Race Coverage

McCoy & DKT Repeat...

Monday, 08 August 2016 05:10

ED. Here is the Duluth News Tribune's great coverage of yesterday's Brewhouse Triathlon. Enjoy.

By Matt Wellens (duluthnewstrbune.com)

When Bridget McCoy emerged from the waters of Island Lake Reservoir right behind teammate and eventual men’s elite winner David Thompson, she knew she not only had a good swim, but was in for a good race.

What McCoy didn’t realize was how close of a race it would be, however. Turns out the career swimmer needed those extra seconds in the water to beat out Lisa Lendway for the second consecutive year and take first place among the elite women on the long course of Sunday’s 30th Brewhouse Triathlon.

McCoy and Lendway, both of St. Paul, turned in the second- and third-fastest times for women on the long course since the Duluth race moved from Pike Lake to Island Lake in 2013. McCoy made the 1,640-yard swim to and from the beach at the Island Lake Recreation Area, the 24.8-mile bike ride down Rice Lake, Emerson, Fish Lake and Taft roads and the 6.2-mile run north along Rice Lake Road in 2 hours, 12 minutes and 26 seconds.

“I could feel (Lisa) on the run,” said McCoy, 33, who is in her fifth year running with the Gear West team out of the Twin Cities. “Lisa is a really strong cyclist ... I knew I was going to have to go lights out on the ride, which I did. On the run ... on the turnaround was the first time you could really see her. I could feel her 1,200 meters out (from the finish), so I was like, ‘Oh man, I’m really going to have to push it here.’ “

Lendway, 35, crossed the finish line just 17 seconds after McCoy. Tiffany Kari, 36, of Duluth was third in 2:20:20.