The Navy claimed the top spots in the Armed Forces Triathlon on Saturday at Point Mugu Beach, Calif., led by Lt. Cmdr. Kyle Hooker, who won the men’s championship for the seventh time.

Hooker, who improved on his 2023 time by almost three seconds to finish in 1:49:28, led a dominant effort for the Navy as sailors claimed the top two spots in the men’s division, and first place in the women’s and in the men’s masters divisions.

Hooker, a native of Burke, Va., native has developed into one of the top triathletes in the U.S. Armed Forces, competing in nearly 100 triathlons over 17 years.

“I felt really strong on the swim,” Hooker said in a news release from U.S. Armed Forces Sports. “The water was chilly jumping in. On the bike, going upwind I was slogging it, but going downwind I was cruising real smooth. The run was effortless but fast. It was a fantastic race.”

Navy Ensign Hannah Walz, only a year removed from her Naval Academy graduation, took top honors for the women finishing at 2:09:13. Cmdr. Nick Collier was the top finisher in the men’s masters division at 1:58:53.

Petty Officer 2nd class Kyle Warrick finished second behind Hooker.

The Air Force claimed second in the women’s division. Army and Marine Corps athletes finished third and fourth, respectively, in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

Walz competed on her high school’s volleyball and cross country teams but didn’t run at a high level. “My teammates on Navy Tri taught me to swim properly and just built me into a swimmer,” she said.

Cmdr. Nick Collier won the men’s masters division in 1:58:53, and Air Force Maj. Esther Willett finished first in the women’s masters division in 2:19:39.