Three-peat: Men's Champ does it again

DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman reporter

BIG LAKE - For years, Jens Beck has reigned as the top male triathlete in Alaska. He's always been the top finisher. On Sunday, at the third-annual Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman Big Lake Triathlon, the 34-year-old Beck once again claimed his place atop the podium.

Beck won the race in 56 minutes and seven seconds, ahead of runner-up Jason Potsander by nearly eight minutes.

After some confusion, Amy Owens realized she was the women's champion, ahead of pre-race favorite Shannon Donley.

The victory was the third straight for Beck, who is training for an Ironman Half Triathlon qualifier later this summer in Sonoma, Calif.

"This is a great training run for me," Beck said. "I've been building my training for the Ironman qualifier all summer. Today was a great day for me, with the swim in the lake and a challenging bike and run course."

Beck led from the moment Mat-Su Borough Mayor Tim Anderson sounded the starting siren. He emerged from the 900-meter swim in Big Lake with a 1:30 lead over his closest competitor. At the transition from the bike to the run, he had extended the lead to nearly four minutes, and extended it further during the run.

All along the way he said he was oblivious to how far ahead he was.

"I enter the race with a goal to push as hard as I can," Beck explained. "I didn't know I was that far ahead until the turnaround on the run. But I still pushed hard for the finish."

"He's definitely the king when it comes to triathlons up here," Potsander said of Beck. "Competing against someone of his caliber really pushes me to do better. I know there is another level I can take myself to, that is encouraging."

Third-place finisher Jason Lamoreaux was not intimidated by Beck's performance.

"You still have to go out and push yourself," Lamoreaux said. "Anything can happen, just look at Shannon."

Lamoreaux referred to Donle,y who withdrew while leading, shortly after the start of the five-kilometer running segment because of severe pain and cramps in her left calf.

"The pain started during the bike," Donley explained. "And I just couldn't continue during the run."

Donley's decision to withdraw led to a brief moment of confusion at the finish of the women's race. Owens crossed the line and was surprised when she was congratulated for winning.

"What happened to Shannon?" Owens asked. "She was ahead of me and I never saw her on the road."

Once she learned of Donley's withdrawal, her confusion turned to surprise and concern for her friend.

"I hope she is OK," Owens said. "I hate to see her out with an injury. I knew something significantly had to be wrong if she had problems that forced her to withdraw."

The victory was bittersweet for Owens.

"This is the first race I've actually beat Shannon," said Owens, who finished behind Donley at the Eagle River Triathlon earlier this month. "If you can call this a win, I still want to beat her on the road."

A total of 81 competitors entered the annual race, which started with a 900-meter swim at North Shore Recreation Area on Big Lake and included a 20K bike leg and 5K run along Big Lake Drive.

The annual run is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and is a fund-raiser for United Way of Mat-Su and the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Valley Frontiersman

Big Lake Triathlon

Men

1) Jens Beck 56:07; 2) Jason Potsander 1:04:24; 3) Jason Lamoreaux 1:04:59; 4) Rick Rogers 1:09:42; 5) Eric Bronder 1:11:30; 6) Matt Zimmerman 1:13:39; 7) Brant Hasebe 1:13:59; 8) David Purcell 1:14:36; 9) Art Vidrine 1:16:43; 10) Eric Taylor 1:19:12; 11) David Weingartner 1:19:39; 12) Todd Sherwood 1:23:21; 13) Peter Mejia 1:23:31; 14) Gary Steffens 1:27:57; 15) Jeff Campbell 1:28:06; 16) Robert Fuller 1:28:16; 17) Robb Boyer 1:31:04; 18) Aaron Lapp 1:31:46; 19) Tom Turner 1:32:37; 20) Robert Paczan 1:32:59; 21) Jeff Denancour 1:33:19; 22) Peter Giannini 1:33:53; 23) Tom Kaupp 1:36:34; 24) Jon Nauman 1:37:15; 25) Rick Leland 1:38:41; 26) Robert Jordan 1:41:34; 27) Don Leudtke 1:42:43; 28) Thomas Volpe 1:43:42; 29) Eddie Steger 1:44:25; 30) Clinton Steger 1:54:42.

Women

1) Amy Owens 1:11:44; 2) Suzanne Wheatall 1:13:42; 3) Kelly Quinn 1:14:15; 4) Lise Falscow 1:15:56; 5) Nicole Middaugh 1:18:08; 6) Shannon Titzel 1:19:20; 7) Elizabeth Walker 1:19:24; 8) Kelly VanHoek 1:19:32; 9) Matha Dennis 1:21:08; 10) Sharon Purkins 1:22:26; 11) Julie Witmer 1:24:13; 12) Jill McLeod 1:24:35; 13) Marietta Hall 1:25:48; 14) Jennifer Hopkins 1:27:57; 15) Jo Reid 1:28:26; 16) Dorothy Mortonson 1:29:13; 17) Christina Lapp 1:31:39; 18) Virginia Wright 1:32:16; 19) Wendy McCaffrey 1:33:00; 20) Maryjane Hadaway 1:45:23; 21) Jamie Patterson 1:50:00; 22) Diane Mohwinkel 1:51:38; 23) Carrie Jordan 1:53:06; 24) Keri O'Rourke 1:57:17; 25) Wanda Kahl 2:19:51; 26) Sara Leudtke

2:43:20.