Friends of Rough River Lake hosted their second annual Dam Triathlon on Saturday, August 11 at Rough River Lake State Park.
The group was able to raise approximately $1,200 through the event to support their year-round efforts at the lake in addition to bringing a number of visitors to the area for the race.
Registration for the race was up slightly this year, with 67 participants powering their way through the course which included 6.4 miles of paddling, 3.6 miles of biking and 1.5 miles of running. Eighteen of those racers returned again after taking part in last year’s contest.
“It’s a nice event - it’s unique,” said Ben Hornback, of Elizabethtown, who came in third place in the tandem canoeing class.
Second-place in the single kayaking class went to Sven Jonsson of Taylorsville, who said, “it was a lot more challenging than last year. It was very well prepared.”
Friends of Rough River Lake Secretary Joan Hurst agreed that this year’s event improved on last year’s. She accredited this year’s move to the lake rather than the river for making things easier and safer, as support boats could more easily maneuver and reach participants having trouble on the water.
Hurst said that they did have to pull a few people from their water-crafts during this year’s race and four participants were unable to complete the triathlon.
Participants ranged in age from 11 to 67 years old, and trophies were awarded for the three best times in each of the two classes: tandem canoeing and single kayaking.
Athletes were released in two waves, with tandem canoe participants going first, and single kayakers shoving off around 15 minutes later, according to Hust.
The singles class winner was Michael Jonsson, of Taylorsville, who finished with a time of one hour, 29 minutes and 23 seconds. Jonsson had not raced since he had a serious cartilage replacement two years ago, according to his father, Sven Jonsson, who came in second place with a time of one hour, 29 minutes and25 seconds.
Dwayne Allen, of Borden, Indiana placed third in that division with a time of one hour 36 minutes and 31 seconds.
In the tandem canoeing class, Casey Howard, of Philpot took the top prize with a time of one hour 41 minutes and 48 seconds. “I had a blast,” Howard said, adding that this was his first ever triathlon.
Second place in the tandem category went to Chet Hutchinson of Fort Knox, with a time of one hour, 42 minutes and seven seconds. Hutchinson’s canoeing teammate, Ben Hornback came in third with a time of one hour, 42 minutes and 11 seconds.
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