By Staff
The 22nd annual Niles Triathlon and Duathlon was held under ideal weather conditions Saturday at Barron Lake and on the roads of Howard Township.
More than 340 athletes from throughout the midwest came to Niles to participate in one of the oldest events in the Michigan Grand Prix series of triathlons.
The Niles Triathlon and Duathlon is the major fund raising event of the Niles Noon Optimist Club. Profits from this event are used to support the many youth activities and community service projects conducted by the Niles Noon Optimist Club throughout the year.
The triathlon course is a one half-mile swim followed by a 17.5-mile bicycle ride and a five-mile run. The duathlon begins with a five-kilometer run and then joins the triathletes for the last two events. Several athletes chose to run only the five-kilometer run.
The overall winner of the triathlon was Joe Deighan of Birmingham for the second consecutive year. Cheryl Klotkowski of Dearborn was the overall female winner. D.J. Hanback of South Bend, Ind., in fourth place was the highest finishing local resident.
In the duathlon Henry Layne of Atlanta, Ind., was the overall winner and Ann Remmers of Ann Arbor was the overall female winner. Ken Glick of Bremen, Ind., was the highest placing local resident, coming in tenth place.
Kyle Kriger of Nunica and Lori Wallace of South Haven were the top male and female finishers in the five-kilometer run.