Holiday hustle

PALMER — Most years, the Colony Christmas Triathlon is more a test of will than athletic prowess, with a small group of hardy athletes forced to endure icy roads and freezing temperatures as they negotiate the course through Palmer.

Not this year, as mild temperatures and only a light dusting of snow brought out a record field of 107 athletes looking to run, bike and swim their way around town.

“We were in shock,” race organizer Ann Riggs said.

Riggs said the event typically draws less than 50 participants. Last year’s race had 49. With so many turning out for the race this time around, Riggs said she even had to send out for more commemorative T-shirts.

“I never in a million years dreamed we’d get that many people,” Riggs said.

Event timer Mike Janecek of Palmer has been helping out with the race since it began a decade ago at the Palmer Golf Course. Janecek said weather is often a major factor in determining how many athletes show up.

“When it was 17 below the day we started out at the golf course and it was a light wind blowing, man, the numbers dwindled,” he said. “We had people show up that said, ‘I don’t want my money back, but I ain’t going.’”

Many of the participants said they decided to come out based on last-second decisions made because of the warm temperatures, which were hovering around freezing all day with very little wind to cool things down.

“We thought, with the weather we’re having, why not get out?” event participant Jeff Riley of Palmer said shortly after finishing his 5-kilometer run.

Riley and his wife, Heather, each competed in the triathlon, with Jeff saying he mainly entered to support his wife.

“She’s faster than I am,” he said.

Midway through his first-ever triathlon, Jeff Riley said he’s not quite ready to challenge for a triathlon title.

“I’m trying the event, I’m not a triathlete,” he said.

While most entrants in the event were just looking for a fun way to work out, some were more serious.

Palmer’s Alisa Kincaid was the women’s winner, while Anchorage’s Jesse Peterson took home the men’s title in the race, which is sponsored by Peak Fitness in Palmer.

Kincaid completed the outdoor portion of the race — a 5-K run and 10-K bike ride — in 45 minutes, 30 seconds, then took just 7:11 to swim 500 meters inside the Palmer High School pool for a winning time of 52:41.

Peterson, meanwhile, was the first men’s athlete into the pool and the first out, completing the course in 46:58 to beat defending champion Andy Duenow by 33 seconds. Jason Lamoreaux, also of Anchorage, finished third.

Triathletes began the race on bicycles at Peak Fitness along the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, then completed the 5-K loop around Palmer High School along Arctic Avenue, over to the Glenn Highway and back to Peak Fitness along the Parks Highway. Two trips around on a bike were followed by one lap on foot back to the high school, then into the pool for the 500-meter swim.

Anchorage athletes took most of the top positions Saturday, with Kimberly Riggs placing second for the women in 59:03, 33 seconds ahead of fellow Anchorage athlete Anne Barnett.

Top Mat-Su women in the top-10 included Wasilla’s Alina Rubeo (5th place, 1:00:09) and Shelly Eller (6th, 1:00:26) as well as Palmer’s Lorene Lynn (9th, 1:01:38).

Palmer’s Jeff Warner was the top Valley male entrant, finishing sixth in a time of 51:38.

The Anchorage team of Ralph Comellas, Thomissa Comellas and Ed Banas defended its team title from last year, while Wasilla’s Emily Ripley, Drew Ford and Mattie Merriam were second.

Fairbanks racer Bruce Miller, who was fifth in the men’s race, said this year’s weather made for relatively easy conditions compared to past years.

“I was a little spooked with the conditions looking really slick, but the roads were great,” he said. “It was quite comfortable.”

During last year’s race, several racers took spills during the bike portion of the event, with icy, snowy conditions making turns extremely hazardous. This year, everyone seemed to be staying upright.

“I didn’t see anyone fall this year,” Miller said.

While the Colony Christmas event is known for its unusual mid-winter start time, it’s also becoming famous for its laid-back atmosphere and friendly banter among participants.

“This one’s nice because it’s laid back enough that we’re all out there talking to each other, egging each other on,” Miller said.

Several event participants even took the opportunity to dress up in holiday costumes.

Dressed as a pair of athletic Santa’s, Sandoz Maurer and Allison Reed, both of Anchorage, said the event is more about having fun than setting personal bests.

“This one is just for fun,” Reed said.

But with the warm conditions this year, why the heavy Santa suits?

“Well,” Maurer said. “This is the Christmas triathlon!”

Contact Frontiersman sports reporter Matt Tunseth at matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com.

Colony Christmas Triathlon

10k bike, 5k run, 500 meter swim

Sunday

Palmer

Women’s results

1. Alisa Kincaid, Palmer, 52 minutes, 41 seconds; 2. Kimberly Riggs, Anchorage, 59:03; 3. Anne Barnett, Anchorage, 59:36; 4. Alesia Thon, 59:37; 5. Alina Rubeo, Wasilla, 1:00:09; 6. Shelly Eller, Wasilla, 1:00:26; 7. Carleen Ulbrich, Anchorage, 1:00:44; 8. Karen Morrison, Eagle River, 1:01:17; 9. Lorene Lynn, Palmer, 1:01:38; 10. Kyla Hagan, Anchorage, 1:01:46; 11. Janet Mamcikunian, Anchorage, 1:02:09; 12. Nancy Meade, Anchorage, 1:02:25; 13. Melissa Toffolon-Weiss, Wasilla, 1:02:47; 14. Cathy Endes, Palmer, 1:04:30; 15. Julie Vogler, Anchorage, 1:05:00; 16. Chelsea Linthicum, Anchorage, 1:06:17; 17. Veronica Vania, Anchorage, 1:06:32; 18. Katrina Anderson, Anchorage, 1:06:52; 19. Margaret Volz, Wasilla, 1:07:09; 20. Mandi Lusk, Wasilla, 1:07:12; 21. Elizibeth Ripley, Wasilla, 1:07:21; 22. Cathy Okeson, Palmer, 1:08:50; 23. Ann Claerbout, Anchorage, 1:11:13; 24. Sandoz Maurer, Anchorage, 1:12:48; 25. Jessi Whittom, Wasilla, 1:14:04; 26. Lana Davis, Anchorage, 1:14:59; 27. Jamie Elswick, Anchorage, 1:16:00; 28. Guinevere Hill, Wasilla, 1:16:17; 29. Toni Gorman, Anchorage, 1:16:58; 30. Allison Reed, Anchorage, 1:16:58; 31. Devon VanBuskirk, Wasilla, 1:17:13; 32. Carla Goldberg, Palmer, 1:21:21; 33. Vera Hershey, Wasilla, 1:21:23; 34. Krystal Rogers, Wasilla, 1:21:52; 35. Heather Riiley, Palmer, 1:22:29; 36. Tina Jennings, Wasilla, 1:39:38; 37. Denise Demetree, Chugiak, 1:40:00; Stephanie Lyken, Anchorage, 1:41:06.

Men’s results

1. Jesse Peterson, Anchorage, 46:58; 2. Andrew Duenow, Anchorage, 47:31; 3. Jason Lamoreaux, Anchorage, 47:57; 4. Fred West, Anchorage, 48:48; 5. Bruce Miller, Fairbanks, 50:12; 6. Jeff Warner, Palmer, 51:35; 7. William Beveridge, 51:38; 8. Paul Twardock, Anchorage, 52:53; 9. Jim Anderson, Anchorage, 54:36; 10. Bob Ulbrich, Anchorage, 55:31; 11. Tyler Maxwell, Elmendorf AFB, 58:45; 12. Matthew Rucanda, Eagle River, 59:21; 13. Shad Barnett, Anchorage, 59:28; 14. William Oh, Palmer, 59:43; 15. Kevin Vig, Palmer, 1:00:06; 16. Garrett Anderson, Anchorage, 1:00:26; 17. Tucker Minnick, Wasilla, 1:00:58; 18. Hans Hill, Wasilla, 1:01:16; 19. Jeff Campbell, Anchorage, 1:01:19; 20. Andrew Breitbeil, Kenai, 1:02:01; 21. Denver Linthicum, Anchorage, 1:02:02; 22. Michael Rubeo, Wasilla, 1:02:23; 23. Matthew Butler, Anchorage, 1:04:39; 24. Stephen Brown, Palmer, 1:05:01; 25. Ray Michaelson, Palmer, 1:05:38; 26. Jay Holtan, Anchorage, 1:07:25; 27. Roah Ripley, Wasilla, 1:11:38; 28. Shawn Horning, Anchorage, 1:11:49; 29. Ivan Hodes, Anchorage, 1:12:54; 30. Todd Weaver, Palmer, 1:13:43; 31. Chad Lusk, Wasilla, 1:17:27; 32. Greg Misbach, Anchorage, 1:18:08; 33. Jeff Riley, Palmer, 1:32:25.

Team results

1. Snowshoe Smashers (Ed Comellas, Thomissa Comellas, Ed Banas), 54:33; 2. Double Reeds (Emily Ripley, Drew Ford, Mattie Merriam), 54:40; 3. Out For Lunch (Kristy Smith, Tricia Kenney, Nylene Wicks), 56:53; 4. A Gimp and a Seahorse (Brij Potnis, Beth Coomey), 56:58; 5. Cruisers (Patrick Egelus, Peggy Egelus, Keegan Egelus), 1:03:55; 6. Team Justice (Amy Swanholm, Shane Neldner, Sarah Mansfield), 1:03:57; 7. ITMFA (Jeanne Schaaf, Robert Werner), 1:05:16; 8. Sam Cam Billy (Sammye Pokryfki, Cam Eller, Bill Hogan), 1:06:04; 9. Unlikely’s (Greg Strandberg, Jill Bennett, Brian Laufer), 1:10:00; 10. Arctic Spiders (Richard Moran, Kathy Pratt, Ron Stokes), 1:10:36; 11. Valley Trash (Shanda Norton, Julie Stachowiac), 1:11:30; 12. Two Hens and a Chick (Michelle Webber, Ashlen Welch, Trula Acena), 1:16:23; 13. Brentwood Boys (Steve Lane, Harrison Lane, Nicolai Tykalsky), 1:17:49; 14. Pack Rats (Paula Davies, Kelley Kelly, Amy Adams), 1:17:57; 15. Nelson Team (Joan Nelson, Ron Nelson, Hailey Nelson), 1:18:10; 16. Team in Training (Terri Mayeur, Heather Mayo, Margaret Sharpe), 1:20:31; 17. The Jakab Family (Marla Jakab, Stephen Jakab, Evan Jakab), 1:24:28.