Peter Mallett took 11th in the men’s race and Jocelyn Petrella took 15th in the women’s race at the ITU Pan American Championships over the weekend in Oklahoma City, OK.
The race featured strong fields on both the men’s and women’s sides. 2008 Beijing Olympian’s Matt Reed and Hunter Kemper took first and second in the men’s race with Riptide athlete Peter Mallett finishing 11th overall and 8th American out of the 42 man field.
Riptide Athlete Jocelyn Petrella fought against a smaller but no less demanding field to clinch 15th overall in the women’s race.
The venue, held at the Chesapeake Bouthouse, had a great crowd turnout on an exceptionally spectator friendly course. For the athletes the conditions proved trying in the murky brown waters of the Oklahoma River and the rut ridden bike course around the state capital building. Over the course of the days events several crashes ensued on the bike course, including one that narrowly missed Mallett as a competitor went down directly in front of him. Fortunately, luck was on his side and for once it was not him hitting the deck.
Both Mallett and Petrella will compete this weekend at the ITU Austin Continental Cup in Austin, TX.
