Rolles is Hawaii’s best chance

WAILEA, Maui » She arrived in Hawaii seven years ago, a South African surfer in search of waves. During the ensuing years she found love and a passion, which in this case were not necessarily focused on the same things.

In addition to a husband, Scott Rolles, she also found a person who recognized their athletic ability and encouraged her to begin competing in local road races and triathlons.

This morning, just five years since she began formally competing in her new sport of choice, Ingrid Rolles will take the plunge into the waters off the Maui Prince Hotel at 9 o'clock and make a bid to go where no other Hawaii resident has ever gone in the Nissan Xterra World Championship.

"I would be very unhappy if I don't finish in the top 10," Ingrid Rolles said. "And I would be very happy if I make it to the podium, which means finishing in the top five."

Her goals hardly qualify as overly optimistic. In fact, she finished 12th on Maui last year and eighth overall the year before to win the amateur world title.

"That finish (in 2004) is what launched my pro career," the 32-year-old Rolles said. "That's when I started to take the bigger challenge of competing in the Xterra tour on the mainland."

And quite a challenge it is. The off-road course consists of a 1.5-kilometer rough-water swim, a 32-kilometer mountain-bike ride along the treacherous lower slopes of Haleakala and a 10-kilometer trail run.

This year's 11th annual event will feature an anticipated 575 competitors hailing from 25 countries and 36 states, according to media relations director Trey Garman. Among the hopefuls are 90 professionals, with winners in the men's and women's divisions each earning $25,000.

Leading the respective fields are defending champions Nicolas Lebrun of France and Melanie McQuaid of Canada, as well as such highly rated challengers as Eneko Llanos of Spain and Sibylle Matter of Switzerland.

In addition to the Hawaii ties provided by Rolles, Jeff Sanders of Lahaina is given a shot at finishing in the top twenty in the men's division.

Generally, the swim comprises approximately 10 percent of the total time it takes to finish the race, the mountain bike 65 percent and the run 25 percent. Most competitors excel at one discipline or another. But Rolles, by her own admission, is an exception to the rule.

"I'm equally good at nothing" she joked. "Actually, I'm not particularly dominant in anything but consistent over the various legs.

"In typical triathlons, you can just focus on the road. What makes Xterra so challenging is that you have to maintain your concentration -- particularly on the bike. One mental letdown and you end up on the ground."

Rolles has done a good job of staying on her bike and in contention this season. In six mainland events, she has never finished lower than 12th and registered her best performance in Milwaukee with a sixth-place showing. Her career-best finish was third in Saipan last year.