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closeBELLINGHAM -- A first excursion into the Competitive Open division brought The Bagelry its first overall Ski to Sea title Sunday after weather-related changes forced officials to ignore the Marine Park finish line.
In the end, the finish line for the 35th annual event was electronic and based on chip times, not ringing the bell at the park, due to a last-minute cancellation of the canoe leg. Windy conditions on Bellingham Bay also forced officials to shorten the kayak leg from five miles to three.
Barron Heating earned another second place finish, echoing its 2007 Ski to Sea showing. Though Ian Mackenzie crossed the finish line first representing Clippercanoes.com, the team ended up third overall.
"It was just a slog against the wind," said Barron kayaker Robert Clegg. He and the other top finishers all said they were disappointed the leg had to be shortened.
The Bagelry's kayaker, Jeff Hilburn, said this was the first year that the team was not in the Competitive Mixed division, where they've taken several titles.
The issues with which team took first, second and third place began after Clippercanoes.com's mountain biker was released early by officials. Because canoes were not allowed on the Nooksack River, officials decided that the mountain bikes would start the race two hours after their road bike teammates came in.
Though Clippercanoes.com was nearly seven minutes behind The Bagelry at that point, mountain biker David Kvick was released onto the course just about 2 minutes after The Bagelry’s Adam Schwind, Hilburn said.
Officials had to examine the actual times the teams took to complete the last two legs, then add that to the time for the earlier legs to determine the real winner.
In the women's competitive division, Boundary Bay Brewery continued its dynasty with an eighth win.
Team mountain biker Daisy Phillips, a 22-year-old Bellingham resident, was the second woman to haul across the finish line of that leg. She grew up in Bellingham and recalls seeing past races.
"I watched the mountain bikers come in every year muddy. This year it was my turn. I got mud on me. I'm scratched up. I'm bleeding," she said with a grin on her face.
She was just behind Liz Jones, the first woman to finish the mountain bike leg.
The 46-year-old Bellevue resident was competing in her eighth Ski to Sea race and was riding for Barron Heating's mixed team, which would go on to win the Competitive Mixed division.
She said the course was "excellent" with a "nice, big puddle right where it's supposed to be."
Beavers Tree Service reclaimed the Whatcom County Open division with a win over last year's victor, Runningshoes.com.
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