Ewan Horsburgh and Gia Madole Win Inaugural Tahoe 200m

The inaugural Tahoe 200 Endurance Run is closing in on it's 100-hour cutoff, and Australia's Ewan Horsburgh (61:32) and Oklahoma's Gia Madole (75:56, 10th overall) have emerged victorious after 78,000' of climbing and descent that circumvents the great Lake Tahoe in California and Nevada. Nearly 50 finishers made it through the brutal course, including a few like Inside Trail Racing's Victor Ballesteros (2nd, 63:43) who never even slept! Simply amazing.

(Tahoe 200 elevation chart...wowza!)

Horsburgh came all the way from Katoomba, New South Wales, to test his 100k and 24hr World Championship running skills against the Tahoe mountain course. He stayed in the Top 5 through most of the race, claiming the lead in the final 20 miles as a fading John Burton (3rd, 65:02), who led the race for 130+ miles, slipped back. Victor Ballesteros (63:43), no stranger to Tahoe after years of TRT100 finishes and FKT attempts, climbed steadily through the day from 19th to 2nd place.

(Horsburgh celebrates his record run)

(Champagne and Oreos for female winner Gia Madole)

Harrah, OK's Madole used the Ouchita Trail 50m (1st, 9:38) and Bryce 100m (3rd, 24:48) for her preparation this year, and made a strong second half charge to go from 25th to 10th place overall, with a fast closing Michelle Halsne from Mukilteo, WA, who finished 12th in 77:47. Canadian Claire Perks finished third woman in 81:16 for 22nd overall.

Bravo to the brave starters, finishers, and volunteers of the Tahoe 200! Simply amazing! Lots of great photos on the Tahoe 200 FB page if you want to see more.

A Fun and Frigid Ironman Lake Tahoe

Last Sunday, I had the great pleasure of joining ~2,300 adventurous triathletes for the inaugural Ironman Lake Tahoe near Squaw Valley, CA. This course was already set to be one of the toughest Ironman races on the planet with its high altitude swim and four big climbs on the bike, but when the temps dropped to the low 30's on race morning, it sealed the #1 slot for sure. Thanks to the help of great volunteers and fellow warriors, I was able to find that finish line in the Olympic Village as the sun came down, and was thrilled to be a part of a killer day of adventure. Encore! Encore!

(A chilly scene as Ironman Lake Tahoe kicks off, photo courtesy of Tahoe Daily Tribune;
unfortunately my camera was stolen so I'm going to have borrow pics for this report)

I was pretty nervous the night before the race, much in thanks to still feeling those sore cracked/bruised ribs from my fall at the Matterhorn Ultraks 46k four weeks ago (the pics were worth it, I swear!). If you've ever injured your ribs then you know what it's like - everything feels fine until you cough, laugh, or sneeze, and then you nearly black out from the pain and have to check your shorts for spontaneous leakage. I had given the ribs a few week of rest, and fit in three pool sessions and three bike rides before the race, not nearly enough for something like IMLT. I could only hope that the trail running fitness was a good enough base. I checked in with my endurance-friendly doctor, who said "you aren't going to hurt yourself more with cracked ribs, but it's gonna be painful from the first stroke...then again, you types are in it for the pain anyway, right?". Um, not quite the way I would say it, but he's got a point. More pain for my money, I guess.

My IMLT entry had been paid for by a close friend (a whopping $675!), and with no refunds/postponements allowed, I was feeling guilty enough to at least start the race. Plus I love it when there are new races in the Lake Tahoe area and want to be a part of them in any way I can. I ran into my friend and super-triathlete Kyle Welch at the check-in, and he was in a similar situation wondering if it was wise to finish given his short course race season wasn't over. He wisely pointed out that the swim, bike, and run all had loop formats so there were lots of options to bail and cheer. So let's do it!

(How do you know Ironman is in town? Lots of cars with bikes on the back worth more than the car)

(Many Ironman competitors take "fanatic" to a whole new level...I don't think a little snow is going to be enough to back them down)

My freak out level reached new heights as I was shoveling snow off my car at 4am on race morning. WTF?!? Is this race really going to happen? How do you swim at altitude when it's snowing outside?!? It was starting to sound less like a tri, and more like one of those dare stories that ends with "...and that's how I lost my toes". I checked Twitter for the cancellation message, but all I found was other nervous athletes alternating between "holy crap" and "let's do this". Yup, not the only one! I grabbed my wetsuit and headed down to Kings Beach. 

I zipped into my wetsuit and donned my Vibrams to ease the walk across the crunchy, frozen sand. The fog hung on the lake, thick enough that we couldn't even see the first buoy from water level. The ghostly silhouettes of paddle boarding lifeguards faded in and out, assuring us we were not alone, and I loved the mystery of just heading straight into the foggy unknown with thousands of random warriors. One woman next to me had a panic attack, and with a few friends, walked away from the start saying "noooo way". But for most of us, it was GAME ON. At 6:40am, we filled the air with primal screams and charged into the abyss!

(EPIC SWIM! Photo courtesy of TRS Photos) 

(Heading into the unknown, photo courtesy of TRS Photos)

(Paddlers and safety crew keep an eye on us, photo courtesy of Susan Locke)

(Getting inventive to escape the cold ground)

The water was cold (~55 degrees), but not nearly as cold as the air, which oddly made it easy to bury your face right in. The ribs ached from the first pull, as promised, but the compression of the wetsuit and icy water really took the edge off. I took a kick to the ribs in the first half mile from a swimmer who was apparently heading back, and immediately made my way to the first pontoon for a short break. But as my hands and feet froze up, I realized it was better to just keep moving, so I found a less crowded spot in the lake and got back to business. 

As we made the turn and started heading back on the first lap, the view a mile off the shore was incredible! Snow in the mountains, swimmers coming out of the fog, and the sun desperately burning through the clouds. By the time we finished the first lap (1.2 miles, ~40 minutes), the sun began to light up the sandy floor of Lake Tahoe and cast the mountains in an orange glow. Amazing! I had no idea winter swimming could be so fun.

(Romaine Guillame and Joe Gambles are first out)

(Walking on water, photo courtesy of Jason Neary)

(Swim done!)

As we got out of the water (2.4 miles, 1:26), the sand had warmed enough to assist my dizzy stagger. My hands and feet were lifeless ice blocks, and when I found my transition bag with a frozen knot on top, I just had to laugh. What the hell are we doing?!? It took eight frigid minutes of waiting in line to make my way into the T1 tent, already packed to the edges with Romanesque nakedness. Seeing naked dudes cheek-to-cheek in front of the heater while sucking the ice off of their transition bag knots is a vision I will not long forget, but believe me, that was the thing to do if you were shaking from hypothermia. A handful of angelic volunteers picked out the worst of us and got them warm, and after 26 minutes (longest T1 transition ever), I had on ALL my bike gear, scraped the frost of my bike seat, knocked the icicles of my handlebars, and hit the road.

It was good to get rolling, although the chilly air wasn't doing much to revive my extremities. I was on my road bike today (ribs couldn't take the aero position of tri bars) and opted to go harder than I should to get the blood flowing. My family jewels had already retreated far into my body cavity (always a shocking feeling), giving me a rare chance to experience how a bike seat must feel for a woman. By Tahoe City (mile 10), it began to warm up, but we soon turned into the shadowy corridor of Hwy 89 and the temps dropped back into the 30's. The jewels will have to hibernate a few more miles.

(Bundled up and having fun!)

(Putting in some chilly miles, photo courtesy of TRS Photos)

The good folks of Truckee were out in force (mile 30), and the course took us right through downtown before climbing up to a bike path and putting our faces in the sun. Aaaahhh! I got back six of my fingers, which was enough to open food packets at the aid station where I stopped. Just as I was inhaling a banana, another rider slammed into my elbow and knocked me over, but I halted my anger when I saw him b-line to the port-o-potties and ALMOST make it. Almost. Yikes...can't say I would have been any more civil in that scenario!

(A tough bike route...now go do this 2 1/2 times)

The first big climb up Martis Creek (mile 40) was exactly what the doctor ordered, and we all got out of the saddle and got our core temps back on track. I could hear the sighs of relief from the other riders as they shook out their tingles and even shed a layer or two. The crowd support was simply outstanding - we could tell they were cold, but they were yelling and cowbelling on every corner. I rode with one crazy Czech guy who was doing his 99th Ironman (5th this month), and when I asked which was the toughest, he said "this one...and I haven't even started the second climb". Phew! I thought this course seemed awfully tough. 

(Climbing through the pines)

The descent was well marked, leading us quickly out to the 2nd climb up Brockway Summit. I settled into a rhythm just as Male Pros Chris Macdonald and Maik Twelsiek lapped us. Outstanding! Both would manage a sub-5 hour ride on this tough course. The descent down Brockway was super fun, and we easily hit 45-50 mph as we began the second lap.

(A lot of talented dogs did signs)

I stopped at Tahoe City (mile 60) to shed my jacket and winter gloves, take a bio break, and stretch out. So far all was good...ribs were hanging tough, jewels had returned to normal suspension, and my shoulders and triceps were complaining the most from that swim/bike combo. I got back into the race, narrowly missing another cyclist as she hit one of those football-sized pine cones and skidded across the road. Good thing she had so much gear on...she just got back up, kicked the pine cone to the side of the road, and kept going!

(A couple of layers later)

(The road bike gave my ribs some room)

The second round of the camel hump mountains (mile 85) took a bit more digging, and the sweet smell of wet pine had already dried into the familiar high Sierra dust. I rode with a guy who STILL had his wetsuit leggings on, trying to warm up. Interesting option! The descent down Brockway was littered with calamity this time, and I spotted three bloodied cyclists on the side of the road. Ouch! Hopefully everyone was okay.

(One more trip through Truckee, photo courtesy of Gretchen Brugman)

I was stoked to see the "Mile 100" sign, and I could see the Pros along the run course on their first long loop. They were hauling ass! Macdonald was chasing down Twelsiek, while the Women's race had three within two minutes of each other - Sweden's Asa Lundstrom, Jeanne Collonge from France, and Great Britain's Catriona Morrison. I couldn't believe they were almost done! Actually, I could. I had been in the saddle for over seven hours. ;-)

I took my time at T2, fully changing into warm running gear and getting lots of liquids in. I soon pulled over to strip down to just a singlet (mile 2) as the Valley was quickly warming up, and also stashed my headlamp. My stride had seen better days, but at least running pain is a pain I can manage (right, ultrarunners?). The 8 min/mile came easy, as long as I walked the aid stations, so I didn't push myself beyond a comfortable aerobic pace.

(Volunteers were life savers, photo courtesy of Sabrina Martinez)

As we got to the long river stretch (mile 5), I saw the familiar faces of Robert Tomkinson, Dave King, Kyle Welch (he's going to finish too!), Jady Palko and other faster triathletes, then made the turn (mile 9) and was able to give some shout outs to Barbara Ashe, Karyn Hoffman, and the many folks I had met over the last few days. These out-and-backs are a great distraction!

(Keeping pace along the Truckee River on the first out-and-back)

As the sun went down (mile 18), I found my wool shirt and headlight again and hid my camera (which was later stolen...bummer!), and watched as Jack Frost returned and added his magic to the mountain valley. Mylar blankets were the norm on the course, and I joined others in drinking as much warm chicken broth as my body could handle. We got a nice boost of energy as we came through the Olympic Village again and saw some finishers, then headed out for the last six miles. It was the perfect energy boost...I kept on running the rest of the way.

(Coming through Olympic Village, photo courtesy of Margaret Moran)

(Grabbing some high fives in the finisher chute)

Glenn Schiavo passed me in the last 0.2 miles, saying he had finally gotten his body temp back to normal...at mile 22 in the run! He crossed the finish just ahead of me, and I came in at 13 hours, 43 minutes for 707th place. Phew! Glad this one is done! I grabbed some food and warmed up in the massage tent among the tired smiles of my fellow finishers. What a story-worthy day! I soon was sipping a Black and Tan in the local Irish pub, warming up and cheering on those chasing the midnight finish.

(Made it!)

(Finish line love)

(Ain't nothing like an Ironman finish, photo courtesy of Susan Lacke)

(Women's champion Ana Sundstrom sneaks under 10 hours, photo courtesy of Susan Lacke)

That night, I dreamt of swimming under the snow-capped mountains and appreciated that full-body-cast soreness I hadn't experienced since my first Ironman. These events are tough, and this one was quite likely the toughest of all time! So glad to have been here, and somehow gotten through it on so little specific training. A friend texted me from the morning sign ups, where usually the competitors return in droves to get early access and fill the race entries for next year, and there was only eight people in line. Yup! But as I sat on the deck on what was going to be a hot recovery day, I realized Lady Tahoe could have just as easily cooked us. That's part of the adventure!

(Found on the IMLT Facebook page)

My congrats to Chris MacDonald (8:55) and Asa Lundstrom (9:58) for setting some seriously high bars for speed on this course, and to the Race Directors, volunteers, local cheering crews, and fellow competitors for putting on a world class event. I highly recommend it!

Killian Journet Crushes Record at Tahoe Rim Trail

21-year-old Killian Jornet set a new record for circumventing the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail this weekend, finishing in 38 hours and 32 minutes. This bested Tim Twietmeyer's 2005 record by over 7 hours. Press release below...

Kilian Jornet Shatters Tahoe Rim Trail Record

Tahoe City, California, September 29, 2009 – Just after dusk tonight, heralded by a squadron of pacers and mountain bikers, trail running sensation Kilian Jornet ran into Tahoe City, completing a stunning circumnavigation of the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail in 38 hours, 32 minutes.

Jornet, the two-time defending champion of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, had come to North America for the first time to challenge Tim Twietmeyer’s estimable 1995 record of 45 hours, 58 minutes.

Making the record all the more noteworthy is Kilian’s youth: he is just 21 years old, and immediately after the run, he said, “I feel great, but I feel better now that I can stop running.”

The journey wasn’t without difficulty; he took a nearly two-hour nap Monday night, and he and pacer Sean Meissner got lost at 2:30 in the morning. “We went a good two and half miles off track, and I was absolutely horrified,” said Meissner, who won the Tahoe Marathon just two days before beginning his pacing duties. “But he didn’t even blink. He just grabbed me by the shoulders, laughed and said, ‘More kilometers, more fun, Sean!’”

According to Kilian, the most difficult part of the endeavor was near the end: the last six kilometers from Echo Lake to Barker Pass, “The trail was just more difficult than I had imagined,” he noted.

Mark Kimbrough, the executive director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA), not only presented Kilian with a framed special edition of the Association’s TRT completion certificate, but also mustered the sort of quiet, unheralded support that made the journey a special one. TRTA members, in small groups or often alone, provided extraordinary and vocal support at some of the loneliest spots on the course.

The Tahoe Rim Trail run is part of Kilian’s Quest, a globe-spanning journey of personal trail running expression supported by Salomon. His earlier Quest attempt, on the notoriously difficult GR20 trail traverse of Corsica, resulted in similar results: he pulverized the record for the 120-mile trail with a time of 32 hours, 52 minutes.

Kilian’s journey along the Tahoe Rim Trail took him through a 165-mile (266km) loop wrapped around the largest alpine lake in North America. The trail is comprised mostly of multiuse single-track, connecting the peaks along the ridge tops of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Passing through California and Nevada, the trail ranges in elevation from 6,240 feet to 10,338, with a total elevation gain of over 21,000 feet.

Jean-Yves Couput, Director of Marketing for Salomon USA, said “Kilian’s goal is to inspire people to experience the joy of the trails and the great outdoors -- and in the process he is reinventing the sport of trail running.”

Readers and bloggers can follow Kilian’s Quest through his Face book page, (facebook.com/salomonrunning), via Twitter (twitter.com/salomon_running) or on his blog (salomonrunning.com).

Ultrabloggers Rule The Lake Tahoe Marathon

Congrats to fellow bloggers Sean Meissner (2:58) and Gretchen Brugman (3:34) for winning the super-hot Lake Tahoe Marathon yesterday! Woo-hoo!

SD

Dirty Fun at the XTerra Lake Tahoe Triathlon

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of joining 350 multisport athletes for the XTerra Lake Tahoe off-road triathlon in Incline Village, NV. This sprint/Olympic distance triathlon offers a delicious sample of the many things that make Tahoe special, from swimming in the crystal clear Lake, to mountain biking down the epic Flume Trail, to finishing a trail run in a dog park full of four- and two-legged spectators. I had never done an off-road triathlon, so thought it would be fun to be the “newbie” and see if this XTerra community loves trails as much as ultrarunners do. If love of a trail is measured by the volume of dirt in your teeth from smiling through a whole race, then in retrospect, I’d say it’ s pretty damn close.

(Does it get any better than this? Photo courtesy of Travel Nevada)

An off-road tri wasn’t on my marathon/ultra training agenda, but when I saw that this event landed perfectly on the morning of a nearby wedding we would be attending, I figured it was fate calling my name. Let’s call it “cross-training”, shall we? Thirty seconds later I was registered for the sprint distance, and instantly freaked out at how unprepared I was. Damn you, Active.com. Damn you to hell. (Damn you too, ultrasignup.com, even though this one wasn’t your fault)

I haven’t been swimming regularly for almost two years. And my mountain bike has gathered more dust than the Arc of the Covenant (cue the Indiana Jones music). But this is what the sprint distance is for – long enough for a workout, but not so much that newbies like me will get into too much trouble. One lap of 750 meters in the water, 22 miles on the mountain bike, and a 3.1 mile run. Just find a rhythm, go fast when you can, and have as much fun as possible.

I chatted with the other athletes as I set up my gear in the transition area, laughing about the few plots remaining from the beach towel land grab that eager, early-rising athletes had claimstaked. C’mon guys, I’ve had studio apartments with less square footage! We all cracked jokes and shared our personal histories of past rookie moves, and there seemed to be an endless supply of both. The ample laughter eased away any tension, and I sensed that XTerra athletes and ultrarunners are cut from the same cloth. We share a common bond for laughing and sweating in the dirt, perhaps more so than our distance-loving cousins, the Cult of Ironman. Then again, I don’t think any of us would pass up an opportunity to spend a cloudless day outside bonding with nature. Perhaps that cloth is big enough for three cults. ;-)

(Check out the polka dot bag two bedroom transition area)

I made my way down the swim start with Laura Ward from Tahoe City and Piers Stockwell, whom I had met last year at the XTerra 10k. Both are fabulously fit, and like me were using the sprint distance for some cross training. They eyed my Vibram Five Fingers shoes, which I was planning to wear in the water to make the 600m transition from the swim to the bike a bit easier. Is there anything these shoes can’t do?

(Olympic distance athletes do two laps, photo courtesy of Ryan Jers)

We took off at 8:10am, a few minutes behind the Olympic distance racers (they would be doing two laps). The water was perfectly calm as we swam around the Hyatt pier, past the boats, and made our way towards the beach. My swim stroke was definitely lacking, and I set into a manatee-like pace near the back. One poor guy had a panic attack, latching onto an unsuspecting boat to tear off his claustrophobia-inducing cap and wetsuit. Another hyperventilated in the mountain air and was floating on his back. Such drama with the manatees! The Olympic distance swimmers caught us on the last corner, throwing elbows and cutting through our pack like the Waterworld version of Hells Angels. With that, the last of us ran up the beach and down the street, frantically pulling off our wet suits to reveal our age-inscribed calves and size each other up.

I was sooo stoked to jump on the bike I could hardly contain myself. Oh Santa Cruz Blur, I have missed you so! This loop out the Flume Trail and back through Marlett Peak is one of the best around, and I had run these trails dozens of times. My hope was that my BMX background (15 yr old State champ, baby!) would combine with my trail knowledge to overcome the fact that this is the first day I’ve touched this bike since Sophie was born three years ago. Preparation, shmeparation!

After a short sprint down the road, we began the first of two hellacious climbs. The 3-mile Tunnel Creek trail had me openly thanking the Gods of triple chain rings, as my thumb subconsciously molested the shifter looking for even smaller gears. Most of the pack stayed to one side, panting and heaving in unison, and walking when it got too steep or sandy. An “unauthorized aid station” with a man in a tutu was handing out bacon strips telling people to get their protein early in the race…had I realized this was the only food on the course I might have taken him up on it! It did seem a bit odd that there were no food or gels on a 3+ hour course, but I guess this is the XTerra way.

(Nathan Bartels and Troy Wendt tackle the lung-busting Tunnel Creek climb)

I had to pull over to realign my front wheel a few times and stop the Halloween-esque squeaking of my disc brake (spooky rider on your left!). It felt so odd to have mechanical issues during a race! I also got a pic, one of just a few I was able to take. Taking pictures during an XTerra race risks life and limb, either from a high speed fall or from stopping the momentum of another rider who would quickly, and justifiably, pummel you for your indiscretions. I only had to try and start pedaling again on this steep climb to understand that.

(Climb, climb, climb!)

At the peak of Tunnel Creek, we were rewarded with the gorgeous Flume Trail. This trail isn’t much more than a single track notch in a cliff, but you can haul ass on its long straightaways. I stacked up behind some slower riders, but it gave me a chance to suck in the deep blue of Lake Tahoe and enjoy the scenery. I started chatting with the guy behind me, and it turned out to be the panic attack guy! He said it was the first time it ever happened, but he was able to calm down after a brief rest.

(Rounding Marlett, and heading up to the peak)

We circled Marlett Lake, and I used the fire roads to pass a bunch of people succumbing to the rising heat and altitude. The next climb started suddenly, and a lot of folks got off their bikes to walk in the rising heat. I was thankful to have the TRT100 knowledge to gauge my pace, which quickly paid off by passing another 30 riders on the climb to Marlett Peak. Many of those riders caught me again as I white-knuckled the large boulders in the descent. Good lungs can only do so much to overcome lack of comfort on the bike.

(It just....keeps.....going!)

My Julbo Race glasses were doing wonders with the shadows (I’ve recently become a convert of their Zebra lenses, which can change shades instantly), allowing me to keep up with stronger riders on the single track. We all plunged down Tunnel Creek at full speed, narrowly missing a group of crashed riders untangling their bikes. I entered the pavement section a bit too fast, taking out a pylon and getting hoots and hollars from the police directing traffic. All in good fun!

(Finishing at the dog park)

My transition was fast to the run, as I slipped on my Inov-8 X-Talon 212’s and began sprinting through the course. There were so many zigs and zags, it was hard to run below a 6 minute pace. My lungs were bursting, but I kept at it, knowing it would all be over with soon. I crossed the finish line in 3:21, good enough for 18th place. My splits were epitomal of a runner crashing the XTerra party – 25 manatee minutes in the swim, 2:20 wimp rider minutes on the bike, and a blazing 20:43 fastest-run-split of the day (thank you, X-Talons!). After comparing notes with the others, it appears it was all about the bike today. Pierce had similar splits to me for the swim and run, but his 20 minute speedier time on the bike was good enough for 3rd overall. At the finish BBQ, few spoke of finish times but instead shared their favorite parts of the course and licked the dirt from their smiling teeth. We definitely made the most of this gorgeous morning.

I got a post-race massage from the Monsters of Massage, grabbed a burger, and cheered on the remaining athletes in the warm sun. Tom Faukner (2:34:31) and Nancy Harrison (3:07:34) won the Sprint distance, while pros Nicolas LeBrun (2:47:56) and Genevieve Evans (3:25:28) won the Olympic distance. When you think about the fact those pros had two swim and run laps, those results are truly world class. XTerra athletes are the real deal!

As I returned home to change for the wedding, I relaxed with that glow you get from trying a new adventure, and seeing your favorite trails in a whole new light. There’s nothing quite like being a “newbie” again, no matter what the distance. Perhaps I won’t put that wetsuit and mountain bike right back in the attic just yet.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

- SD

Scenes from the Tahoe Rim Trail 50k/50m/100m

Got a few pics at the Tahoe Rim Trail 50k/50m/100m this year...

(Mark Gilligan chills after dominating the 50-miler by an hour)

(Brett Rivers has time for a high five at the halfway mark, on his way to an outstanding 3rd place overall finish in his first 100-miler)

(Rob Evans leads his safety runner, Jasper Halekas, out for the second 50-mile lap on his way to a 2nd overall finish and first Masters)

(Ian Torrence reloads for lap two on his way to a 4th place finish in the 100-mile, while Hal Koerner gets some video footage)

(Erik Skaden completes his first loop of 50 miles, then heads out for loop 2 on his way to winning the 100-miler...AGAIN)

(Julie Young is all smiles at the finish of the 50k, where she won the Women's division and placed 3rd overall)

(Tim Twietmeyer is paced in by his son Austin, finishing 2nd overall and first Masters in the 50k - see any family resemblance in that stride?)

(Peter Fain, repeat winner of the 50k, takes a break at the finish)

(Peter Fain flies to a 1st place in the 50k)