CASSOPOLIS — Weather did not play a factor in the Diamond Lake Triathlon Saturday.

However, it certainly made its presence known.

During race setup early Saturday morning, thunderstorms rolled through the Cassopolis area. Cloudy skies were the order of the day during the race with a pair of rain showers drenching competitors and spectators during the later stages of the triathlon.

Nicholas Transbarger, of Camby, Indiana, stormed to the victory in the men’s Olympic Sprint race as he clocked in with a time of 56:50.

Edwardsbsburg’s Heather Schuh was the women’s champion with a time of 1:07:13.

Competitors had to swim 500 yards in Diamond Lake before mounting their bikes for a 12-mile ride, which was followed by the 3.3-mile run to the finish line.

In the men’s race, Josh DeJong, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was the first out of the water and the first to complete the bike ride, but he could not hold off Transbarger in the running portion of the triathlon.

Transbarger caught DeJong about a half-mile into the run and crossed the finish line nearly three seconds in front of him.

DeJong had a time of 5:55 in the water, 28:59 on the bike and 23:38 on the run.

Transbarger was 6:15 in the water and 29:18 on the bike. In the run, he posted a time of 20:20.

“I love this course,” Transbarger said. “I love coming back here. I love coming out here to support the cause and the course is fantastic and safe. He (DeJong) crushed the swim and the bike. I just tried to keep it close. I tried to reel it back in on the run.”

DeJong said that swimming and riding are his two favorite events in the triathlon.

“I heard him catching me about a half-mile into the run,” he said. “I turned around, but I knew it was him. I tried to held on as much as I could, but he is a heckuva runner.”

Transbarger, who competed in the 2016 Diamond Lake Triathlon, competes in between six and 10 events a year.

Schuh had little trouble winning the women’s title as she finished nearly two minutes ahead of runner-up Lizzie Bolka of Indianapolis. Schuh ran a 1:07:13, while Bolka finished with a 1:09:19.

Buchanan’s Abigail Paul was third with a time of 1:11:04.

Schuh posted a time of 8:54 in the swim, a time of 32:41 on the bike and 24:26 on the run.

Bolka beat Schuh out of the water after posting a time of 8:33 in the swim, but fell behind on the bike with a time of 34:34. She posted a time of 24:31 in the running portion of the event.

 

DIAMOND LAKE TRIATHLON

At Cassopolis

Men’s overall

Nicholas Tranbarger, Camby, Indiana 56:50

Women’s overall

Heather Schuh, Edwardsburg 1:07:13

 

Age Division winners

Male 15-19

Zachary Benes, Chicago 1:03:57

Female 15-19

Lydia Schubkegel, Kalamazoo 1:42:10

Male 20-24

Daniel Powers, Granger, Indiana 1:09:22

Female 20-24

Danielle Hutcherson, Winona Lake, Indiana 1:24:53

Male 25-29

Sam Campbell, Benton Harbor 1:26:52

Female 25-29

Emily Bartlett, Mason, Michigan 1:13:47

Male 30-34

Lee Bolka, Indianapolis, Indiana 1:03:16

Female 30-34

Rachel Penner, Goshen, Indiana 1:24:12

Male 35-39

Andrew Martin, Granger 1:08:01

Female 35-39

Rebecca Johnson, Elkhart, Indiana 1:19:57

Male 40-44

Scott Meyers, Granger 1:05:12

Female 40-44

Shelley Pillado, Edwardsburg 1:22 34

Male 45-49

Jerald Schrock, Goshen 1:04:23

Female 45-49

Dee Berry, Dowagiac 1:22:37

Male 50-54

Michael Warner, Chicago 1:05:45

Female 50-54

JoAnn Kennedy, Portage, Indiana 1:18:05

Male 55-59

Arlen Welty, Bristol, Indiana 1:17:11

Female 55-59

Sue Huys, Cassopolis 1:43:01

Male 60-64

Daniel Goveart, Griffith, Indiana 1:15:09

Female 60-64

Katheleen Spillane, Chelsea, Michigan 1:20:29

Male 65-69

James McGinnis, Indianapolis 1:12:39

Male 70-74

Fed Hemsath, St. Joseph 1:27:30

 

Sprint Team results

Tri-Avengers 1:16:25

Rookies 1:17:33

Dead or Alive 1:35:06