Team Hawai'i surprised itself with a third-place finish in its inaugural national race, the U.S.A. Triathlon Youth Nationals in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., recently.

There were 12 registered teams in the club division.

Jack Deedrick, who finished second in the male 13-15 age group, led the 10-member Hawai'i team, half of whom finished in the top 10 of their events. Cody Spraker (13-15) was seventh and Jakob Dewald (9-10) ninth in their age groups.

Amber Vredenburg (13-15) and Rachel Umphress (7-8) were 10th in their divisions.

"I'm very proud (of) our performance at nationals," said JJ Johnson, HYTC director. "Our goal was to take a triathlon youth team and give them the opportunity to experience competiting on the Mainland at the national level. Coming in third overall against season teams from the Mainland exceeded my wildest dreams."

"This was an amazing experience for the kids and their parents," said Boris Robinson, HYTC head coach.

The four-year-old HYTC has more than 300 participants and offers clinics and organized training, officials said. The HYTC is open to athletes 7 to 19 years old and all levels of experience.

The HYTC Web site is: www.hawaiiyouthtri.com.

THREE CAPTURE CROWNS

Hawai'i had three champions at the U.S. Jr. Olympic Skills Competition last week in Colorado Springs, Colo. The second-year event started with 1.7 million participants. The final week featured 72 athletes, between the ages of 8 and 13, competing in basketball, soccer, tennis and track and field.

Joshua and Rachel Christensen, from La'ie, won their age divisions in tennis to become the first brother-sister champions. Joshua captured the boys 12-13 event and his sister the girls 10-11. Both qualified for the competition last year.

Quayd Ah You, also from La'ie, captured the boys 10-11 track and field competition.

The Jr. Olympic Skills Competition is the official youth skills competition of the United States Olympic Committee.

VERCRUYSSEN SECOND

Honolulu's Nani Vercruyssen finished second in the 32nd All Japan Inter High School Trampoline Championships last weekend in Sukagawa, Japan.

Vercruyssen, 15, a U.S. age group national champion, was runner-up to Japan's Kazuyo Minato in the girls competition.

Nani teamed with Mia Vercruyssen, 17, to finish 11th in the girls synchronized trampoline. Mia finished 44th in the girls competition.