Photo Provided by Mr. Tice

Rosary’s triathlon team wins state!

This past Sunday, April 7, Rosary Academy’s triathlon team won the 2024 USA Triathlon (USAT) California High School State Championship held in Napa Valley, earning them the title of back-to-back champions. Each member of the competing team, sophomore Gigi Simmons and seniors Sophia Long, Julia Watson, and Kylan Castillo, also placed in the top 12 for the state of California.

The grueling race consists of a 500m swim, a 12.4 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run, all of which takes around an hour and a half to complete.

Julia shared, “Being named state champs is such a big deal for Rosary and for the sport of triathlon as a whole. Having another banner for Rosary is an amazing accomplishment for the team!”

Sophia added, “It is such a surreal experience to be a state champion again because very few teams are back-to-back state champs. Triathlon is such a niche sport, so it’s nice to be recognized for all the hard work we put in this season. I’m so proud of all my teammates and all the hard work we put into this season.”

Their win came at the end of a season filled with highs. Coach Adam Harita cited competing at the Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, AZ (in mid-November) as a particularly memorable highlight: “It [was] held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Triathlon Championship. The Rosary girls raced in the morning and then stayed to watch the college girls race for the NCAA championship in the afternoon. It was an opportunity [for the Royals] to watch and interact with elite level female triathletes and introduce themselves to all the college coaches (and athletes) who were there competing.”

Rosary cannot be more proud of these elite athletes. Dr. Pautsch relished the chance to praise the athletes who brought home gold: “I am not surprised that the team was able to repeat as state champions. The young women who participate on our triathlon team are not only dedicated, but they are strong and confident contenders. The team is driven to be successful. It is evident to me that their success is rooted in their faith in God, team, and school. I am most grateful to Coach Harita who continues to mentor and bring out the best in each competitor.”

Rosary’s Athletic Director Mr. Tice seconded Coach Harita as a key factor in the team’s repeat success, calling him “amazing at showing athletes they have hidden talents that help them thrive in triathlon.”

While competing on a triathlon team might be daunting to most young athletes, Coach Harita urges Royals with interest to check out the program, arguing it’s actually more of a casual commitment. Coach Harita continued, “Rosary girls who are interested in having fun while swimming, riding a bike, and running with their friends should consider joining. You do as many or as few races as you want. Every single girl on the team is an athlete in another sport, so we work around all the other schedules. If a girl is in season with her other sport, no problem—she just focuses on that, and when the season is over, she can come practice and race with us during her off-season. It also is great conditioning for multi-sport athletes.”

The triathlon program also has the added benefit of potentially helping talented Rosary triathletes reach their college dreams. “Women’s triathlon IS an NCAA sport, and there are many scholarship opportunities available for girls who might be more serious about competing at the next level. Several of our athletes have been offered scholarships in the past,” added Coach Harita, who is also the father and former coach of decorated triathlete alumna Elizabeth Harita ’22. She currently competes for the University of Denver, an NCAA Division 1 program.

While these athletes make winning look easy, Julia is careful to keep a realistic perspective on the sport’s rigor: “It’s not easy to wake up early, jump into freezing cold water, then hop on a bike for an uphill ride, and then go run 3 more miles uphill. You have to keep pushing throughout the whole race and use all your strength.”

Rosary is thrilled for both the athletes and the program as a whole. Congratulations on another stellar season!