Little-Known Viola Captures U.S. Duathlon

Very few people lining the course for the U.S. Duathlon Championship knew who was leading the women’s field during the bicycle portion of the race, which was held Saturday in the vicinity of Anaheim Stadium.

Gail Viola of Rock Island, Ill., who won the five-kilometer run, 30-kilometer bike, five-kilometer run duathlon in 1 hour 21 minutes 11 seconds, prefers to keep it that way.

“It’s kind of funny,” said Viola, 27, who earned $1,500 with the victory. “At the start they didn’t announce me, but I like it that way.”

One person who did notice Viola at the start of the race was Joy Hansen, who placed third with a time of 1:22.49. Her twin sister, Joan Hansen, who had the same time, was given second place. Kendall Morrison of Vancouver, Canada, was fourth in 1:24.04.

Joy Hansen, 33, said she felt sorry for Viola and Isabelle Munnier, who were the only two competitors not introduced.

“They introduced everybody but two--I felt bad for them so I went over to them, shook their hands and introduced myself,” said Joy, who persuaded Joan--the eighth-place runner in the 3,000 meters at the 1984 Olympics--to compete in duathlons.

Typically, only those expected to contend for the title of a race are announced.

Joy began competing in triathlons in 1983 and turned professional two years later. Joan became a professional in February. Saturday was her first duathlon, and the first time the two had competed together professionally. Joan and Joy Hansen ran side by side through the first running segment of the race and opened a 15-meter lead on the field.

Viola, at the time, was far back in the pack, but she quickly made up the difference, and moved into the lead by the second of six loops on the bike.

Viola, who was raised in Sherrard, Ill., which has a population of about 900, competed in track races for Blackhawk (Ill.) Community College before she began cross-training because of injuries.

She said she didn’t know who the other athletes were in Saturday’s race, but she knew she wanted to be in the lead at the beginning of the bike segment.

“This is probably my sixth duathlon in my life,” said Viola.

In the men’s race, Jeff Devlin of Westchester, Pa., won in 1:11.54, defeating favorite Ken Souza, who finished fifth (1:14.36). Roger Matherly of Laguna Niguel finished 13th (1:18.34).

Jim Knaub of Long Beach won the five-kilometer wheelchair race.