2004 HORSE-RUN-BIKE TRIATHLON RESULTS

Saturday, July 19, Hilltop Area Trails

Under the glorious baking sun we had a good turnout for the 4th running of the Horse-Run-Bike Triathlon, considering we were up against the Mayor's Marathon, the Bird Ridge Run, and other organized equestrian events. Especially exciting were the pledges from the Poker Run, totaling $1500, to benefit Rainbow Connection Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program.

Two distances were offered for the triathlon: a "3" mile course and a "6" mile course. The exact distances were not announced until after the event, since equestrians were asked to maintain a fast trot of 7.5 miles per hour. As organizers we did not want to have the equestrians guessing what the ideal time should be. The distance for the long course turned out to be 7.17 miles long, and if the proper average pace was maintained by the equestrians, that course should have been covered in 57 minutes and 22 seconds. Two of five equestrians in that category came in slightly quicker that the ideal time. Janna Jarussi, who posted the fastest of those two times was perhaps aided in that pace by the bear she spotted while riding the course. Kellie Ballard posted a slightly slower time, and by doing so, with a penalty time time of -1:10, established the best equestrian time. Nate Normandine posted the fastest running distance on the long course. In the cycling division Ben Kolean posted the fastest time, a he did last year, with a time of 30:26. Angelica Tasselli's cycling time of 38:33 was the fastest time posted in the female division.

The first placed team over the longer distance was equestrian Panna Jarussi with a penalty time of -1:15, Nate Normandine (runner) 42:59, and Todd List (biker) 32:59, for a total overall time of 1:17:13. Kendra Sontag was handicapped when her horse lost two shoes along the course, with a third shoe barely hanging on.

The "3" mile course was 3.77 miles long, producing an ideal time of 30 minutes and 10 seconds for the equestrian portion. The first out of four teams was composed of Robin Holm (equestrian) with a penalty time of +2:59, John Weddleton (runner) 23:58, and Leonard Fancher (biker) 18:14, for a total overall time of 45:11. Both John and Leonard posted the fastest times in their divisions. Katie Fianzmann on the second placed team posted the fastest female running time of 47:21, and the third placed team of Aimee and David LeClair won the family division, with David doing both the running and biking.

Three individuals participated in the Poker Run, held on a course incorporation mostly trails on the Spencer Loop. The best poker hand was won by Panna Jarussi.

Thank you to all the volunteers who made the event possible. Prizes and services were provided by The Anchorage Athletic Club, Six Bar E Stables, and Rainbow Connections. Promoting organizations included the Arctic Bicycle Club, The Alaska Hunt Club, and The Happy Hikers.

"6" Mile Course Results (7.17 miles in length)

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

357

358

359

Name

Panna Jarussi

Nate Normandine

Todd List

Start Time

15:00

1:11:12

1:54:06

Finish Time

1:11:07

1:54:06

2:27:05

Elapse Time

56:07

42:59

32:59

Penalty Time

-1:15

-----

-----

Total Time

1:17:13

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First Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

350

351

352

Name

Erin Downey

Ron Downey

Ben Kolean

Start Time

10:00

1:25:03

2:13:48

Finish Time

1:25:03

2:13:48

2:44:14

Elapse Time

1:15:03

48:45

30:26

Penalty Time

17:41

-----

-----

Total Time

1:36:52

-----
Second Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

344

345

346

Name

Kellie Ballard

David Bondi

Angelica Tasselli

Start Time

15:00

1:11:12

2:17:29

Finish Time

1:11:12

2:17:29

2:56:02

Elapse Time

56:12

1:06:17

38:33

Penalty Time

-1:10

-----

-----

Total Time

1:46:00

-----
Third Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

369

364

370

Name

JoAnn Schnellbacker

Robin Knudson

Kathy Faryniarz

Start Time

10:00

1:25:38

1:54:06

Finish Time

1:25:03

2:41:38

2:34:12

Elapse Time

1:15:03

1:16:00

40:06

Penalty Time

17:41

-----

-----

Total Time

2:10:47

-----
Fourth Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

363

364

365

Name

Kendra Sontag

Robin Knudson

Jerry Smith

Start Time

10:00

1:25:38

2:35:44

Finish Time

1:25:38

2:41:38

3:19:07

Elapse Time

1:15:38

1:16:00

43:23

Penalty Time

18:16

-----

-----

Total Time

2:17:39

-----
Fifth Place

"3" Mile Course Results (3.77 miles in length)

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

354

355

356

Name

Robin Holm

John Weddleton

Leonard Fancher

Start Time

0:00

33:09

57:07

Finish Time

33:09

57:07

1:15:21

Elapse Time

33:09

23:58

18:14

Penalty Time

2:59

----

----

Total Time

45:11

-----
First Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

347

348

349

Name

Julie Britton

Katie Fianzmann

Kathy Pankoski

Start Time

15:00

47:21

1:13:38

Finish Time

47:21

1:13:38

1:36:00

Elapse Time

32:21

26:07

22:22

Penalty Time

2:11

-----

-----

Total Time

50:40

-----
Second Place

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

371

372

373

Name

Aimee LeClair

David LeClair

David LeClair

Start Time

5:00

37:24

1:10:45

Finish Time

37:24

1:10:45

1:31:48

Elapse Time

32:24

33:21

21:03

Penalty Time

2:14

-----

-----

Total Time

56:38

-----
Third Place
First place in the Family Division

Team

Equestrian

Runner

Biker

Bib #

366

367

368

Name

Emily Brassard

Cheryl Campbell

Jeff Campbell

Start Time

5:00

37:24

1:15:31

Finish Time

37:24

1:15:31

1:39:18

Elapse Time

32:24

38:07

23:47

Penalty Time

2:14

-----

-----

Total Time

1:04:08

-----
Fourth Place

Aimee LeClair and Emily Brassard take off on the equestrian leg of the triathlon.

Kellie Ballard cools off her horse while her team mate Angelica Tasselli waits for the third member of their team, David Bondi, to complete the running leg of the triathlon.

Robin Holm obtains two cards from volunteer Bette Ross at the completion of the Poker Run.

Jarussi team wins a wild triathlon

ALASKA SPORTS DIGEST, Published: June 20, 2004, Anchorage Daily News

Panna Jarussi hand led a pair of furry animals with ease to help her three-person team finish first during Saturday's Horse-Run-Bike Triathlon held throughout the trail systems of Hilltop Ski Area. Jarussi, who rode horseback, finished the six-mile course along with runner Nate Normandin and mountain biker Todd List in 1 hour, 17 minutes and 13 seconds. Jarussi bettered all five equestrians, despite picking up a 1:15 penalty for trotting too fast. Course officials said her penalty could have happened due to Jarussi's encounter with a bear while riding on the trail. Almost thirty athletes participated in the four-year-old race that pledged $1,500 for the Rainbow Connection, a group that offers horseback riding as physical therapy for people with disabilities.

Horse-Run-Bike Triathlon

Sponsored by Arctic Bike Club, Alaska Hunt Club and Happy Hikers

At Hilltop Ski Area Trails

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This page has been created by, and is updated by Bjarne Holm. I can be reached at: Email Bjarne Holm or 11441 Browder Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507. You can also reach me by phone at 1-907-346-3910, FAX at 346-4753, or Bjarne Holm's home page.