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August 5, 2003
Sandman Triathlon: Leader felled by deer
Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel
APTOS — The one obstacle that Joe Sanders could not overcome was not an obstacle at all.
In fact it was a deer.
Poised to win his first Sandman Triathlon on Sunday, Joe Sanders instead ended up in the hospital after he failed to elude a bamboozled bambi that had wandered into the path of his bike.
Cupertino resident Ahmet Gokcek was the main beneficiary of Sanders’ misfortune as he took command of the final stages of the run and captured the men’s overall championship in 1 hour, 17 minutes, 33 seconds.
"Joe would have kicked all of our asses," third-place finisher Todd Laberge said. "I probably had one of the fastest bike splits, and he went by me like I was chained to a tree. He’s a 32-minute 10K runner. I’m sure he would have been able to hold us off in the run."
With just two miles remaining in the bike course, Sanders had charged to the front of the pack when disaster struck. As he crossed the intersection of Sumner and Clubhouse Drive, a kamikaze deer — possibly with allegiances to Gokcek — stepped into the road, and Sanders plowed into it, prematurely ending his day.
The 35-year-old San Jose resident was taken to the hospital for X-rays, and later released with minor injuries.
"He was cruising along at 30 miles per hour, and the deer just freaked out," said Watsonville resident Mark Friedley, who was 100 meters behind Sanders when the incident took place.
"The deer just went one way and then the other, and Joe had nowhere to go. He just got T-boned and landed flat on his back."
As Sanders waited for medical attention, Gokcek stormed into contention on the bike and began his assault on the field.
Trailing several runners including Laberge and 42-year-old Greg Trent as he began the 4.2-mile run, Gokcek gradually narrowed the gap. Less than 1,500 meters before the finish line, he took over first place, passing first Laberge then Trent as he barreled across the windswept sand.
A devastating finishing kick widened the lead and ultimately clinched the victory as Gokcek finished 22 seconds ahead of second-place Trent and 46 seconds in front of third-place Laberge.
"I didn’t think I was going to catch either of them," said Gokcek, who finished 11th at last year’s Sandman. "But once I did, I knew I could get this thing. I’m a pretty strong finisher, and I really wanted to win today."
Gokcek was an avid basketball and soccer player before a severe ankle injury forced him to look for other competitive outlets. He first began competing in triathlons three years ago and credits an intense training program for his rapid improvement.
"During the offseason I put in a lot of hard work," said Gokcek, who shaved over five minutes off of his mark from last year. "I really wanted to improve my bike and my swim, and I think it paid off."
Gokcek is thrilled to have secured his first career victory in a triathlon, but he knows that Sanders would have been a formidable opponent had he been able to finish.
"He would have won," the 35-year-old admitted.
But thanks to a strong run and one disoriented deer, it was Gokcek — and not Sanders — who crossed the finish line line victorious.
Not even a red light could delay Ryan Layhee’s quest for victory.
The Sonora resident and former Santa Cruz state lifeguard charged through a crowded intersection on her way to capturing the women’s title in a speedy time of 1:22:23.
"I was coming to the light at Freedom Boulevard, and it turned yellow," Layhee said. "I had to pedal a little harder, but luckily I made it through."
Treacherous traffic conditions aside, Layhee dominated much of the race. After finishing the swim in fourth place, the 25-year-old quickly reeled in the leaders on her bike, and took a narrow lead into the run.
Layhee immediately increased her lead, and ultimately crossed the finish line nearly two minutes ahead of her closest competitor, Portola Valley’s Holly Nybo, who finished second with a time of 1:24:04.
For Layhee, it was a homecoming of sorts returning to Aptos. She worked for six years as a lifeguard on Santa Cruz County beaches, and felt comfortable on the familiar terrain.
"When you grow up around the Sandman and a part of it, it definitely helps," she said. "It was great to come home and perform so well."
Sandman Triathlon: Leader felled by deer
Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel
APTOS — The one obstacle that Joe Sanders could not overcome was not an obstacle at all.
In fact it was a deer.
Poised to win his first Sandman Triathlon on Sunday, Joe Sanders instead ended up in the hospital after he failed to elude a bamboozled bambi that had wandered into the path of his bike.
Cupertino resident Ahmet Gokcek was the main beneficiary of Sanders’ misfortune as he took command of the final stages of the run and captured the men’s overall championship in 1 hour, 17 minutes, 33 seconds.
"Joe would have kicked all of our asses," third-place finisher Todd Laberge said. "I probably had one of the fastest bike splits, and he went by me like I was chained to a tree. He’s a 32-minute 10K runner. I’m sure he would have been able to hold us off in the run."
With just two miles remaining in the bike course, Sanders had charged to the front of the pack when disaster struck. As he crossed the intersection of Sumner and Clubhouse Drive, a kamikaze deer — possibly with allegiances to Gokcek — stepped into the road, and Sanders plowed into it, prematurely ending his day.
The 35-year-old San Jose resident was taken to the hospital for X-rays, and later released with minor injuries.
"He was cruising along at 30 miles per hour, and the deer just freaked out," said Watsonville resident Mark Friedley, who was 100 meters behind Sanders when the incident took place.
"The deer just went one way and then the other, and Joe had nowhere to go. He just got T-boned and landed flat on his back."
As Sanders waited for medical attention, Gokcek stormed into contention on the bike and began his assault on the field.
Trailing several runners including Laberge and 42-year-old Greg Trent as he began the 4.2-mile run, Gokcek gradually narrowed the gap. Less than 1,500 meters before the finish line, he took over first place, passing first Laberge then Trent as he barreled across the windswept sand.
A devastating finishing kick widened the lead and ultimately clinched the victory as Gokcek finished 22 seconds ahead of second-place Trent and 46 seconds in front of third-place Laberge.
"I didn’t think I was going to catch either of them," said Gokcek, who finished 11th at last year’s Sandman. "But once I did, I knew I could get this thing. I’m a pretty strong finisher, and I really wanted to win today."
Gokcek was an avid basketball and soccer player before a severe ankle injury forced him to look for other competitive outlets. He first began competing in triathlons three years ago and credits an intense training program for his rapid improvement.
"During the offseason I put in a lot of hard work," said Gokcek, who shaved over five minutes off of his mark from last year. "I really wanted to improve my bike and my swim, and I think it paid off."
Gokcek is thrilled to have secured his first career victory in a triathlon, but he knows that Sanders would have been a formidable opponent had he been able to finish.
"He would have won," the 35-year-old admitted.
But thanks to a strong run and one disoriented deer, it was Gokcek — and not Sanders — who crossed the finish line line victorious.
Not even a red light could delay Ryan Layhee’s quest for victory.
The Sonora resident and former Santa Cruz state lifeguard charged through a crowded intersection on her way to capturing the women’s title in a speedy time of 1:22:23.
"I was coming to the light at Freedom Boulevard, and it turned yellow," Layhee said. "I had to pedal a little harder, but luckily I made it through."
Treacherous traffic conditions aside, Layhee dominated much of the race. After finishing the swim in fourth place, the 25-year-old quickly reeled in the leaders on her bike, and took a narrow lead into the run.
Layhee immediately increased her lead, and ultimately crossed the finish line nearly two minutes ahead of her closest competitor, Portola Valley’s Holly Nybo, who finished second with a time of 1:24:04.
For Layhee, it was a homecoming of sorts returning to Aptos. She worked for six years as a lifeguard on Santa Cruz County beaches, and felt comfortable on the familiar terrain.
"When you grow up around the Sandman and a part of it, it definitely helps," she said. "It was great to come home and perform so well."
