GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE -- More than twenty participants, divided into four categories, tested themselves during the second Grand Forks AFB Triathlon July 19, despite challenging weather.
Youth athletes ages 12 to 17 faced a 200-meter swim, 6-mile bike, and 1.5 mile run. Male, female and team category athletes took on a 400-meter swim, 12-mile bike and 5-kilometer run. Col. John Scorsone, 319th Air Refueling Wing Vice Commander, presented the first, second and third-place winners with awards and completion medallions for all participants finishing the grueling challenge.
"These athletes put themselves to the test," said Scorsone. "Each one left stronger and more confident in their abilities."
Alejandro Breceda was the top performer in the male category with a total time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 8 seconds, more than two minutes faster than Aaron Applewick's second-place time of 1:12:55. Both athletes were neck-and-neck heading into the transition following the bike. Applewick led early on with a 7:05 swim, 90 seconds faster than Breceda's 8:35, but not fast enough to best Breceda's bike and run performance.
In the female category, Rachelle Sian won with a 1:20:54 finish with second place going to Amy Blanton's 1:23:27 performance. Sian left the water in fourth place, well behind Jane Hutzol's 8:05 torpedo-like swim; the second fastest of the day. Sian made up lost time on the bike course and sealed her victory with a 32:33 run time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Winning was a family affair for the Breceda family with 13-year-old James Breceda winning the youth category with a total time of 44:15. Amy Caldwell-Rutter was only 28 seconds behind Breceda, finishing with a second-place time of 44:43.
Despite only one entry in the team category, Jessica and Simon Zika added swimmer Jon Cauble for a team time of 1:17:37.
