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24-The Canadian Champion, Fnday, May 14, 2004 Jport Barnes fini*shes fifth at worlds DY STEVE LBLANC The Champion Harry Raines has twb schools of thought when judging bis Most recent effort at the world triathlon championships. On tise one isand ise cid beat last year's finish by nearly six minutes and fmnally managed to beat American Gary Hackney - upstaging the former world champ by a fut] two minutes. However, tisese feats came as mere consola- tion to tise rurai racer, who failed to retain a spot on the podium in tise men's 55-59 division - losing bis top-tinte status by a lousy 33 sec- onda. "There were tinte long Ioops on tise min and 1 tried conserving my energy on tise first two like 1 did last year in New Zealand," explained Ramnes, wbo after back-to-back bronze medal performances took fifth in bis age group in Madera, Portugal Saturday. -l should have been going more ful out from tise start. 1 guess you pay for your mistakes." Falling short of a bronze tbree-peat was also due in part to, a somewisat slow- transition between tise bike ____ and min events. Otiierwise, R - tise 57-year-old triatilete delivered wisat ise felt was a rock-solid sisowing - paricularly on tise steep bike cour-se. "We went on a tour of tise bilîs we'd be cycling and they looked so, intimidating driving up and down them, especially witi tise sharp corners," he recalled. "But once we got out tisere it was completely différent. 1 only wisis 1 had more gears because 1 was really flying." And besting Hackney - a newcomer 10 the 55-59 loop wbo was expected to challenge for a me"a - made surrendering bis medal a tildie easier 10 swallow. Said Ramnes, "I've been try- ing to beat iim since 1992. Tu rue tisat was a big accomplishient." Despite rather cisily race conditions, tise long-imne national champ turned in a strong 24:37 effort in thse swim and rounded liinga ont witiu a mun of 34:58. Bamnes will now turn bis attention 10 training for tise Canadian cisampionsis late Ibis suso- mer in Kelowna, B.C. A victoy ont west wod give ii five national age-class tilles in six years, and tlsree in a row since joining tise 55-59 division. Before that he'll once again belp organize tise Milton Subaru Triathlon at Kelso Conservation Ares. Those interesîed i volunteermng aI lise ýPECIALS F THE WEEK GEA ADN HM jifl oh.019 -Who1esa1e & Retaik, eyeast 6626 Trafalgar Road, Hornby aiy g~u(Between Bnitannia & Derry) PU4MMY W 7/4oq&tmssw905-878-7107 UNT--------------17-04(Mxed baskets exeluded) -Beltin' ofle out mie~ opNImi C* em l'a am Iw**GfW~4ug~uvE Il81r