Allen Heights Vet Team Wins Josh Billings
LENOX, Mass. — The team from Pittsfield's Allen Heights Veterinary won the Josh Billings RunArground triathlon on Sunday.
Biker Josh Lipka, the canoe tandem of Bob Rapant and Tom Keefe and runner Steve Monsulick combined for a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 4 seconds over the 38-mile course.
That was good enough to finish 1:51 ahead of the overall second-place team from Pittsfield Health Food Center, which won the kayak division. Biker Dean Phillips, paddlers Ben Pigott and Mike Dostal and runner Steve Dowsett finished in 2:19:55.
Five hundred teams were expected to start the 38th annual event, which begins with a 27-mile bike ride, continues with a 5-mile canoe/kayak/paddleboard trek across the Stockbridge Bowl and concludes with a 6-mile run to Tanglewood.
The top individual was Kris Freeman, who won the ironman title with a time of 2:36:35, beating Kent Lemme (2:38:19).
The all-female canoe category was won by Girlzillas Return, which crossed the finish line in 2:37:27. Jenny Ives biked before passing the baton to canoers Laura Walton and Gloria Wesley, and Lori Kingsley finished things off.
The first woman to finish the course on her own was kayaker Teresa Warner Maiuri, who finished in 3:21:24.
