2-year-old triathlon offers something unique

PALMER — Jens Beck expected to be off road. But last year during the inaugural Tri the Trails triathlon, the veteran triathlete suddenly found himself off course.

The wrong turn added an extra mile to his race and may have cost him the title. Back again Saturday, the Anchorage resident was certainly not going to let that happen a second time.

Beck cruised to the overall title of the second annual race with a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes and 15 seconds.

“Last year I made a mistake,” Beck said as he stood nearing the finish chute after his win Saturday morning. “I looked over my shoulder to see where the next competitor was right as there was a turn that I wasn’t supposed to take, and I took it. I turned left instead of going straight, so I ended up taking an extra mile.”

This year, Beck had it covered.

“Between the race last year, a couple of prep runs before that and a couple of preps this time, I had the course nailed down,” Beck said. “I wasn’t getting lost this time.”

The course is a draw, Beck said. Tri the Trails race takes competitors across the trail system that surrounds Matanuska Lake. The event features an 800-meter swim in Matanuska Lake, a 13-mile bike ride and 4-mile run. The ride and the run took the 34 participants in Saturday’s race deep into the Matanuska Greenbelt, which features a system of trails that connects Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area with the Crevasse-Moraine Trail System.

“This is just an awesome bike course,” Beck said. “It’s not as rooty as the Hillside or the Kincaid courses in Anchorage, so it’s really fun. It’s tricky, but fast, which is really fun.”

Tri the Trails also sets itself apart from many of other of the state’s triathlons, with its off-road course.

“It’s great. There’s only one other off-road triathlon,” Beck said. “The more of these, the better.”

Beck finished about seven minutes head of runner-up Jason Lamoreaux in the race. Lamoreaux, also of Anchorage, clocked a total time of 1:33:10. Anchorage’s Mick Bakker was third in the men’s open class at 1:33:10.

Another one of the state’s top triathletes won the women’s class. Anchorage’s Amber Stull won her division with a time of 1:44:13. Fellow Anchorage athlete Danelle Winn was second among the women at 1:48:00.

A relative newcomer to triathlons, Wasilla’s Corbyn Jahn also finished high among the veterans. Jahn, a 2009 graduate of Colony High who now runs collegiately at Oregon Institute of Technology, finished fourth overall with a time of 1:46:54.

“I love swimming, biking and running,” Jahn said after this finish. “This is way too much fun.”

Jahn, who last participated in a triathlon in 2008, said a new running coach is encouraging him to compete.

“It’s awesome. I haven’t done this in a long time,” Jahn said.

Jahn said he’s planning on competing in the Hammerman Triathlon at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, the Big Lake Triathlon and Knik Triathlon later this summer.

Thirty-four competed in the triathlon Saturday, and Beck said he hopes to see interest continue to grow.

“It’s a lot of hard work for these guys. A lot of kudos for them. I hope they stick with it,” Beck said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com, follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports and find him by searching Valley Sports Huddle on Facebook.

2012 Tri the Trails results

Saturday, Matanuska Lake

Men’s open results:

1. Jens Beck, Anchorage 1:26:15; 2. Jason Lamoreaux, Anchorage 1:33:10; 3. Mick Bakker, Anchorage 1:41:32; 4. Corbyn Jahn, Wasilla 1:46:54; 5. Ashley Wise, Palmer 2:05:07.

Women’s open results:

1. Amber Stull, Anchorage 1:44:13; 2. Danelle Winn, Anchorage 1:48:00; 3. Jody Barton, Anchorage 2:09:17; 4. Katy Rosane, Eagle River 2:13:47; 5. Elizabeth Campbell, Palmer 2:17:01.

Men’s 20-24:

1. Corbyn Jahn, Wasilla 1:46:54; 2. Richard Barnhart, Palmer 2:25:19.

Men’s 25-29:

1. Will Oviat, Anchorage 2:08:46; 2. Zachary Juback, Anchorage 2:13:59; 3. David Martin, Kenai 2:19:41.

Men’s 30-34:

1. Jason Lamoreaux, Anchorage 1:33:10; 2. Nick Bakker, Anchorage 1:41:32; 3. Sebastian Gardino, Wasilla 2:09:01; 4. Brooks Fry, Anaktuvuk Pass 2:15:02; 5. Matthew Spence, 2:17:03.

Men’s 35-39:

1. Ashley Wise, Palmer 2:05:07; 2. Lance Arnold, Palmer 2:10:49; 3. Lonnie Redmon, Wasilla time n/a.

Men’s 45-49:

1. Timothy Thomas, Anchorage 2:06:16.

Men’s 55 and over:

1. Tony Oliver, Soldotna 2:42:42.

Women’s 20-24:

1. Signe Johnson, Palmer 2:21:57.

Women’s 30-34:

1. Amber Stull, Anchorage 1:44:13; 2. Danelle Winn, Anchorage 1:48:00; 3. Elizabeth Campbell, Palmer 2:17:01; 4. Christina Libert, Anchorage 2:40:09; 5. Anna Fischer, Anchorage 2:40:59.

Women’s 35-39:

1. Jody Barton, Anchorage 2:09;17; 2. Jill Simek, Anchorage 2:27:24; 3. Laura Zamborsky, Anchorage 2:43:37; 4. Georgina Gibson, Fairbanks 2:53:41.

Women’s 40-44:

1. Rose Theisen, Anchorage 2:31:41.

Women’s 45-49:

1. Katy Rosane, Eagle River 2:13:47.

Women’s 50-54:

1. Susan Skvorc, Wasilla 2:29:15.