SEELEY LAKE – The annual Youth for Christ (YFC) Seeley Lake Challenge Duathlon/Triathlon attracted 111 solo racers, six teams and a record number of children to the shores of Seeley Lake, Aug. 13. Two Seeley Lake teams swept the male and female divisions for the long swim team event.
The triathlon is made up of either a short (300 yards) or long (600 yards) open swim in Seeley Lake, a 10 mile bike down Boy Scout Road and a 3.3 mile run to finish off the race. The duathlon starts and ends with a 3.3 mile run with the 10-mile bike ride in the middle. All races started and finished at River Point Campground Day Use area.
This year, organizers adjusted the running course, eliminating the portion on Boy Scout Road. This put the runners on just trails with the exception of a few hundred feet on Boy Scout Road.
Many of the runners thought this was a great improvement finding it more fun to run, cooler in the shade of the trees and more scenic. In addition they didn't have to deal with the traffic.
Race Coordinator Cheri Thompson said she was pleased with how the trail run turned out with the exception of the intersection at the entrance to River Point Campground, the start and finish area for the race. While they had two volunteers managing traffic and pointing racers in the right direction, the runners needed to cross Boy Scout Road at the same point the bicyclists were turning into the campground from the north.
"I really liked getting people off the road," said Thompson. "The intersection will be adjusted for next year."
The Jedi Knights consisting of Seeley Lake residents Lance Bohlman, Shawn Holmes and Shelby Holmes swept the team event for the long swim triathlon. Bohlman was the first out of the water for all the long swimmers finishing in 9:56.95. Shawn finished the bike course in 37:35.93 followed by Shelby running a 25:25.21 for a final time of 1:12:58.
The Hood Go Crazy, consisting of Seeley Lake residents Lulu Bohlman, Anne Reimann-Moody and Cera Strumpfer, finished third overall and first in the female team long swim. Lulu came out of the water in 15:31.64. Anne put the pedal down finishing the bike in 37:42.57. Cera served as a true anchor finishing the run in 23:59.82. The team finished in 1:18:04.
Josh Grace was the only other local racer. Grace finished second in the 16-19 age group and 15 of 23 in the male long swim. He finished in 1:23:15, just 17 seconds behind the first place finisher in his age group, Colton Klaudt from Billings, Mont.
There were 24 children who participated in the Kid's Triathlon. They competed in two age groups, ages one through nine and ages 10-12.
There were two, five-year-old racers: Carver Brown of Kalispell, Mont. and Lucas Marron of Helena, Mont.
This was Lucas's first triathlon. Lucas said it was a lot of fun and his favorite part was biking in the woods. Lucas finished eighth in his age group.
Lucas's seven-year-old sister Elizabeth, mother and father Hannah and Patrick and Lucas's grandmother, Kelly Thies from Kalispell, Mont. also competed in triathlon.
This was Elizabeth's second time racing in the triathlon. She said it was hard but her favorite part was sprinting at the end. She finished sixth in her female age group with a time of 29:37. She would like to do it again next year.
For complete results visit http://competitivetiming.com/results/165007O.
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