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ImageIn its fourth year, the Lansing Family Triathlon was slightly down in participation, but just as high as ever in spirit and community support.  Though thunder storms threatened, they held off until the triathlon was finished.  About 70 athletes, half of them kids, participated in the event this year.  "What's new this year is that we opened the youth division up to families," says Physical Education Teacher Lisa LiVigne.  "Adults can compete at the youth distance.  They might feel more comfortable doing that distance than the adult distance.  It allows them to compete along with their kids.  They're not eligible for an award in that division."

Traditionally there have been two divisions, one for adults and one for kids.  This year a third division was added so athletes could compete as a family.  While adults in this division are not eligible for awards, it allows them to be a part of a team with their children.  Participants in the two other divisions can compete on a team, or do all three courses including swimming, running, and bicycling, themselves.  The whole point is to promote physical fitness, and LiVigne says her whole department gets into the act, dividing responsibilities for the three courses.

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This year the bike route was changed for adults.  In past years the route took them along Wilson Road, Buck, and Route 34.  This year the route was changed to take them all the way up Salmon Creek Road to the northern town line and back, through Ludlowville and along Brickyard Hill Road to the high school track.  The kids route was similar, but didn't extend nearly as far north on Salmon Creek Road.

ImageYouth Division 12 years and Under
 
Boys, Individual
1.  Spencer Warkentin    26.29
2.  Ethan Kutler                31.24
3.  Ben Kutler                   31.48
4.  Andy Parks                33.52
 
Boys, Teams
1.  Kayle VandePoel, Sam Currie, Alex Schutz        27.5
2.  Tyler Winslow, Jason Yahn, Jacob Palladino        27.5
3.  Ronan Corgel, Dylan Bland, John Schafer            29.47
 
Girls, Teams
1.  Isabelle Corgel, Rachel Brock, Emily Rasmussen    30.3
2.  Ashley Burt, Aurora Allen, Cassidy Towner                38.02
3.  Carlyn Matheny, Emma Dhimitri, Michelle Schafer    43.17
 
Mixed Teams
1.  Anna Conte, Charlie Mauser, Lauren Phlegar            28.4
2.  Jessica Moster, Craig Moster, Danny Cretney            29.51
3.  Jada Gooch, Kelsey Hagin, Danny Zheng                    37.5
 
Adults and Children Under 12
Kamryn Phlegar, Charlie Phlegar, Karen Phlegar            28.5



The entry fees help pay for fitness equipment in Lansing High School, but LiVigne says that is secondary to encouraging residents to stay fit.  "After three years we only have about $1,800 after we buy tee shirts, awards and other things," she says.  "So it isn't really that much of a fund raiser.  We don't even have enough to buy one good piece of equipment, but we'll just keep plugging away."

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Everyone wins when they stay physically fit

The course started at the high school pool.  Once team swimmers finished the bicycle race began, followed by the run, with families and competitors cheering the athletes on at each leg.  Some competed in all three legs, and only one family competed as a team this year.  That was the Phlegar family.  With parents Charlie and Karen doing the bicycle and the run, third grader Cameron completed the swim laps.  The team finished the course in 28.5 minutes.  Shanna Swanson, who won in the individual kid's division last year, did an impressive job this year in the adult female division, coming in second, only about ten minutes behind Caroline Rasmussen, who competes in other Triathlons as well.


ImageAdult Division
 
Males, Individual
 
1.  Dan Brown            1:13.28
2.  Paul Beckwith        1:15.16
3.  Ben Parkes            1:24.04
4.  Bruce Barber        1:27.19
 
Males, Teams
1.  John Conte, Doug Firth, Todd Mallinson        1:09.40
2.  Luke Schafer, Andrew Barber, Taylor Schuster    1:17.44

Female, Individuals
 
1.  Caroline Rasmussen        1:25.28
2.  Shanna Swanson                1:36.4
 
Female, Teams
1.  Alex Conte, Nina Lindberg, Jocelyn Ford        1:30.1
2.  Maureen Stanhope, Linda Hopkins, Diane Schafer    1:31.32
 
Mixed Teams
1.  Emily Rasmussen, Bob Rasmussen, Erik Rasmussen        1:09.03
2.  Shelley Matheny, Mike Matheny, Shelley Matheny                1:12.09
3.  Erin Trowbridge, Maureen Trowbridge, Craig Trowbridge    1:21.08
4.  Kim Sweeney, Crista Salmon, Daryl Hill                                    1:35.39



"I just love seeing everybody compete in something that helps them stay so physically fit," LiVigne says.  "People have been training all summer for this, and kids being outside playing stay fit.  That's the best part, to see people staying active all summer and being active in this.  And it's fun to see families and the support of this as a community.  The whole idea is to have it be fun.  We're not worried about it being competitive."

Thanks to Audrey Hummel for photos and scores

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