Hundreds Compete in Resort Fitness Events

OCEAN CITY- Hundreds of athletes from all over the country descended on the resort area last week for the 2011 Ocean City June Fitness Challenge, a weekend-long series of events that started with a 5-Mile Boardwalk Run on Saturday and concluded with the Assateague Assault Sprint Triathlon on Sunday.

Produced and organized be OC Tri-Running Sports, the same outfit that produces the Ocean City Half Marathon along with other significant fitness events throughout the year, the Ocean City June Fitness Challenge featured events for athletes of all ages and skill levels.

The weekend got started with a 5-Mile Boardwalk Run that started around 7 a.m. last Saturday at the Boardwalk Arch at North Division Street. Ron Voigt of Bowie finished first, coming in at 30:07, while Jim Smiley of New Bloomfield, Pa., was second and Tom Yinger of Westminster was third.

Just shy of 200 participants competed in the race. The Top 10 local finishers included Mark Ondo, Salisbury, (22); Barry Mariner, Berlin, (25); Jim Chaney, Salisbury, (34); Christy Schreiber, Ocean City, (42); Stephen Jennings, Ocean City, (51); Bobby Vermillion, Berlin, (52); Lisa Kilian, Bishopville, (61); Nikki Rittling, Ocean City, (67); Mary McCracken, Ocean City, (69); and Jerry Kilian, Bishopville, (79).

The next event of the weekend was the Viewtrail Metric Century Bike Ride, a bicycle ride across rural areas of Worcester County at started at Stephen Decatur Park in Berlin. The event included three course options: a 20-mile ride, a 40-mile ride, or a Metric Century Ride (62 miles). The results of the Viewtrail Metric Century were not available.

Saturday’s events concluded with an Assateague Island Sunset 1-Mile Swim. Matt Huggler of Arlington, Va. was first in the Assateague Sunset 1-Mile Swim, finishing in 21:08, while Mike Dori of Baltimore was second and Sarah Kwon of St. Petersburg, Fla. was third.

Finally, the weekend-long series of events concluded with the Assateague Assault Triathlon, a sprint distance triathlon that included a half-mile ocean swim, a 14-mile bike leg and a 3.1-mile run. A total of 327 competitors participated in the triathlon. Mike Meehan of Allison Park, Pa. was first, finishing in 1:04:36, while Steve O’Boyle of Frankford was second and Brian Davis of Rockville was third.

Local participants finishing in the Top 50 included Dean Pierson, Ocean City (6); Ross Spangler, Salisbury (17), Richard Hundley, Bethany (19); Jack Pierce, Salisbury (21); Corrine Banks, Ocean City (26); C. Anderson, Salisbury (27); Brandon Noelte, Salisbury (32); Nicole Ingley, Salisbury (48); and James Engel, Salisbury (50).