BIG HURT: Biggest race ever sees return champion

PORT ANGELES — In the biggest Big Hurt ever, a local favorite won the Ironman again and a veterinarian from Montana won the women’s Ironman.

Troy Treaccar, owner of Sound Bikes and Kayaks, a previous winner, took first with a dominating time of 3 hours, 41 minutes, 11 seconds. He won by 18 minutes.

Treaccar won the race in 2019 and still holds the all-time record for the race at 3:34:22. He now holds the best and third-best times overall for the race.

Winning the mountain bike leg was Joey Gish at 1:01:22 with Treaccar one second behind. Treaccar had the best kayaking time at 26:28 and the best cycling time at 1:39:06. He finished off with the top 10K run at 43:52.

The 2022 and 2021 champion, Michael Finley, did not race this year.

Jennifer Higgins of Bozeman, Mont., took first among the women with a time of 4:26:36, winning by nearly 52 minutes. Higgins had the top mountain bike leg (1:14:46), the top kayaking/paddling time (33:07), the best cycling leg (1:45:55) and the best run (52:48).

This was the biggest Big Hurt ever, with 59 Ironman competitors, 22 tandem teams, 37 full teams of three to four people, two high school teams and seven masters teams. Several competitors came from out of state and Canada.

A total of 53 Ironman competitors, including all the masters racers, finished. Only one tandem team was unable to finish and 33 out of 37 full teams finished. Every masters team finished.

The Big Hurt, put on by Peninsula Adventure Sports, includes a 15-mile mountain bike leg that started in the hills above Port Angeles, a 2½-mile kayak/paddleboard leg through Port Angeles Harbor, a 30-mile bike ride west of the city and back, and finally a 10K run along the Olympic Discovery Trail east of Port Angeles and back. The entire race is about 53¾ miles long.

The Iron Division (age 50-plus) master winner was Robin Sarner in a very solid time of 4:31:16.

The top tandem team was Improbability Drive with a time of 3:49:51, while the top full team was Oompa Loompa with a time of 3:56:35. The top masters team was Old Fart Racing with a time of 4:04:33. The top high school team was Roughrider Company with a time of 4:55:05.

Improbability Drive from Bellingham had the best tandem mountain bike time (1:00:56) and the best paddle time (26:36). Nolan^Squared, which finished fourth, had an outstanding road cycling time of 1:21:43, winning that leg and also had the top timein the 10K run at 36:41.

The full team race was a back-and-forth affair with different teams taking the lead after each stage.

Oompa Loompa actually got off to a slow start, as Haley Insurance Agency was tops in the mountain bike leg at 1:01:29. Whidbey Warriors was top in the paddle at 27:16 and Flyin’ Fidgets was tops in the road cycling stage at 1:32:33. Still Kickn had the top 10K run at 38:35. Oompa Loompa didn’t win any of the stages but was the most consistent team in edging Haley Insurance Agency by about 1:20 at the end.

On Sunday was the Little Hurt for youngsters, this year held at the campus of Peninsula College as the Lincoln Park BMX was hosting the state BMX finals.

For full results, people can go online to www.tinyurl.com/BigHurt2023.

Top three finishes, each division

Ironman men — Troy Treaccar, first, 3:41:11; Joey Gish, second, 3:59:13; Benjamin Grant, third, 4:30:43.

Ironman women — Jennifer Higgins, first, 4:26:36; Lusana Schutz, second, 5:18:04; Carly Schmidt, third, 5:37:39.

Ironman masters — Robin Sarner, first, 4:31:16; Neil Rixe, second, 4:51:05; Jeff Evans, third, 5:06:50.

Tandem team — Improbability Drive, first, 3:39:51; EVEPC, second, 3:57:24; Team Berry, third, 4:04:14.

Team — Oompa Loompa, first, 3:56:35; Haley Insurance Agency, second, 3:37:58; Gone to Plaid, third, 4:01:25.

Team Masters — Old Fart Racing, first, 4:04:33; Working on That, second, 4:51:57; Creaky Joints Get the Advil, third, 4:53:01.

Team High School — Roughrider Company, first, 4:55:05; Best. Team. Ever, second, 5:14:31.