Schuh, Benes win Eagle Lake Triathlon titles

Published 10:33 am Monday, August 9, 2021

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EDWARDSBURG — Heath Schuh, of Edwardsburg, had to wait a year to defend her Eagle Lake Triathlon crown.

Schuh, who won the 2019 title, was the women’s overall champion on Saturday with a time of 56.37.03. She easily defeated runner-up Mary Ward, of Rolling Prairie, Indiana, who finished with a time of 1:05.03.

Schuh, who ran 1:40.49 2019, could not defend her title last year as the triathlon was canceled due to COVID-19.

Zach Benes, of Chicago, won the men’s overall title with a time of 53:45.43. Jim Langfeldt, of Osceola, Indiana, was the runner-up with a time of 56:56.06. Curtis Harris, of Niles, the 2019 winner, finished fourth with a time of 59:18.09. Harris finished with a time of 1:33.38 when he won the race.

The long and short sprints were combined for 2021, and there was a new course.

Participants swam 300 yards before mounting their bikes before doing three loops around North Shore Drive, Davis Lake Street and Thatcher before returning on Eagle Lake Road.

The final leg of the triathlon was a run out and back along South Shore Drive.

Rounding out the top five female finishers were Sami Weaver, of Angola, Indiana (1:07,40); Raquelle Landa, of Clifton Park, New York, (1:09.53) and Katie Aulbach, of Galesburg, (1:10.09).

Rounding out the top five male finishers were Luke Benes, of Chicago, (58:34.53); Harris and Gense Crusie, of Elkhart, Indiana (1:00.03).

For more results and photos, go to leaderpub.com.