Davis wins Gator Bait triathlon

Published 11:52 pm Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Gator Bait Endurance Challenge hit the waters of Eagle Lake and the surrounding roads Saturday with 150 athletes participating.

The triathlon, which consisted of an 1.5-kilometer open-water swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride on Mississippi 465 and a 10-kilometer run on Eagle Lake Shore Road, was paired with a duathlon and a swim.

Winning overall top honors in the triathlon was Vicksburg native Nathan Davis. The 26-year-old finished the swim in a time of 27:58.6 minutes, the bike ride in 59:51.5 and the run in 37:26.5. His overall time was 2:06:33.2 hours.

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Second was Avery Ainsworth. The 33-year-old Canton native finished the swim in a time of 24:03.8 minutes, the bike ride in 1:03:56.7 and the run in 39:40.8. His overall time was 2:08:58.7 hours.

In the male masters division (ages 40 and above), Joey Lee of Madison won with a time of 2:15:46.0 hours, good for fifth place overall. His time in the swim was 27:24.6 minutes, 1:04:57.0 in the bike ride and 42:00.8 in the run.

He edged Vicksburg’s Joe Giambrone, who finished second in the division with a time of 2:17:18.7 hours. He completed the swim in 27:41.1 minutes, the bike ride in 1:04:46.7 and the run in 43:32.8.

In the men’s clydesdale division, H.W. Durgin won with a time of 2:19:37.5 hours. For the women, Samantha Mazer was the top finisher at third overall. Her time in the swim was 24:15.3 minutes, 1:06:26.0 in the bike ride and 41:12.0 in the run. Casey Lee was second with a time of 2:35:12.0 hours, completing the swim in 28:25.8 minutes, the bike ride in 1:09:57.2 and the run in 54:43.8.

Melanie Freeman won the women’s masters division with a time of 2:44:25.2 hours. She completed the swim in 33:42.6 minutes, the bike ride in 1:20:03.0 and the run in 47:57.8.

Susan Linn took top honors in the women’s grand masters division with a time of 3:05:41.3 hours. She finished the swim in 36:08.8 minutes, the bike ride in 1:23:01.7 and the run in 1:02:58.3.

In the men’s team competition, the Berkely Security team of Drew Cedalu (swim, 31:14.3 minutes), Brian Gough (bike ride, 1:18:51.2 hours) and Eric Mason (42:51.0 minutes in the run) took the prize with a total time of 2:34:14.7 hours.

The Hand/Rankin team took the trophy in the co-ed team division. Paul Hand finished the swim in a time of 35:25.3 minutes and Melanie Rankin completed the bike ride in 1:18:06.0 hours.

The duathlon, which consisted of a a 5-kilometer run, followed by a 40-kilometer bike ride and another 10-kilometer run, was won by Dickens Fournet with a time of 2:36:43.2 hours.

In the women’s division, Luann Ainsworth finished second overall with a time of 3:04:23.5 hours.

The open-water swim was won by Manuela Jojoa-Portilla, who finished with a time of 24:16.9 minutes.

Kameron Orman of Laurel, who completed the course in a time of 26:19.1 minutes, finished second and first in the men’s division.