By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

When Rob Knowles decided to create the Great Adventure Challenge, he hoped to accomplish a couple of goals.

One, he wanted to develop a course that would put the “extreme” athlete to the ultimate physical test — thus a 3-mile kayak trip along Moose Pond, a 15-mile bike trek and a grueling climb of Pleasant Mountain.

Yet, Knowles also wanted to attract the “weekend warrior,” who had a competitive spirit, yet may not quite be ready to reach the Ironman level.

Finally, the event was to raise money for a great cause — to help fund the “extras” for clients of Good Neighbors, a local program that works with adults with intellectual disabilities.

Saturday’s field encompassed a wide range of athlete.

Rick Nelson posted the overall fastest time, completing the triathlon in 2 hours, 9.18 seconds (the record was set by Mike Galoob in 2011 at 1:58, and Nelson was second at 2:02).

Team TRT defended its title with a total time of 2 hours, 11.50 seconds — nearly the same mark of a year ago when the group posted a 2:11:02.

And, Laura Campbell, who had a scorching run in the opening kayak event, was the top female with a time of 2 hours, 36.12 seconds.

Whether an athlete or team was in the Top 10 or lower end of the final standings, Knowles said fellow competitors enthusiastically cheered each participant as they crossed the finish line at the Shawnee Peak Ski Resort base.

“Those who haven’t tried out the Challenge, don’t miss it next year. If you have a goal, train and apply yourself, you can do it. I think Lisa Chase of Bridgton exemplifies the spirit of this event,” Knowles said. “Her competition is to just finish. Every year, she’s either last or almost last, but she finishes and does it to a standing cheering crowd of athletes getting trophies, each of whom respect her character as a fellow competitor. This embodies the spirit of The Great Adventure Challenge.”

Nearly two hours after the leaders ended their race day, a “mustached” quintet triumphantly completed their test of physical might and mental toughness.

The Barber Shop Quintet included Chace Conroy (age 19 of Washington, D.C.), Rosemarie Chandler (19 of Avon, Conn.), Susan Buckenmaier (19 of Annapolis, Md.), Thomas Chandler (17 of Avon, Conn.) and Dave Peet (21 of Windham, N.H.).

“These kids have spent their summers on Highland Lake in Bridgton all of their lives,” said Pam Buckenmaier, Susan’s mother. “They spend the year at their respective homes, and reunite each summer.”

Chace Conroy said only Dave’s mustache lasted the entire race, but their spirits remained high nonetheless!

“We enjoyed every part of the course and intend to participate as the Barber Shop Quintet next year as well,” she said.

Although competing as individuals, the mustache crew worked together to complete the challenge. They opted not to work as one team so they could do the entire race together.

The most difficult event was the bike ride.

“They had to beg, borrow and steal for equipment to use, and some of the bikes were older than others, making the difficult section even more so!” Pam Buckenmaier said.

Their goal was to finish and have fun together....and those goals were met!

“Although their experiences, age and abilities varied greatly, no one felt the need to run ahead and go for the ‘win.’ It was a military mentality since four of the five children are from military families — they made sure that no man was left behind,” Chace’s mother, Janet, added.

A beautiful day.

Great competition.

And, a race community that supported each other.

Rob Knowles and his co-director, Jessica Knowles-Layne could not be happier with how the sixth annual “Challenge” turned out. The directors immediately pointed to a dedicated group of volunteers as a driving force behind the event’s success.

“As always, this event could not have come to fruition without the support of a number of groups. First and foremost are the volunteers. They were flawless. The race went off perfectly, the trail system was perfectly prepared by the Shawnee Peak crew, the food was just right and plentiful,” Rob Knowles said. “The beach kayak runners got everyone out and on their way without incident. Behind the scenes, the timing crew did a great job, the safety people were there at the ready, the registration folks got the job done.”

Secondly, Knowles thanked the race’s sponsors, including Norway Savings Bank, whose contribution allowed the GAC to offer “great food, trophies and t-shirts.”

“We had a wonderful band to play all afternoon and gave away a $1,000 kayak package from Saco Bound. Alpine Village Association not only  provided  funds, but also their beach, without this, there would be no event,” Knowles added. “And of course, last but certainly not least, the participants.  The atmosphere surrounding this event is a direct result of hard work on their part, but also an understanding this is really a fun event and is approached in that vein.”

CATEGORY WINNERS

Women 17-34: Laura Campbell, 2:36:12

Women 35-39: Jennifer Genovese, 2:48:39

Women 50-Over: Andree Pride, 3:01:28

Men 17-34: Phil Allard, 2:27:39

Men 35-49: Rick Nelson, 2:09:18

Men 50-Over: Kevin Callahan, 2:14:58

Team Age Total 51-100: Superflies, 2:31:10

Team Age 101-150: Team TRT, 2:11:50

Team Age 151-200: Still the Gymps, 2:13:05

OVERALL STANDINGS

1. Rick Nelson, 2:09:18

2. Team TRT, 2:11:50

3. Still the Gymps, 2:13:05

4. Life is Good, 2:14:13

5. Kevin Callahan, 2:14:58

6. Brian Edwards, 2:17:14

7. Phil Allard, 2:27:39

8. Chris Peter, 2:27:52

9. David Moore, 2:29:31

10. Superflies, 2:31:10

11. Crew 222, 2:32:45

12. William Brown, 2:36:05

13. Laura Campbell, 2:36:12

14. Ed Hofmeister, 2:36:26

15. Nick Wirth, 2:39:18

16. Bob Beaudoin, 2:39:26

17. MacDougall A Team, 2:41:00

18. Team Red, 2:42:30

19. Victory Sun, 2:43:50

20. Mike Adams, 2:45:07

21. Jeff Stack, 2:45:13

22. Robert McMahon, 2:45:21

23. Where’s the Bug Spray, 2:45:40

24. A Touch of Class, 2:46:13

25. Ralph Colarusso, 2:47:12

26. Saul Sola, 2:48:21

27. Greg Martin, 2:48:23

28. Barry Towle, 2:48:33

29. Jennifer Genovese, 2:48:39

30. Feisty Foxes, 2:51:39

31. The 3 Quax, 2:51:50

32. Craig Marden, 2:52:03

33. Sarah Brown, 2:52:15

34. Patrick Sansonetti, 2:52:26

35. The Village People, 2:52:56

36. Blair Crawford, 2:53:17

37. Goof Balls, 2:55:28

38. TJ O’Connell, 2:56:05

39. Angela McLeod, 2:58:35

40. Mike Murrin, 2:59:28

41. Andree Pride, 3:01:28

42. Chris Cloutier, 3:04:35

43. MacDougall B Team, 3:05:10

44. David Peck, 3:06:05

45. The Villagers, 3:06:16

46. Clint Myers, 3:06:47

47. Rockets, 3:08:37

48. Roberta McClain, 3:09:12

49. Elizabeth Young, 3:09:43

50. Fruit Loopers, 3:12:25

51. Jeremy Judd, 3:13:28

52. Thomas Tieman, 3:14:36

53. Christine Stack, 3:14:45

54. Darryn Glenn, 3:16:48

55. Nature Trekkers, 3:18:19

56. Ryan Paveglio, 3:21:03

57. Kelley St. Hilaire, 3:22:52

58. Marcy Crosskill, 3:22:55

59. Road Runners, 3:23:03

60. Frank Marston, 3:23:32

61. Mike Marino, 3:23:35

62. Misty Brown, 3:24:11

63. JR Bourget, 3:24:13

64. Robert Greene, 3:25:37

65. Peter Paveglio, 3:26:13

66. Craig Perreault, 3:26:18

67. Galway Gladiators, 3:28:52

68. Lindsey Wassel, 3:32:15

69. Rosemarie Danner, 3:33:21

70. Andrew Norkin, 3:35:03

71. Batman, 3:355:22

72. Shannon Archibald, 3:36:36

73. Glenny and The Jet, 3:36:47

74. Jason McFarland, 3:37:51

75. The Dukes, 3:39:12

76. Liz Rand, 3:48:11

77. Nancy Husarik, 3:48:21

78. Emily Hursty, 3:48:40

79. Jennifer Bae, 3:58:17

80. Mike McLeod, 3:58:19

81. William Hannan, 3:58:45

82. Amy Whynot, 4:18:38

83. Sam Dolgin-Gardner, 4:24:25

84. Goin Strong, 4:29:17

85. David Peet, 4:31:45

86. Thomas Chandler, 4:31:52

87. Susan Buckenmaier, 4:32:17

88. Alan Hodgkin, 4:39:46

89. Mark West, 4:39:50

90. Rosemarie Chandler, 4:40:15

91. Chace Conroy, 4:40:17

92. Lisa Chase, 5:07:34

KAYAK (3 miles)

1. Roberta McClain 28:48

2. Team TRT, 29:57

3. Cavalli Maximilian, 30:13

4. Still the Gymps, 30:13

5. Life is Good, 30:17

6. Ed Hofmeister, 30:35

7. Mike Adams, 30:47

8. Nature Trekkers, 30:51

9. Blair Crawford, 31:00

10. Jeremy Judd, 31:00

11. David Moore, 31:24

12. Superflies, 31:51

13. Thomas Tieman, 31:54

14. MacDougall A Team, 31:57

15. Glenny and The Jet, 32:03

16. Brian Edwards, 32:17

17. Bob Beaudoin, 32:45

18. Kevin Callahan, 33:00

19. Crew 222, 33:03

20. Phil Allard, 33:24

21. Craig Marden, 33:30

22. Victory Sun, 33:47

23. TJ O’Connell, 34:04

24. Rockets, 34:07

25. Jeff Stack, 34:07

26. Greg Martin, 34:09

27. Rick Nelson, 34:15

28. Christine Stack, 34:18

29. Ryan Paveglio, 34:18

30. Batman, 34:21

31. Angela McLeod, 34:27

32. Frank Marston, 34:32

33. Laura Campbell, 34:35

34. Mike Marino, 34:36

35. David Peet, 34:47

36. Chris Peter, 35:01

37. Ralph Colarusso, 35:09

38. The 3 Quax, 35:14

39. William Brown, 35:14

40. Fruit Loopers, 35:26

41. Team Red, 35:46

42. Mike McLeod, 35:48

43. Barry Towle, 35:53

44. Where’s the Bug Spray, 35:57

45. Patrick Sansonetti, 36:11

46. Feisty Foxes, 36:14

47. Sarah Brown, 36:24

48. Chris Cloutier, 36:29

49. Nick Wirth, 36:32

50. The Villagers, 36:57

51. Elizabeth Young, 37:02

52. Robert McMahon, 37:04

53. Jennifer Genovese, 37:16

54. Alan Hodgkin, 37:23

55. Mark West, 37:23

56. Peter Paveglio, 37:37

57. Craig Perreault, 37:49

58. Rosemarie Danner, 37:57

59. Clint Myers, 38:14

60. Goof Balls, 38:20

61. The Dukes, 38:31

62. Jason McFarland, 38:34

63. Saul Sola, 39:00

64. Lindsey Wassel, 39:05

65. A Touch of Class, 39:12

66. Mike Murrin, 39:36

67. Shannon Archibald, 39:51

68. Goin Strong, 39:55

69. MacDougall B Team, 39:59

70. David Peck, 40:11

71. The Village People, 40:14

72. Andree Pride, 40:18

73. William Hannan, 40:21

74. Susan Buckenmaier, 40:24

75. Sam Dolgin-Gardner, 40:28

76. Robert Greene, 40:53

77. Andrew Norkin, 41:05

78. Darryn Glenn, 41:12

79. Lisa Chase, 41:19

80. Marcey Crosskill, 41:37

81. Kelley St. Hilaire, 41:40

82. Liz Rand, 41:47

83. Emily Hursty, 41:49

84. Nancy Husarik, 41:51

85. Thomas Chandler, 42:21

86. Chace Conroy, 42:27

87. Rosemarie Chandler, 42:31

88. Road Runners, 42:41

89. Galway Gladiators, 43:47

90. Amy Whynot, 43:55

91. JR Bourget, 47:54

92. Misty Brown, 48:01

93. Jennifer Bae, 51:15

BIKE (15 miles)

1. Rick Nelson, 1:07:09

2. Brian Edwards, 1:08:49

3. Kevin Callahan, 1:10:32

4. Team TRT, 1:11:35

5. Life is Good, 1:15:44

6. Still the Gymps, 1:18:09

7. Chris Peter, 1:19:26

8. David Moore, 1:21:03

9. Nick Wirth, 1:23:12

10. Crew 222, 1:25:00

11. Ed Hofmeister, 1:26:23

12. Jeff Stack, 1:26:27

13. Phil Allard, 1:26:35

14. Team Red, 1:27:24

15. Barry Towle, 1:27:26

16. Superflies, 1:28:05

17. Robert McMahon, 1:29:35

18. William Brown, 1:30:01

19. A Touch of Class, 1:30:15

20. Saul Sola, 1:30:21

21. Jennifer Genovese, 1:30:42

22. Mike Marino, 1:30:50

23. Ralph Colarusso, 1:31:07

24. Bob Beaudoin, 1:31:17

25. Victory Sun, 1:31:22

26. Laura Campbell, 1:31:56

27. Feisty Foxes, 1:33:26

28. Craig Marden, 1:33:30

29. Greg Martin, 1:33:47

30. MacDougall A Team, 1:34:00

31. Blair Crawford, 1:34:03

32. Thomas Tieman, 1:34:05

33. Where’s the Bug Spray, 1:34:30

34. Patrick Sansonetti, 1:35:45

35. Mike Adams, 1:36:30

36. Chris Cloutier, 1:37:38

37. TJ O’Connell, 1:38:43

38. Sarah Brown, 1:38:55

39. The 3 Quax, 1:40:11

40. Mike Murrin, 1:40:24

41. Andree Pride, 1:40:26

42. The Village People, 1:41:46

43. JR Bourget, 1:43:38

44. Misty Brown, 1:43:53

45. Frank Marston, 1:44:13

46. Darryn Glenn, 1:44:32

47. Goof Balls, 1:45:40

48. David Peck, 1:45:44

49. Angela McLeod, 1:45:47

50. Elizabeth Young, 1:46:27

51. Nature Trekkers, 1:47:17

52. The Villagers, 1:49:41

53. Fruit Loopers, 1:50:45

54. Craig Perreault, 1:50:47

55. Peter Paveglio, 1:50:47

56. MacDougall B Team, 1:50:48

57. Roberta McClain, 1:51:04

58. Clint Myers, 1:51:18

59. Shannon Archibald, 1:51:32

60. Jason McFarland, 1:52:01

61. Christine Stack, 1:52:08

62. Jeremy Judd, 1:52:55

63. Kelley St. Hilaire, 1:53:31

64. Marcey Crosskill, 1:53:42

65. Ryan Paveglio, 1:53:45

66. Robert Greene, 1:53:55

67. Batman, 1:54:39

68. Andrew Norkin, 1:55:01

69. Rockets, 1:55:17

70. Road Runners, 1:58:00

71. Liz Rand, 1:58:21

72. Nancy Husarik, 1:58:35

73. Glenny and The Jet, 2:00:24

74. Lindsey Wassel, 2:01:49

75. Galway Gladiators, 2:03:44

76. Rosemarie Danner, 2:05:13

77. Emily Hursty, 2:08:20

78. Jennifer Bae, 2:15:47

79. Sam Dolgin-Gardner, 2:17:55

80. Amy Whynot, 2:18:34

81. Mark West, 2:19:47

82. Alan Hodgkin, 2:19:57

83. The Dukes, 2:20:07

84. Goin Strong, 2:21:53

85. William Hannan, 2:33:38

86. Mike McLeod, 2:34:08

87. Chace Conroy, 2:48:57

88. Thomas Chandler, 2:49:12

89. Rosemarie Chandler, 2:49:14

90. Susan Buckenmaier, 2:51:30

91. David Peet, 2:56:32

92. Lisa Chase, 2:56:45

RUN/HIKE (Pleasant Mtn)

1. Still the Gymps, 24:43

2. Phil Allard, 27:40

3. Rick Nelson, 27:54

4. Life is Good, 28:12

5. Laura Campbell, 29:41

6. Team TRT, 30:18

7. William Brown, 30:50

8. The Village People, 30:56

9. Superflies, 31:14

10. Kevin Callahan, 31:26

11. Goof Balls, 31:28

12. Chris Peter, 33:25

13. MacDougall B Team, 34:23

14. Crew 222, 34:42

15. MacDougall A Team, 35:03

16. Where’s the Bug Spray, 35:13

17. Bob Beaudoin, 35:24

18. Brian Edwards, 36:08

19. The 3 Quax, 36:25

20. A Touch of Class, 36:46

21. Sarah Brown, 36:56

22. David Moore, 37:04

23. Clint Myers, 37:15

24. Mike Adams, 37:50

25. Angela McLeod, 38:21

26. Victory Sun, 38:41

27. Robert McMahon, 38:42

28. Saul Sola, 39:00

29. Rockets, 39:13

30. Team Red, 39:20

31. Mike Murrin, 39:28

32. Ed Hofmeister, 39:28

33. Nick Wirth, 39:34

34. The Villagers, 39:38

35. David Peck, 40:10

36. Greg Martin, 40:27

37. Patrick Sansonetti, 40:30

38. The Dukes, 40:34

39. Jennifer Genovese, 40:41

40. Andree Pride, 40:44

41. Ralph Colarusso, 40:56

42. Galway Gladiators, 41:21

43. Feisty Foxes, 41:59

44. Road Runners, 42:22

45. TJ O’Connell, 43:18

46. Jeff Stack, 44:39

47. William Hannan, 44:46

48. Craig Marden, 45:03

49. Barry Towle, 45:14

50. Fruit Loopers, 46:14

51. Elizabeth Young, 46:14

52. Marcey Crosskill, 47:36

53. Kelley St. Hilaire, 47:41

54. Blair Crawford, 48:14

55. Christine Stack, 48:19

56. Mike McLeod, 48:23

57. Roberta McClain, 49:20

58. Jeremy Judd, 49:33

59. Rosemarie Danner, 50:11

60. Chris Cloutier, 50:28

61. Robert Greene, 50:49

62. Darryn Glenn, 51:04

63. Jennifer Bae, 51:15

64. Lindsey Wassel, 51:21

65. Misty Brown, 52:17

66. JR Bourget, 52:41

67. Ryan Paveglio, 53:00

68. Craig Perreault, 57:42

69. Peter Paveglio, 57:49

70. Emily Hursty, 58:31

71. Andrew Norkin, 58:57

72. Nature Trekkers, 1:00:11

73. Thomas Chandler, 1:00:19

74. Susan Buckenmaier, 1:00:23

75. David Peet, 1:00:26

76. Glenny and The Jet, 1:04:20

77. Frank Marston, 1:04:47

78. Shannon Archibald, 1:05:13

79. Batman, 1:06:22

80. Jason McFarland, 1:07:16

81. Nancy Husarik, 1:07:55

82. Liz Rand, 1:08:03

83. Rosemarie Chandler, 1:08:30

84. Thomas Tieman, 1:08:37

85. Chace Conroy, 1:08:53

86. Amy Whynot, 1:16:09

87. Mike Marino, 1:18:09

88. Sam Dolgin-Gardner, 1:26:02

89. Goin Strong, 1:27:29

90. Lisa Chase, 1:29:30

91. Alan Hodgkin, 1:42:26

92. Mark West, 1:42:40