Ravenna teacher captures inaugural Mosquito event

& lt;a href=mailto:bassetti@vindy.com & gt;By JOHN BASSETTI & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BAZETTA -- After the swimming and biking, it was all downhill.
That was Nate Loman's key to victory over a roughly 33-mile course as part of the Mosquito Creek Triathlon.
Loman, of Ravenna, won the international division while Brett Charville of Sandusky won the sprint division.
The races of varying distances were run Sunday morning at venues starting and ending at the Mosquito Lake State Park beach area.
The international consisted of a 1,500-meter swim, 42k bicycle ride and 10k run while the sprint involved a 750-meter swim, 28k bike and 5k run. The latter covered approximately 21.5 miles.
Approximately 70 individuals, ranging from 15 years to over 50, participated.
Fourth victory
Mosquito represented win No. 4 for the 35-year-old Loman, a social studies teacher at Nordonia High School.
Coincidentally, No. 4 was Loman's entry identification number -- a digit written in ink on each athlete's arm and leg.
Despite not being the first international-length competitor out of the water and despite being the fifth- or sixth-best following the cycling portion of the event, Loman didn't panic.
"Running is my strongest discipline, biking is next and swimming is my weakest," he said.
The swim wasn't difficult, but choppy 76-degree water from wind made the internationals' two-lap chore tougher.
"The second loop was especially hard as were the first 10 miles on the bike against the wind. After the turn, the wind was at my back and it was nice," said Loman, whose three previous wins were at the Carnation Triathlon in Alliance. He finished Mosquito's challenge in 2 hours, 17-plus minutes.
Loman said he chased down at least three guys heading home in the 10k.
"I caught the first after mile 2, the next after 31/2 and I didn't pass the runner-up until mile 5 [of the 6.2-mile race]."
Loman, whose time was 39:38, was only bothered by a stomach cramp 1 mile into the run.
"He smoked us," said Howard Bernstein of Johnstown, Pa., a top-five finisher. "He probably didn't break a sweat and he's doing the course again," Bernstein said jokingly following the race when Loman was nowhere to be found.
Coached at Nordonia
Loman, who calls himself an endurance junkie, ran cross country as a student at Field High School and has coached cross country and track at Nordonia.
The second-place finisher was 23-year-old Ryan Bates of Akron, a 2002 graduate of the College of Wooster.
"He ran me down," Bates said of Loman. "I was first out of the water and first off the bike, but I got caught near the end of the run."
Bates agreed that waves made the first leg difficult.
"It was a little choppy. I'm sure some of the first-timers had a tough time. I had a meltdown on the run, but that's what happens some times."
Bates, who has done triathlons since age 16, said that runners like Loman are the best.
"Most guys get good when they're 25 or 30, so, I still have time," said the employee of Bally Fitness in Akron.
"This is a great location with a good bike course," Bates said of Mosquito. "I've been to races put on a lot more years and this is better."
Race director Daniel Steffancin of Cleveland said the Mosquito event was USA Triathlon-sanctioned.
To the best of his recollection, it was the first such triathlon at the state park in at least five years.
"I race Ironman and do training here, so I thought it would be a nice place for a race. It has the perfect setup."
He said the four types of triathlons are sprint (the shortest), then Olympic or international, then half-Ironman and Ironman.
"I'm really thrilled with the athletes," said Steffancin, who was promoting his first event in this area. "They had a wonderful spirit and they had a good time. At least they saw a person who was accessible and didn't just see someone with a title."
& lt;a href=mailto:bassetti@vindy.com & gt;bassetti@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;