Hundreds Compete in Resort Races

ASSATEAGUE- Hundreds of fitness enthusiasts descended
on the resort area last week for a pair of highly successful events including
the Ocean City 5-Mile Boardwalk Run on Saturday followed by the Assateague
Assault Triathlon on Sunday.

The
two events were produced by OC Tri-Running, the same organization that produces
the annual Ocean City Half-Marathon, and are part of a year-long series of
running, biking and swimming events. On Friday, 121 competitors participated in
the Boardwalk 5-Mile Run, which started at the Boardwalk Arch at North Division
Street, circled around the historic pier and headed north on the Boardwalk
before turning around and heading back to a finish at the Inlet.

Andrew
Shearer of Bear, Del. was the top overall finisher, completing the course in
30:39. Chad Ahalt of Ocean City was the top local finisher, coming in sixth
overall with a time of 32:55, followed closely by Corey Dietrich of Ocean
Pines, who finished seventh with a time of 33:27.

The
rest of the top local finishers included Don Parana of Ocean Pines, who
finished 13^th overall at 37:29, and Leigh Biggerman (16^th-
37:51). Other locals of note included David Haley, 24^th; Elaine
Urban, 26^th; Kristin Pike, 36^th; Nicole Rittling, 40^th;
John Yonker, 51^st; and Errin DePalma, 69^th).

The
Boardwalk 5-Mile Run was a precursor of sorts for the main event on Sunday, OC
Tri-Running's Assateague Assault Triathlon. The sprint distance triathlon
included a half-mile ocean swim, a 14-mile bike and a 3.2-mile run. A total of
489 competitors from all over the country competed in the triathlon for the
benefit of the Greater Ocean City chapter of the U.S. Lifesaving Association
and the Friends of Assateague State Park.

The
top finisher in the grueling three-leg triathlon was Steven O'Boyle of
Delaware, who came in at 1:05:07, including a 10:37 swim, a 33:04 bike and a
20:17 run. Mike Meehan of Pennsylvania was second, finishing in 1:06:27. Meehan
was the top finisher in the swimming leg and the top finisher in the running
leg.

William
Miller of New Jersey was third overall with a time of 1:07:30. Miller was the
top finisher in the bike leg of the race. The top female finisher was Mandy
Hudson of Sparks, Md., who finished the three-leg course in 1:15: 33. A local
team won the triathlon relay with Fran Moran completing the swim, Sharon Repass
doing the bike and Terry Moody doing the run.

The
top local individual finisher was Dean Pierson of Ocean City, who finished

sixth overall at 1:10:19. Other top local finishers of note  in the Top 100 included Randy Strom of

Yonker of Ocean City (76^th), and Dawn Ehman of Ocean City (90^th).