Everest has the North Face. North Africa has the Sahara Desert. Pine Plains has Sigler Road—a bicycle climb 900 feet uphill in Gallatin along a 15% grade. When you have just swum a half mile, “it hurts like hell,” said one participant in the June 25 Stissing Triathlon.
Athletes came from as far away as Florida to compete in the 12th edition of the triathlon. (The event took a year off during the pandemic.) Jennifer Chase, then a fourth grade teacher in the Pine Plains Central School District, launched the Stissing Triathlon in 2010 with around 50 entrants. This year, for the town’s bicentennial, the event drew a record field of 103 competitors.
Of the participants this year, 93 signed up to swim 750 meters in Stissing Lake, bike 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in Pine Plains and Gallatin, then run a 5K (3.1 miles) around Stissing Lake to the finish line at Recreational Park—the distances for a sprint triathlon. Four entrants chose a new alternative for non-runners, the aqua bike competition. They swam and cycled, but opted out of the 5K.
The physical demands of a triathlon can be daunting, so relays in which each teammate takes a leg in the race are a popular option. Two three-member teams signed up this year, one of which included the youngest participant ever in the Stissing Triathlon: 9–year–old Brenna Underwood of Schoharie, New York. “I’ve been a runner for three years now already,” she said. “I know we’re going to make it to the medals podium!”
The oldest competitor was 80-year old Sibyl Jacobson of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, who completed the entire triathlon in 2:15:27. The winner was Graham Gaydos, of Beacon, who finished in 1:03:09.
Race directors Tonia and Mark Wilson of Wilson Endurance have managed the event since 2017. Mark has been a runner for 50 years, and with his wife is cofounder of the Hudson Valley Triathlon Club. The Wilsons run 20 events a year in New York State. The Pine Plains triathlon, they say, is distinguished by the bike leg. “The bicycle course is particularly hard,” says Mark Wilson. “It’s very technical and very hilly.”
Tonia Wilson was enthusiastic about both the turnout and the assistance the event received from the town: “Pine Plains put either a policeman or a member of the fire department on every corner, and there are town lifeguards in kayaks on the lake during the swim.”
“Supervisor Brian Walsh and the town officials did an incredible job in supporting us,” added Mark. Local fire departments helped out, and the New York State Dive Team closely monitored the swimmers from their rescue boat in Stissing Lake.
Local sponsors of the event included Hammertown, Ronnybrook Farms and The Stissing Center.
Mark Wilson gave instructions to the athletes before the race began. “There won’t be a starting cannon again this year—hopefully next year.” he said. “So just listen for ‘set, GO!’” He painted water soluble orange arrows on the streets for the bike route, and marked treacherous upcoming curves. “When you see the words ‘slow down’, you’d better do it,” he said. “The technical turns are tricky on these hills!” He shook hands with every participant in the swim race, the first event in the triathlon.
Tonia had the most important job for the first leg: She was the counter. “We have to make sure the same number of people come out of the water as go in,” she said.
All 103 starters finished. The Southern Tier Brewing Company from western New York State provided free beer for the participants after the race.