Locals hold their own at Ironman Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID - Charlie Cowan was the top local male finisher and Joni Gerken was the top local female Sunday, July 21 in the 14th running of the Lake Placid Ironman.

Cowan, a 60-year-old Lake Placid resident, took first in his age group with an overall time of 11 hours, 21 minutes and 20 seconds. Cowan completed the 2.4-mile swim in 1:00:55, the 112-mile bike in 6:02:45 and the marathon in 4:06:36. He was the 238th overall competitor to cross the finish line.

Gerken, a 30-year-old from Lake Placid, completed the course in 11:43:29 to finish 353rd overall. She recorded a 1:17:31 swim, a 6:15:38 bike and 3:57:24 run.

Article Photos

Lou Reuter/Lake Placid News
Charlie Cowan of Lake Placid rides part of the 112-mile bicycle course at the Lake Placid Ironman on Sunday, July 22.

Lou Reuter/Lake Placid News
Heidi Baumbach of Lake Placid, left, and Caitlin Skufca of Wilmington share a moment during the marathon.

Mike Lynch/Lake Placid News
Joni Gerken nears the top of the hill at the corner of Sentinel Road and Main Street, not far from the finish line in the Olympic speed skating oval.

Lou Reuter/Lake Placid News
Andrew Baird picks up speed during the bike portion of the race.

Lou Reuter/Lake Placid News
Brian Delaney stays loose prior to the swim start.

Gerken placed second in the women's 30-34 age group out of 24 other competitors. She placed first in her age group in the Lake Placid Marathon (3:29:08) on June 10 and completed the Boston Marathon in 3:48:21 on April 16.

Another Lake Placidian who competed in both the Boston Marathon and Lake Placid Ironman this year was Rachel Butler, who finished the Ironman in 12:10:37 and the Boston Marathon in 3:59:39. Butler, 44, placed third in the women's 40-44 category of the Ironman.

Steven Vargo and Andrew Baird, both from Lake Placid, competed in the 18- to 24-year-old age group. Vargo, 24, finished in 11:47:38 and Baird, 20, crossed the line in 12:05:21.

Heidi Baumbach, a 2008 graduate of Lake Placid High School, finished her first Ironman in 12:25:42. The 22-year-old recent Ithaca College graduate completed the swim in 1:09:06, the bike in 6:50:18 and the marathon in 4:11:16.

Baumbach was named as the Ithaca College outdoor track athlete of the year after setting a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and placing second in the ECAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships

High Peaks Cyclery owner Brian Delaney finished his 14th Ironman in 13:06:12. He is one of the rare few who have completed each of the 14 Lake Placid Ironmans.

There were 27 finishers from the Tri-Lakes and 2,273 overall.

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Local finishers