Obstruction-Destruction Relay Team Sweeps Braun Triathalon

— by Caroline Buchanan —

The Steve Braun Triathalon winning team takes the winners’ podium, er picnic table. From left, Sean Maloney, James Buchanan, Beth Maloney

Crossing in a light drizzle from Obstruction Island, the Obstruction-Destruction relay team swept the swim-bike-run of the 17th Steve Braun triathlon on Sept. 6, 2015, with a time of 1 hour 38:15 minutes. The race was run from the Cascade Lake area of Moran State Park and in spite wet pavement the record time was a minute faster than the winning time last year.

Obstruction-Destruction was comprised of members of neighbor families, the Maloneys and Buchanans, from the west side of Obstruction Island. Beth Maloney completed the half-mile swim in 16:03 minutes and handed off to James Buchanan, son of Caroline Buchanan. He streaked onto the road for the 15-mile bike segment, returning 50 minutes later, a full 7 minutes ahead of the next bicyclist. Sean Maloney, a freshman at Western Washington, held the lead, running the 3.5 mile loop around Cascade Lake in 32:41 minutes to chinch the win.

Obstruction Island has a long history of involvement with the Steve Braun Memorial Triathlon. Their first entry was a 2011 sweep of the men’s relay by the Cole family. Stan Cole , 62-year-old Olympic water polo medalist, completed the swim while son-in-law Josh Horst blazed through the bike and run segments for the best time, and daughter Alicia won the women’s race.

In 2012, between single competitors and relay teams, Obstruction Island fielded a total of 11 competitors, all scoring well. A potluck on the Obstruction Island beach celebrated the fine efforts.

This year’s bike winner, James Buchanan, missed the 2013 triathlon; he’d just been released from the hospital, after falling off a roof at work. His femur had jammed into and severely fractured his pelvis. Nonetheless, Buchanan returned in 2014 to complete the entire triathlon, barely walking at the end. Abandoning running as unwise, Buchanan has been concentrating on his biking. Steve Braun would have applauded his spirit and grit!

The Steve Braun Memorial Triathlon is run by volunteers from the Friends of Moran https://friendsofmoran.com/sbmt. It is held the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, honoring the fine Orcas athlete and man the world lost too soon.