Kearns, Coope Win Triathlon

Brad Kearns of Malibu overcame challenging water currents and an early two-minute deficit to win the men’s competition in the $5,000 Huntington Beach triathlon Sunday at the Huntington Beach pier.

Kearns, 23, had problems with the ocean currents as he fell behind by two minutes after the 800-yard swimming portion. He methodically chopped at the lead in the 18-mile bicycling segment before passing Michael Collins of Santa Monica halfway through the five-mile run.

Collins, 22, who is in his first year of professional competition, stayed within 10 yards of Kearns toward the finish but was unable to overtake him.

Kearns finished in 1 hour 23 minutes 43 seconds. Collins finished the race in 1:23:51. Pete Kain of Costa Mesa came in third in 1:25:17.

“I was tired from fighting through the waves after my swim,” Kearns said. “When I made the transition to the bike, I raced as fast as I could to catch up. And when the finish line was drawing near, I was racing with dollar signs in my mind.”

Sarah Coope, 27, of Sussex, England, who won the European triathlon championship last year, won the women’s competition in 1:37:14. Coope was followed by Pennie McLaughlin, 26, and Janet Mamon, 29, both of Santa Monica, who finished second and third.

McLaughlin’s time was 1:37:39; Mamon finished in 1:38:42.

Coope and Kearns received $1,000 each. Collins and McLaughlin got $700 each for their second-place finishes.