Lovett wins Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon

Brian Lovett cruises into the Tower Road parking lot and garners first place overall with a total time of 1:04.20. DAN COOK PHOTOS

Dan Cook

September 23, 2021

The Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon was held Sept. 8 from Delaware Seashore State Park Tower Road ocean side. Due to rough seas, the swim portion was replaced by a half-mile soft sand run and followed by a 16-mile bike and a 3.45-mile run. The soft sand run started in waves three minutes apart.

When the sand run, bike and run were finished, Brian Lovett of Allentown, Pa., took top honors with a time of 1:04.20. Kristy Burnett of Wilmington was the top female finisher with a time of 1:13.32.

Spectators watched along the beach at the state park for the soft sand run, at the transition area at Delaware Seashore State Park for the bike, and along the streets of Dewey Beach for the run.

Among the benefactors this year will be Pathways to Success and Cape’s JROTC program.

“The DNREC lifeguards were concerned about the surf conditions, and for understandable safety reasons, they said the swim portion of the race could not happen,” said race director Ava Seaney Cannon. “I’ve organized this race for 25 years, and keep thinking this is the last year, but I would love to end my race-directing career with being able to have that swim.”

For more results, go to deweybeachtriathlon.com.

Race director Ava Seaney Cannon speaks with the crowd before the race.

Emily Groll, a sophomore at Cape Henlopen High School, sings the national anthem.

Cary Chaffee of Washington finished first in the half-mile soft sand run.

Jack McCarthy leads a group off the beach after the half-mile run.

Dylan Crew exits the beach and goes into the transition area.

John Yokley exits the transition area.

Jaimie Li of Wilmington leaves the transition area.

The Sussex Tech field hockey team volunteered for the event. Shown are (l-r) Ava Andrews, Peyton Miller, Brooklyn Dutton, coach Dom Scott, Tori Adams, Jordan Lee, Alexa Rolph, Courtney Bayley, Kiersyn White, Journey Hopkins, Karli Penrod, Hayden Balback and Maddie Whaley.