Blackfork upsets defending champs in Glacier Challenge

The fastest time in the seventh annual Glacier Challenge multi-sport race in Whitefish on Saturday, July 11, was posted by the Blackfork team.

The team completed the 11K run, 3.2K kayak, 21K road bike, 13.3K mountain bike, 15.7 road bike, 8.2K canoe and 6.2K run race in 3 hours 43 minutes and 22 seconds. The total distance is about 55 miles.

Blackfork defeated the defending champion, Nomad Technologies, in the final stretch. Thirty-three teams with up to seven members completed the race.

In the "Ironmen" divisions, 14 men and six women finished the event alone. Jim Rice won the men's solo division in 4:29:53.

Jessica Cerra won the women's in 4:51:41. Rice was nine minutes ahead of the second-place finisher in the men's solo division.

Don't Worry He's Home-Teached took first place among the eight partner teams in 4:30:24.

All told, 61 entrants completed the race out of the 67 that registered. Forty-two entrants registered last year, according to Hannah Plumb.

A member of the Flathead Youth Homes assistance committee, this is Plumb's third year as race director.

"It's interesting, I think the Glacier Challenge turned a corner in the last year or so as far as community participation," Plumb said. "People are calling and asking how they can be involved. It's been fun to see. I'm really excited about the way people have taken it on."

The event raised about $15,000 this year for Flathead Youth Homes, a local, licensed, short-term crisis-stabilization center for children in need.

"My passion is the youth home and the kids," Plumb said. "This is a support and a fundraiser for them, and this connects our community to them."

About 75 volunteers are needed to hold the event, which includes kayaking upstream in the Whitefish River, across Whitefish Lake to Baypoint and back to the Baker Avenue bridge; canoeing from Riverside Park, through the U.S. 93 culverts and down the Whitefish River to the Highway 40 bridge; mountain biking in Bowser State Park (known locally as Pig Farm); two segments of road biking on Whitefish Stage and Farm To Market roads; and two segments of running in Whitefish.

As an added twist to the event, Heather and Jamie Cover, who were married on Friday, kicked off their honeymoon by competing in the solo events. They finished together in a "leisurely" 5:59:33.

Men's Solo

Jim Rice 4:29:53

Steve Muller 4:38:17

Andrew Ackles 4:38:44

Ben Cannon 4:44:57

Dan Block 4:45:48

Brian Miller 4:50:26

Grady Bennett 4:50:43

Andrew Matulionis 4:51:20

Peter Fletcher Boardman 4:53:37

Colter Lane 4:57:18

Richard Menicke 5:02:34

Daniel Vinson 5:41:02

Tyson Crowder 5:46:08

Jamie Cover 5:59:33

Women's Solo

Jessica Cerra 4:51:41

Jenae Schmautz 4:57:03

Rebecca Duffy 5:08:41

Kayleen Uibel 5:12:13

Joy Adams 5:37:53

Heather Cover 5:59:33

Partner

Don't Worry - He's Home-Teached 4:30:24

Committed 4:32:22

Team Barinowski 4:36:44

Nala Tzar Connection 4:49:00

Rip Chicks 4:53:13

GOGO 4:55:27

The Schons 5:02:45

Team 100 5:45:07

Team Division

(up to 7 people)

Blackfork 3:43:22

Nomad Technologies 3:44:01

Younghorse Welding 3:47:38

Les Schwab We'll Tire You Out 4:04:16

Big Monkey Ranch 4:08:13

MSU Bobcats 4:15:15

Clarkfoot 4:24:05

Team Awesome 4:30:17

Colter's Nemesis 4:33:40

Better Late Than Never 4:40:38

Stillwater Sod 4:41:15

Mustangs 4:56:42

The Bandana-rama 4:57:11

Dog Team 4:57:55

Kalispell Athletic Club 4:58:26

The Sport Center 5:02:07

Roarin' Yotas 5:02:50

Silver Moon Kayak 5:03:21

Daybreak Rotary 5:03:54

Thunder Road 5:06:22

Pigs Plus Two 5:08:51

Calamity Hammer 5:18:43

The Gogo Girls 5:18:57

Nisley Landscaping 5:21:40

Keim Time 5:22:34

Half-Trained 5:23:40

Fitness Flunkies 5:37:49

The Wanna Bes 5:38:47

Wet & Wild 5:42:44

BAC 5:49:01

Team Torrent 6:06:21

The Action Team 6:08:21

Northern Montana Hospital 6:24:36