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Bermuda's 'Salty Dogs' did themselves proud at one of the world's most gruelling and unique triathlons - Escape from Alcatraz.

Five local athletes took part in the famous race, centered around the notorious prison island off the coast of San Francisco last Sunday.

In its days as a maximum security penitentiary, the frigid shark-infested waters, swirling currents and minimal visibility in the bay surrounding Alcatraz island were considered as fierce a deterrent as the guards that patrolled the razor wire fence.

Today, the 1.5mile swim to the San Francisco shore, represents just the first leg of an extraordinary race.

Reid Robinson, Rachael Rothwell, Ashley Kirkpatrick, Carolyn Conway and Russ Dyrli - members of the Bermudian Salty Dogs triathlon team - were among 2,000 athletes to don wet suits, booties and neoprene caps and leap from the start boat amid a melee of bodies into the cold waters.

Protected by kayaks

Corralled into the bay by an escort of kayaks and motorboats - protection against the current sweeping out to the Pacific - they ploughed through the choppy waters to the shore.

Training in the comparative warmth and tranquility of Bermuda's north shore hadn't prepared them for the challenge.

"The visibility was nothing like back home - we could barely see our hands in front of our faces.

Frozen fingers

"Once out of the swim, it was a challenge to get off our wetsuits, due to frozen fingers," said Robinson.

After the swim came the 'white-knuckle' bike ride - 18 miles of undulating hills, sharp turns and pot-hole riven roads. Luckless Dyrili hit a bump in the road and was sent rocketing over his handlebars - totalling his bike and separating his shoulder.

"The rest of us managed to finish safely - if at a much slower pace than we would have hoped for the distance," added Robinson.

If anything, the run was even more challenging - more hills, including a 400-step sand ladder set into a cliff face.

The race concluded with a relatively flat final two miles as the group, most of whom qualified for the event courtesy of strong finishing positions at the Escape to Bermuda triathlon last year, gratefully clawed their way to the finish line.

Kirkpatrick finished third in the 20-24 age group while Robinson's overall time of 2:53:04 was the fastest of the Salty Dogs.

Andy Potts, the U.S. triathlete who also won the Escape to Bermuda in 2007, was first across the line.

[[In-content Ad]]The swim: About 2,000 triathletes jump off the start boat into the freezing waters of San Francisco Bay and swim 1.5miles to shore dealing with choppy waters, strong currents, jellyfish, sharks and sea lions.

The bike: 18-mile technical course with steep uphill and downhill stretches and sharp turns.

The run: Scenic eight mile run over hilly, cross country terrain

Including a stretch of beach and 400-step sand ladder in the cliff face.

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