Molina and Scott Head a Field of 1,000 in Triathlon at Doheny State Beach Today

Scott Molina, four-time defending men’s champion, heads a field of more than 1,000 entered in today’s fifth Los Angeles regional event of the U.S. Triathlon Series at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point.

The race, part of a 13-event tour, will start at 7 a.m. with a 1.5-kilometer swim, followed by a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer run.

Molina, who has won 22 of 29 series starts, finished 21 seconds ahead of Scott Tinley here last year.

With Tinley having decided not to compete, Dave Scott figures to be Molina’s toughest competition.

Scott, who has won the Hawaiian Ironman competition an unprecedented four times, is considered the premier ultra-distance triathlete. Recently, however, he has been competing in shorter events, and today’s race will be his third appearance this year in the series.

In the women’s field, Linda Buchanan is considered the favorite.

Buchanan, extremely strong in swimming, led last year’s race through two events but was passed in the run by eventual champion Sylviane Puntous when the effects of an 18-month layoff finally took their toll.

Joanne Ernst, named triathlete of the year by the editors of Triathlon magazine, is also expected to challenge for the title.