OVERALL WINNER - Alex Gonzalez, 30, of Ortonville was the overall winner of the Half Ironman distance during the inaugural Tawas Bay Triathlon Festival Saturday in East Tawas. - Photo by John Morris

Tawas Bay Triathlon draws 200 athletes
by John Morris

EAST TAWAS - In a steady drizzle Saturday, athletes from Ortonville and Brighton won their respective Half Ironman races during the inaugural Tawas Bay Triathlon Festival.

Alex Gonzalez, 30, of Ortonville won the men’s Half Ironman Triathlon, completing the 1.2-mile swim in Tawas Bay, followed by 56 miles on a bicycle from residential East Tawas to River Road in Oscoda Township via Monument Road and a 13.1-mile run along the bike path in the Tawases and Alabaster Township in four hours, 36 minutes and seven seconds.
Winning the women’s Half Ironman Triathlon, covering the same distance, was Cristina Noble, 34, of Brighton in 5:12.56. Nobel finished 14th overall.

A total of 240 athletes from nine states and Canada registered for the event, including 70 in the Half Ironman distance, 117 in the Sprint distance and 41 in the Olympic distance. There also were two relay teams in the Olympic distance, four relay teams in Sprint and one in the Half Ironman.

The Olympic triathlon distance included a 1,500-meter swim, followed by 40 kilometers on a bike and a 10-k run. The Sprint triathlon distance was a 500-meter swim, 20 kilometers on a bike and a 5-k run.

“We are very happy with the turnout,” said Kenny Krell, race coordinator of the sponsoring Gaylord-based 3 Discipline Racing. “Our goal was 150 athletes this year. Taking the event over in July left us basically August to push this event.

“For a Half Ironman distance event, 80 percent of your athletes will register for that five plus months out. Registration will open for next year’s event almost immediately because of that.”

Krell said the state needed a fall Half Ironman triathlon because, up to now, since the Paul Bunyan race ended five years ago, Michigan athletes had to travel out of state to do a season-ending race at that distance.

“It’s something many athletes will train all summer for, so bringing that back for them is perfect on the calendar for them as well as the Tawas area,” he said. “This event will grow to be one of the premiere events in the state and, once we get a few years behind us and more athletes out of state are participating, it will be a destination location for athletes.”

Krell said he expects the event to more than double in the number of athletes who will participate next year.

He said athletes came from across Michigan, as well as the Indianapolis, Ind., and Chicago, Ill., areas, and Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Kentucky and Canada to compete in the Tawas Triathlon.

“That was with one month of advertising it and, with everyone giving great post-race comments, it can only grow as our events always do,” Krell said.

“It’s something many athletes will train all summer for, so bringing that back for them is perfect on the calendar for them as well as the Tawas area,” he said. “This event will grow to be one of the premiere events in the state and, once we get a few years behind us and more athletes out of state are participating, it will be a destination location for athletes.”

Krell said he expects the event to more than double in the number of athletes who will participate next year.

He said athletes came from across Michigan, as well as the Indianapolis, Ind., and Chicago, Ill., areas, and Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Kentucky and Canada to compete in the Tawas Triathlon.

“That was with one month of advertising it and, with everyone giving great post-race comments, it can only grow as our events always do,” Krell said.

Gonzalez won his first-ever Half Ironman Triathlon at the Tawas festival. He has competed in triathlons for the past two years and the Tawas race marked just his third race at the longer distance.

“Overall, of the three Half Ironmans I’ve done, this is the best venue,” he said.

Nobel, a former marathon runner who was competing in her first-ever Half Ironman distance, agreed. “It’s a nice course that was well laid out,” she said. “The bike course was tough and hilly.”

Finishing in second place for the men in the Half Ironman was Joseph Griffin, 22, of Lathrup Village in 4:47.11. Third place went to Jim Pougnet, 52, of Flushing in 4:48.10. Phil Kauppi, 35, of Mt. Pleasant was fourth in 4:49.36 and Ken Ames, 52, of Gaylord was fifth in 4:54.19.

Second through fifth places respectively in the women’s Half Ironman went to Diane Huskey, 39, of St. Ignace, 5:16.45; Cindy Duby, 44, of Traverse City, 5:18.30; Robin McDonald, 35, of Commerce, 5:36.25, and Anne Varner, 26, of Grand Haven, 5:38.24.

John Kahler, 42, of Plymouth won the men’s Olympic distance triathlon in 2:16.30, while Travis Moser, 44, of Midland was second in 2:26.22. Third place finisher was Rob Fletcher, 33, of Midland in 2:29.46.

Lori Hume, 38, of Rochester won the Olympic distance triathlon for the women in 2:52.14. Jenny Birmelin, 31, of Farmington Hills was second in 3:01.58 and Jan Henson, 48, of Ortonville was third in 3:14.43.

Adam Roach, 24, of Saginaw was the men’s winner of the Sprint distance triathlon in 1:04.14. Rob Patterson, 27, of Royal Oak finished second in 1:09.30 and Kurt Brinker, 29, of St. Clair was third in 1:10.19.

Amy Christena, 38, of Livonia won the Sprint distance triathlon for the women in 1:16.04. Stephanie Kern, 26, of Northville was second in 1:16.10 and Allison Woodside, 19, of Harbor Springs was third in 1:18.25.

Five athletes from Iosco County also competed in the Sprint distance triathlon. The top county finisher was Michael Berenkow-ski, 38, of Oscoda, who was 28th overall in 1:22.16 and finished fifth in the male 35 to 39 age group.

Amy Short, 41, of Tawas City was 31st overall in 1:22.43, which placed her second in the female 40 to 44 age group. Steven Mahlburg, 39, of Tawas City was 54th overall in 1:30.27 and placed second in the Clydesdale age group. David Wood, 19, of Oscoda was 68th overall in 1:34.11 and placed second in the male 16 to 19 age group. David Appler, 59, of Tawas City was 90th overall in 1:49.58, which placed him first in the male 55 to 59 age group.