Dave Reynolds Biathlon provides exciting action
The 33rd version of the Dave Reynolds Biathlon was held in Rehoboth Beach July 7, following tens of thousands people enjoying the Rehoboth fireworks display hours earlier.
The ocean current was running strong north, the wind was blowing south and the fog was all over the beach, making the visibility near to none. Rehoboth Beach Patrol guards lined the half-mile swim area and were ready for the swarm of swimmers, 150 strong.
The first wave of male individuals went racing to the surf heading straight for the buoy, but many did not anticipate the strong current and had to swim back against it to get around the buoy. Emerging first from the surf was multi-overall champion, Alexander Geiersbach, better known to the world as just Xander, with a 90-second lead on the field after swimming 9:45 for the half-mile. Cody Quig of Wilmington had the second-best swim in 11:17, while August Carlozzi of New Jersey ran up the beach in third with a time of 11:20.
Lindsey Texter of Pennsylvania led the female individuals from the ocean in a time of 11:45, while Elizabeth “EJ” Johnson was in pursuit nearly a half-minute back at 12:11. Maddy Tonn of Rehoboth Beach Patrol swam 12:53 for the third-best time.
Xander wasted little time with a 39-second transition to cruise through the 5K course for the third-best run of the day in 18:14, hitting the finish in one of the best all-time performances of 28:37. Carlozzi moved up a place to grab second in a time of 32:04. Jodi Johnson, the first RBP guard finisher and the male Spirit Award winner, hit the line in 33:50 for third.
Two individuals in the top 10 who are worthy of a shout-out are 50-year-old Mike Wardian, who emerged from the water in 49th place, only to run 17:50 in the 5K to finish fourth overall in 33:50 and win the male masters championship. Wardian passed 45 athletes in just over 17 minutes, which matches my later brother John, who went from 58th to sixth with a sub-16-minute 5K split in 1984. Quig ended up fifth overall in the race. The top time for the run was a 17:41 by 18-year-old Henry Stenta of Kennett Square, Pa.
On the female side of the action, Johnson, of Team Driven, took over the lead before she was off the boards and then cruised through the 5K in a 22:24 split to hit the line in 35:21 for the overall championship. Tonn, the female Spirit Award winner, moved up a place to finish second in 37:37, while Paula Pels of Bethesda, Md., was third in 38:27 to win the female masters championship. Texter fell to fifth overall in the race.
The Red Dragons, comprising Ethan McIntosh and Liam Dennehy, won the male team division in 31:07, while Avary Miller and Mary Keegan won the female team division in 32:49. Team Rawwood, with Meredith Lockwood and Rawley Florax, won the coed division in 35:22.
A 2-mile Boardwalk memory walk and a youth mini biathlon were also held before the main event. Event proceeds will benefit the Dave Reynolds Scholarship given annually each summer.
