PROVIDENCE, RI -- Luc Morin was the top finisher at the inaugural Amica 19.7 Newport today. The 40-year-old professional triathlete from Canada captured the win with a blazing time of 59:15 under bright sunny skies at Second Beach in Middletown, RI.
The trip to Rhode Island was as quick as Morin's race. He drove six hours from Montreal on Friday, competed this morning and headed back home Saturday afternoon.
"My legs were a little like jelly from being in the car yesterday, but I really pushed hard on the bike. I was in the third wave so I was catching people the whole way," said Morin. "Great race. The course had a challenging terrain and was well marshalled."
Mattias Dunse, 28, from Germany wasn't far behind Morin. Dunse, who is in the United States on vacation, finished in 1:00:07.
"The season is over in Germany. I was happy to find a race to compete while I was here," said Dunse. "I really liked the course a lot...challenging, with the hills and the wind. I am really happy with how I did. This was a great race."
Shawn Connell-Clarkson of Portsmouth was the top female. Connell-Clarkson, 36, recorded a winning time of 1:09:50.
Former "Biggest Loser" participants Jay Kruger and Rudy Pauls both competed in today's race. Kruger, a contestant on the NBC show in 2008, completed the Amica 19.7 Newport in 1:23.47.
"I had a great time today," said Kruger, 34, of nearby New Bedford, MA. "The course was awesome....it was a little windy, but it was so scenic with the ocean on one side. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun today. "
Pauls, the "Biggest Loser" runner-up last season, finished in 1:28:26.
"I have competed in a lot of sports in my life time, but this sport is different. It's amazing. It doesn't matter how you finish. Sure, it's great to get a PR (personal record), but just to finish is a great accomplishment," said Pauls. "Training for races and competing in them is what I have to do to keep the weight off. It allows me to set goals and I know I have work hard to reach them."
The race was a homecoming of sorts for Pauls, who grew up in Little Compton and graduated from Middletown High School.
"I love this area," he said. "I still have friends and family here. It was great to be able to participate in a race here."
Nearly 430 participants competed in the inaugural Amica 19.7 Newport. A half-mile swim was scheduled to kick off the race. High winds, strong swells and dangerous rip currents forced the swim portion to be cancelled. A quarter mile run on Middletown's Second Beach began the race instead. Triathletes then transitioned to the bike at Second Beach and headed out on Sachuest Point Road to begin the 16.1-mile ride through Middletown and Portsmouth. The one-loop bike course continued along East Main Road, Wapping Road and Indian Avenue. The course continued along scenic Third Beach and the Norman Bird Sanctuary before heading back to Second Beach, where the run course began. The 3.1-mile run continued along Hanging Rock Road and Third Beach Road and finished at Second Beach.
This event was the ninth stop in the 2010 Amica 19.7 Triathlon Series, a sprint distance series of events held throughout the country. The 10-event series culminates in Phoenix, AZ, in November.
To register for any events in the Amica 19.7 Tri Series events visit: AmicaTriSeries.com.
About Amica Mutual Insurance
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation's oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, RI, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,200 people in 40 offices across the country. Visit Amica.com.
About Eident Sports Marketing
Eident Sports is a full-service event management and sports marketing company based in Providence, RI. Eident has several properties in the region, ranging from turn-key sporting events to sponsorship sales alliances with key partners. For more information on Eident's events and offerings, please visit www.eidentsports.com.
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