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Updated: October 19, 2009, 10:05 am	Share    Print    Email

Brian Wolff of Sound Beach cruises down the final stretch of the 10-mile bike en route to a victory in the Serpent's Back Mountain Bike Duathlon. Photos by Brett Mauser

Montauk - The workout, the after-party, the camaraderie, they're all well and good. They're not why Brian Wolff journeyed from Sound Beach to Montauk on Sunday morning for the sixth annual Serpent's Back Mountain Bike Duathlon.

Caroline Cashin won her fourth duathlon championship in six years by posting a time of 1:36:22.

"I came here to win it," Wolff said.

He had captured first on two previous occasions, as had fellow competitor Ed Cashin. The two went head-to-head for that third title, and it was Wolff who emerged first from the hills on bike and then from Navy Road on foot, taking home first place to go with his wins in 2006 and 2007.

"It was a really tough run for me, really up and down," said Wolff, who has raced at Middle Island-based Carl Hart Bicycles for the last 12 years. "I just tried to stay close to the lead and then catch up on the bike. Overall it was a pretty good day."

Wolff conceded the lead in the first of two 2.3 mile runs through Ecker Park, cruising down Navy Road and reaching the transition area in the top five. It was all he could ask for. Wolff then made his move, and before long, he was all alone in front. Unbeknown to him, his closest competitor, Dan Farnham, was part of a relay team with his nephew, Michael. Thus, when Wolff re-entered the park on bike for his second run, his lead wasn't a few seconds but a few minutes.

The younger Farnham beat Wolff home, but the Sound Beach resident won the individual title by more than two minutes over Cashin. Wolff hit the finish line in one hour, 13 minutes and 18 seconds, with Cashin next up in 1:15:36. Bob Campos finished up in third at 1:17 flat. Wolff's time was the second fastest in the race's six-year history; Cashin won last year's duathlon in 1:12:02. Wolff expressed his utmost respect for Cashin, who competed using a single-speed bike, a major detriment considering the rises and falls throughout the second leg. "He's a really strong climber," Wolff said. "I'd be afraid to face him if he had a [multiple-gear] bike. He's an animal."

A record 70 entrants ran and pedaled up and down Navy Road as part of the duathlon.

Taking first in the women's division was Cashin's wife, Caroline, who erased her deficit following the first run on the bike and rolled to victory with a time of 1:36:22. The win was Cashin's fourth in six years - Debra Beattie won the inaugural duathlon in 2004, and Sinead FitzGibbon took first last year in a record time of 1:24:09. Annette MacNiven was the second female across, registering a time of 1:41:35.

Two-time champion Ed Cashin takes on the final few yards in his 14-mile expedition to and from Serpent's Back.

In other categories, the Farnhams posted the fastest overall time as Michael Farnham trotted in and posted a 1:12:05; relays, though, cut out valuable time spent in the transition area. Top honors in the mixed relay went to Pete Spagnoli and daughter Kelly, who completed the trek in 1:24:59. Louisa Garry and daughter Gina motored through the course in 1:37:42 to win the female relay.

The duathlon consisted a two-mile run from Eddie Ecker State Park along the shore of Fort Pond Bay to start, a turn inland and then a windy path that ends up on Navy Road. Runners make the transition at the park and head back east on Navy Road to begin a 10-mile single-track loop; the portion for which the race is named, Serpent's Back, arrives at around the four-mile mark. Bikers hit the coast at mile number six and pedal east for the second two-mile leg on foot.

Upon the completion of the race, awards were handed out to the overall winners and category winners. Spokespeople, a cycling advocacy group headed by FitzGibbon, hosted the first annual Fat Tire Festival as well. Activities included a beginner bike rides, a face-painting station, bicycle obstacle course, as well as mountain bike polo. Gift certificates and prizes from Bikehampton and Manual and Sports Physical Therapy were given to raffle winners.

Mike Bahel, who runs event sponsor Body Tech & Fitness in Amagansett, organized the race. He indicated that a record 70 competitors took the course Sunday morning; by contrast, just two years ago there were only 26 entrants. Proceeds from the event went toward the Montauk Playhouse Community Center. Bahel expressed his pleasure with how the day unfolded.

"It's really competitive," Bahel said. "There are probably some of the best and toughest trails on Long Island. A lot of people don't know about them. Plus we had great local help and volunteers. Everybody pulls together and makes it happen."