfway marker at the end of the boardwalk, though, the same headwind that had hindered them on the biking portion again plowed into them for the final portion of the run. Still, compelled by the urge to show the world what NORSA members are capable of, all five competitors crossed the finish line running.

Following the race, the team posed for a fashionable photo shoot in their jerseys for expert photographer and Adam’s dad, Piotr, who had come to spectate and to immortalize the event in digital imagery. Some of the photos have been included in this e-mail for your viewing pleasure. After the photo shoot and a hearty meal, the athletes said their goodbyes and headed back to their respective homes. Adam has since gone on to enter himself in an Ironman triathlon, one of the most grueling competitions imaginable that is comprised of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26 mile run. Wish good luck to Adam if you see him. All in all, the 25th Annual Sandman Triathlon was another success for NORSA and a grand entry for the brand new NORSA triathlon team.

See the full results at http://www.sandmantri.com/sm07res.htm.

The NORSA tri-team gives its thanks to all of you for all your support and encouragement, and, it hopes that maybe you’ve been inspired to be out there with them next time.