Callahan, Bakker take Aukeman Triathlon honors

The 83 triathletes that came out to Saturday’s Aukeman Sprint Triathlon all ran for different reasons, some cuter than others. First place female finisher Jordan Callahan had a 12-week-old border collie waiting at the finish line, which proved enough motivation for her to stay ahead of the pack.

“It’s definitely a perk,” Callahan said after posting her 1 hour, 12 minutes, 53 seconds finish.

Anchorage resident and first time Aukeman participant Mick Bakker was motivated to try something different, saying he came to Juneau on a whim. Bakker, a physician’s assistant, took first place for men.

“This is by far one of the best courses I’ve ever been on. I race quite a bit in the Lower 48; Whistler, Canada; a lot of the Anchorage-area races. The venue is amazing, the organization is great and I can’t imagine a race that’s better. I’ll definitely come back,” he said after finishing with a 1:03:39 time.

Bakker was enamored with the course for good reason. With views of Auke Lake and the Mendenhall Glacier, one of the Aukeman’s challenges is not getting distracted by the scenery. After a 750-meter swim in Auke Lake, triathletes transition to a 19-kilometer bike ride to the glacier and back, then to a 5K run along Auke Lake Trail, a course that finishes at the University of Alaska Southeast.

Bakker had to contend with veteran Juneau triathlete John Bursell (1:05:19) to secure the win. The two were neck-and-neck coming into the final transition. Bakker was able to push for the lead with a burst after slapping on his running shoes, a gambit that proved crucial to his win and helped him hold off any comeback on the final leg.

“I just put on a little burst out of the transition to see how he (Bursell) felt and I was fortunate to squeak out a win,” Bakker said.

Kristin Jones, an open-water marathon swimmer and coach, competes in triathlons to raise awareness for Friedreich’s ataxia, a debilitating nervous system disease that has affected her family. Jones, who finished 12th for the women at 1:28:02, helps support the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance by fundraising for her open-water swims, which she goes on several times a year. She stays in shape by training for events like the Aukeman, though she admits she’s much better in the water than on the bike or run portions.

“I tell people I swim like a fish but I also run and bike like a fish,” she said.

• Contact Kevin Gullufsen at kevin.gullufsen@juneauempire.com or call (907) 523-2228.

Top 20 Women

1. Jordan Callahan 1:12:53

2. Susan York 1:14:22

3. April Rezendes 1:16:09

4. Anna Chornyak 1:16:19

5. Jamie Bursell 1:19:07

6. Annie Thomson 1:19:16

7. Jennifer Watson 1:22:20

8. Tracy Morrison 1:22:52

9. Kara Hollatz 1:24:31

10. Kate Glover 1:26:53

11. Jean Butler 1:27:31

12. Kristin Jones 1:28:02

13. Audrey Kelley 1:30:22

14. Kim Rivera 1:31:58

15. Naomi Staley 1:32:08

16. Charlee Gribbon 1:33:04

17. Ingrid White 1:34:13

18. Laurel Sheufelt 1:35:38

19. Kiley Murphy 1:36:27

20. Shutney Frisbie 1:36:29

 

Top 20 Men

1. Mick Bakker 1:03:39

2. John Bursell 1:05:19

3. Jim Ustasiewski 1:11:20

4. Kenny Fox 1:12:05

5. Justin Dorn 1:12:05

6. Scott May 1:13:04

7. Aaron Morrison 1:14:08

8. Kevin Hansen 1:14:31

9. Randy Peterson 1:15:14

10. Mark Neidhold 1:16:11

11. Daren Booton 1:17:25

12. Hiram Henry 1:17:25

13. Ryan Bischoff 1:18:47

14. Scott Gende 1:19:09

15. Noatak Post 1:20:18

16. Steve Parker 1:21:30

17. Jim Calvin 1:23:32

18. Brandon Cullum 1:23:37

19. Skyler Graves 1:24:45

20. Terwiliger Paige 1:28:40

 

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