Michigan duo wins Spike’s Challenge by slim margin

GRAYLING - A record number of teams entered the Spike’s Challenge Canoe Race held Sunday in Grayling.

Sixty-five teams entered the race, 62 of the teams finished and, when it was all said and done, the margin of victory for the winning team was two seconds. Andy Triebold of Spring Arbor and Matt Rimer of Grayling won the race with a time of 2:38:46. Finishing second was the team of Mo Harwood of Grayling and Steve Lajoie of Mirabel, Quebec, with a time of 2:38:48.
The Spike’s Challenge Canoe Race features the upper section of the AuSable River, giving paddlers a daylight glimpse at what they can expect in the upcoming Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon on Saturday.

Early on, Ryan and Rod Halstead of Grayling led the race, closely followed by Triebold/Rimer and Harwood/Lajoie; the top three teams were no more than 10 seconds apart through three timing locations. In the end, Triebold/Rimer edged out Harwood/Lajoie in a sprint to the finish line at McMaster’s Bridge.

Finishing third was Ryan and Rod Halstead with a time of 2:42:05. Placing fourth was the team of Jim Harwood of Grayling and Al Limberg of Wausau, Wis., with a time of 2:44:29.

Rounding out the top 10 were Brad Gross of Pinconning and Josh Sheldon of Grayling in fifth place; sixth place, Pete Mead of Traverse City and Mitch McMillan of Clare; seventh place, Tad Hill of Livonia and Efrain Cruz of Belize City, Belize; eighth place, Josh Taylor of Grayling and Jason Hall of Crystal; ninth place, Russ Reker of Lapeer and Al Widing Jr. of Fenton, and 10th place, the father and son team of Ray Trudgeon of East Lansing and Tom Trudgeon of Grayling.

Iosco paddlers Ted Matthews of East Tawas and Rodney Matthews of Oscoda finished 30th in 3:05:51, while Chad Brandt and Mike Thomsen, both of Hale, finished 38th in 3:11:63.