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Amy Snobelen of Ripley won the 11th annual Kincardine Women's Triathlon Saturday morning at Station Beach.

Weather conditions were ideal for the race which had 300 participants registered and 275 show up to compete in the event which includes a swimming portion, biking and then running to the finish line.

Besides the triathletes, there were women competing in duathlon (running, biking and running), and relay teams of three competitors - each completing a portion of the triathlon.

The youngest racer was 14, while the oldest was 69, said race director Laura Trepanier. A participant, herself, 10 years ago, she has been the director for four years.

"I started as a member of a relay team," she said. "At that time, I was a swimmer. I didn't even know how to bike or run."

Now, she competes at the Iron level.

Trepanier was thrilled with the sunny, warm weather for this year's event. The lake water was flat and warm, and it wasn't too hot for the bikers and runners.

This year's competitors come from the Kincardine and Bruce-Grey area, as well as the United States, northern Michigan, and from as far away as Vancouver.

''This is a popular race because everyone is so encouraging - the volunteers and people watching cheer on the competitors''` said Trepanier. ''We have great support from the municipalities allowing the road closures during the race.''

Snobelen crossed the finish line first, after starting in the second wave of swimmers, to win the triathlon.

''It feels good,'' she said, after collecting her medal and being congratulated by her family, friends, and coach Carrie Houghton.

''It was a great race; it was a perfect day''` she said.''This is my fourth year competing. I placed second the past two years so it`s good to be first.''

She credits her family for their support during her training for this event, and appreciates the great coaching by Houghton. Snobelen is a teacher at Kincardine District Secondary School. She and her husband, Troy, have three children, Cole, Eve and Carter.

Joining Snobelen in the top 10 for triathlon are Stacey Berdan of Tweed, Elizabeth Bruce of Kingston, Julie Herrington of Hamilton, Clare Robinson of London, Debra Pearce of St. Marys, Andrea Shemilt of Oakville, Sarah Harmer of Woodstock, Jacqueline Wong of Walkerton, and Shauna Sedgewick of Aurora.

Nicole Kerr of Blyth won the duathlon, followed by top-10 finishers: Jennifer Roy of Waterloo, Alisha Habsch of Waterloo, Holly Christopher of West Bloomfield, Kim Taylor of Walkerton, Sonya Watson of Ripley, Dana Moore of Waterloo, Kyla Rackley of Scarborough, Trisha Sanbourin of Wingham, and Brenda Duimering of Kincardine.

The ''We Be Fast'' relay team of Kincardine, consisting of Hayley Stewart, Kortney Watson and Justine Watson, won that division, followed by the remaining 13 teams as follows:

•  Ancastrates of Ancaster - Anne Holbrook and Angela Ford
• Team Lava of Ripley - Joanna Collings, Kerry Richardson, Jennifer Armstrong
• 161 Per Cent of Kincardine - Debbie Copping, Louise Bursey, Janice Doll-Hammond
• Tri-hards of Kincardine - Nicole Crouchman, Amy Cresswell, Jenna Watson
• Merry Wenches of Barrie - Cherylyn Cameron, Marianne Wouters, Bibianne Bird
• Crazy Cousins of Mississauga - Carolyn Warnica, Ruth Wentzell, Meagan Warnica
• Bloomin`Oak of Ayr - Tara Oakley and Stephanie Bloemberg
• The Screamin` Flower of Kincardine - Shirley Hayes, Erin Kelley, Miranda Hayes
• Team MND of Kincardine - Dominika Marcotte, Norma Marcotte, Marian Hundt
• Level 2s (And Proud) of Kincardine - Carolyn Surridge, Janet Browne, Shelley Van Veghel
• CTS Try Hards of Tiverton - Shelly Parker, Lisa Oberbichler, Sherry Atkins
• A Piper's Dream of Kincardine - Jennifer Farrell, Jaclyn Smith, Melissa Cooper

The CTS Try Hards include Shelly Parker (L) of Glammis, Sherry Atkins of Kincardine (the oldest participant at 69 years of age), and Lisa Oberbichler of Wellesley

Michelle Hendrikx of Plympton heads off for the biking portion of the triathlon

Charlene Wilson of London is second out of the lake in the triathlon

Amanda Brown of Elmira leaves the transition station for the bike ride

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Monday, July 11, 2011