Swimming 20 lengths of a pool, biking 10 kilometres and then running five kilometres, as fast as possible, is not how most people spend vacations.
However, that’s exactly what Lars Hognestad did.
In fact, the athlete, who visiting from Norway, accomplished this feat in 58 minutes and 10 seconds to win the Dawson City Triathlon Saturday.
The triathlon, which drew about 40 competitors, ranging from seven years olds to fiftysomethings, was a fundraiser for the Dawson City Women’s Shelter.
The event raised $4,000.
“It was very similar to previous years. We had a really good turnout of supporters and lots of volunteers helping us out,” said Jean Hopkins, the shelter’s event co-ordinator.
“We also had a silent auction and a barbecue and a silent auction afterwards right downtown, so it was great because everybody came out to support the shelter,” she said.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so it was great to have the support of Dawson.” said Hopkins.
The race was divided into two courses, the Gold Rush and the Gold Poke.
The Gold Poke was almost half the length —10 laps of the pool, five kilometres of biking and three kilometres of running.
“I’ve never done a triathlon before, actually. I do marathons, so I’m a pretty good runner,” said the Gold Rush winner, Hognestad, who last competed in a marathon in South Africa two years ago, finishing 43.
“I was saving up my energy for the biking and the running. I’m not a strong swimmer so I lost a lot of time in the swimming,” said Hognestad, who arrived in the Yukon July 1 to visit a friend.
“My friend, she knows that I really like racing,” he said, explaining how he ended up in the race. “It’s a charity race and she said, ‘Do you want to do it?’ and I said, ‘ja.’”
Also competing in the marathon were two teams with children and a team of pregnant women.
“They stopped for ice-cream along the way,” said Hopkins, speaking of the pregnant team. “So it took them a while.”
Results
Gold Rush solo: 1st Lars Hognestad 58:10; 2nd Kevin Scholfeldt 1:02:55; 3rd Tomer Weil 1:03:55.
Gold Rush women’s: 1st Shelley Brown 1:06:03. 2nd Evangeline Sefford 1:11:25. 3rd N/A.
Gold Poke solo: 1st Janis Rose 40:36. 2nd Skye Davis 46:55. 3rd N/A.
Gold Rush team: 1st The Hairy Teeth 55:25. 2nd Two Old Guys and a Washed Up Music Festival Producer 1:03:02. 3rd The ‘B’ Team 1:08:10.
Gold Poke team: 1st The Fiddle heads 39:55. 2nd Les EssentiELLES 42:10. 3rd We’re Winning, You Over 43:10.
Pee Wee: Avery and Mason Bramadat 46:10.