PROVIDENCE, RI – Andy McCarron was the top finisher at the Amica 19.7 Boston sprint triathlon in Carver, MA, on Saturday. The 28-year-old from Keene, NH, covered the 19.7 sprint in 1:13:42 under bright sunny skies at Myles Standish State Forest.
"I am happy with my performance,” said McCarron. “I really didn’t know what to expect going into the race. The course was definitely challenging with rolling hills on the bike (course). It was a great day and a wonderful race.”
McCarron was second person out of the water and maintained his position near the front of the pack on the bike. When he put his running shoes on, the former captain of the University of Massachusetts cross country team took over the lead and never looked back en route to his victory.
"The run is my discipline,” said McCarron, a member of the Central Mass Striders. “It’s nice to have that ace in the hole.”
Allison Smith, 27, of Somerville, MA, was the top female in the sprint triathlon, which featured a half-mile swim, a 16.1-bike and a 3.1-mile run. Smith recorded a winning time of 1:25:45.
Smith decided to enter the Amica 19.7 Boston at the last minute.
"I woke up at 4:15 a.m. and couldn’t sleep,” said Smith. So she gathered her swim cap, bike and running sneakers and headed to Carver. The last-minute decision proved worthwhile.
"Getting up early was so worth it,” said Smith, who placed 14th overall. “This was a really good race. The course was great. I’m really happy I decided to do this race.”
The race kicked off with the swim in Fearing Pond. The bike course covered Upper College Road and featured rolling hills. The run course included a one-loop course around Charge Pond.
"Biggest Loser” competitor Jay Kruger, who was a contestant on the NBC show in 2008, also participated in the Amica 19.7 Boston. Kruger finished in 1:50.59.
"Awesome race,” Kruger said, after he crossed the finish line. “I had a great time. The course was challenging. There was a great group of competitors and really good athletes here. For the novices like me, it was challenging. My goal was to finish and get the medal. For me, that’s what it’s all about.”
The Amica 19.7 Boston is part of the 2010 Amica 19.7 Triathlon Series, a sprint distance series of events held throughout the country. It was the eighth stop of Amica's 10-event series, which culminates in Phoenix, AZ, this November.
To register for any of the races in the Amica 19.7 Series, visit www.amicatriseries.com.
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation's oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in
1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, RI, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,200 people in 40 offices across the country.
CONTACT: Vince Burks, Corporate Communications, 50 Amica Way,
Lincoln, RI 02865-1155, 800-652-6422, ext. 24563
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