About 100 athletes came to Pine Plains on Sunday, June 28, for the Stissing Triathlon, drawing competitors from across New York and 10 other states, including Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia. All participants completed the race.
Ian McGrew, 39, of Kingston, was the overall winner, finishing the 800-yard swim in Stissing Lake, 12.6-mile bike ride, and 3.3-mile run in 1:12:37.
McGrew, who said he has been racing bikes since he was 9, said his strongest performance came in the aquabike portion of the triathlon, which he completed in 34:17.
“I was pretty happy it was over,” McGrew said with a laugh, adding that although the water was a little warm, smooth road conditions helped during the bike and run segments. “It was a great race, there was good competition.”
Although this was McGrew’s first time competing in Pine Plains, he began participating in triathlons about a decade ago and has since joined numerous races, including some organized by race directors Mark and Tonia Wilson. The couple organizes 14 events across the state, and this year marked their eighth consecutive Stissing Triathlon.
“It was beautiful weather, no wind, no rain,” Mark said. “The temperature was 75 to 78 degrees, sunny and perfect.”
Sermet Alver of Yorktown Heights placed second overall, finishing in 1:13:29. Sean Dillon of Fishkill placed third in 1:14:00.
In the aquabike sprint, medals went to two Connecticut residents: Keith Willis of Simsbury, who finished in 58:48, and Jennifer Henkel of Granby, who finished in 1:00:10.
In the sprint relay, The Three Smores, a team from Amenia, finished first in 1:20:08. Triforce, of Mohegan Lake, placed second in 1:28:06.
The triathlon drew participants across a wide age range. The oldest competitor, Jim Becker of Woodstock, competed in the men’s 80-84 division and finished in 1:51:28. The youngest, Aiden Miller of New York, competed in the men’s 15-19 division and finished in 1:56:01.
Registration is open for the 2027 Stissing Triathlon, scheduled for June 27.