DATE: Monday, September 15, 1997            TAG: 9709150157

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY GENE MORRIS, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   42 lines

BEACH MAN WINS TRIATHLON BY A FOOT TWO CROSS THE FINISH LINE IN 1:08:36, BUT OFFICIALS RULE LANGE HAD AN EDGE, GIVING HIM THE NEPTUNE FESTIVAL SANDMAN TITLE.

When Perry Lange left his job at Lifenet early Friday with a fever and chills, he thought he would miss Sunday's 15th annual Neptune Festival Sandman Triathlon.

But the 41-year-old Virginia Beach resident quickly recovered and went on to win the oceanfront event in 1:08:36. Line officials decided he was a step ahead of Bryan Cochran, who also finished at 1:08:36.

``I think I caught him napping the last five yards and was able to catch him,'' said Lange, who led after two stages before allowing Cochran to pull ahead with a tenth of a mile to go in the running stage. ``I had a good swim, a good bike and a prayer on the run.''

``He just gave a little push and shot by me at the line,'' said Cochran, 26, of Virginia Beach. ``It's frustrating to come back and then lose it at the end.''

This year's event was the first to feature cash prizes, with awards going to the top-three finishers in both the men's and women's divisions. Lange won $300, while Cochran pocketed $200. Troy Lewis, 37, of Norfolk placed third (1:09:25) and won $100.

Norfolk resident Nancy Lewis, 37, was the top women's finisher with a time of 1:16:06. Running in her ninth Sandman Triathalon, the win was her fourth since 1980.

``With the swim being my worst event, I figured that if I could get out of (the water) fast, which I did, I was in good shape,'' said Lewis, a circulation-marketing manager at The Virginian-Pilot.

Jenny Brearton, 27, of Charlottesville, finished second (1:18:04), and Virginia Beach resident June McDaniels, 41, placed third (1:20:13). ILLUSTRATION: Photo

L. TODD SPENCER/The Virginian-Pilot

More than 600 people lined up near the finish line Sunday to cheer

on contestants in the Sandman Triathlon during the running portion

of the race.

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