BAARK!, Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness, completed its 10th annual Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon on Sunday March 5, and it was a resounding success.

Launy Duncombe, of Freeport, Grand Bahama, a CARIFTA triathlon team member, emerged as the overall male winner with a time of 1:04:38. He was followed closely by Jorge Marcos with a time of 1:04:57, and rounding out the top three finishers was Simone Bertoldo, last year's winner, with a time of 1:06:44.

In the female category, the overall winner was Kami Roach, also a CARIFTA triathlon team member. She clocked the winning time of 1:12:30. Sylvia Bateman, of Freeport, Grand Bahama, an assistant coach for the last CARIFTA Triathlon's team, finished second in 1:13:25, and Suzy Eneas, last year's winner, rounded off the top three finishers with a time of 1:13:39.

The sprint relays, which are always a crowd favorite, didn't disappoint this year. The overall winner of the male sprint relay was the 'East Side Eagles', consisting of Justin Higgs, Giles Sawyer and Geren Albury. They finished in 1:07:24. 'Tri'ing Hard' with Ragh and Ragil Cordova as team members, clocked 1:11:08 to finish second.

In the mixed sprint relay, 'St. Andrew's School' with Giada Bertoldo, Gordon McKenzie and Robert Holcombe as team members, were victorious with a time of 1:03:15. 'Slow Down for What', featuring Cameron Roach, Felix Neely and LeiLei Lightbourne, finished second with a time of 1:05:42. Rounding off the top three finishers was 'Session Box' with Maggie Shehan, John Mollen and Amanda Darville as team members. They finished in 1:12:48.

SunCash, a bronze sponsor, provided gift cards to the overall winners.

In the Male (16-19) category, Enea Gervasini was first in 1:09:17, Barron Musgrove finished second in 1:12:49 and Jason Cates finished third in 1:13:24. In the Female (16-19) category, Erin Pritchard won in 1:14:44. In the Male (20-29) division, Justin Higgs won in 1:13:27, Michael Holowesko was second in 1:16:23 and Kohen Kerr finished third in 1:29:01. In the Female (20-29) category, Arianne Evans won in 1:32:30.

In the Male (30-39) division, Daniel Freire won in 1:13:31, Peter Wagner was second in 1:15:31 and Ferhat Sen finished third in 1:29:11. In the Female (30-39) category, Wima Stefanutti was first in 1:23:57 and Britt Christensen finished second in 1:29:31. In the Male (40-49) division, Cameron Roach won in 1:07:52, Andrew Ratcliffe was second in 1:10:17 and Daniel Belton finished third in 1:11:41. In the Female (40-49) category, Ilaria Gervasini won in 1:21:16 and Samantha Cartwright was second in 1:35:57.

In the Male (50-59) division, Simon Townend won in 1:11:15, Sean Farrington was second in 1:11:35 and Edward Bethel came in third in 1:15:51. In the Female (50-59) category, Sarah Farrington prevailed in 1:33:55. In the Male (60-69) division, Gerald Wathen won in 1:24:02, and in the Male (70-plus) division, Ulrich Filser won in 1:32:36.

In the Puppy Category (Boys 8-and-Under), Caiden Bain won in 6:48, Alan Gervasini was second in 8:04 and Kai Weightman finished third in 8:37. In the Puppy Category (Boys 9-10), Stafford Sweeting won in 6:46, Fraser Menzies finished second in 6:55 and Lyall Menzies was third in 7:39. In the Puppy Category (Girls 9-10), Hailey Cunningham won in 10:19.

In the Juniors (Boys 11-12), Sibby Fynn Potter won in 22:56, Lauchlan Menzies finished second in 22:59 and Kendrick Cargill was third in 34:48. In the Juniors (Girls 11-12), Nai'a Belton won in 25:26 and Veranique Strachan finished second in 27:37. In the Juniors (Boys 13-15), Malcolm Menzies won in 34:12, Ayden Bain finished second in 37:06 and Jayden Smith came in third in 42:47. In the Juniors (Girls 13-15), Taylor Knowles was first in 50:14 and Chelsea Smith came in second in 59:34.

Official times for all participants can be found on the website https://www.raceprompt.com/the-potcakeman-triathlon-2023/. The event was sanctioned by the Bahamas Triathlon Association and is a qualifier for the CARIFTA Triathlon in August.

The triathlon features a 750-meters swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a five kilometer run. The triathlon is a family-fun event that has grown over the last 10 years, attracting participants from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama and the United Kingdom. This year's race attracted a participant from Finland.

The triathlon had Powerade as a title sponsor, JS Johnson, Purina, FX Pro, Think Simple and Dunkin' Donuts as gold sponsors, Albany, Modernistic Garden and Pet Supplies, Freak Show and Tito's Vodka/Jimmy's Wines and Spirits as silver sponsors, and Panama Jack, Odyssey Aviation, FYP, Ports International, Callendars & Co., Caves Village Vet, Terrain Landscape Architects and SunCash as bronze sponsors.

Special thanks is extended to the race crew, swim cap and race bag sponsors Damianos Sotheby's, The Shoe Village and Think Simple, the Junior/Puppy Aquathon sponsor Dunkin' Donuts; the event providers Bahamas Waste, the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA), Dasani, the Nassau Rowing Club, Polar Ice, Bahamas Red Cross, Rotary Club of East Nassau, Graham Real Estate, Windermere Salon and Spa, The Pets Kitchena and the Lyford Cay International School, and raffle donors Custom Computers, Cycles Unlimited, Powerboat Adventures, SunBum, the Ocean Club, The Shoe Village, Bon Vivants, Windermere Salon and Spa, Panama Jack and the Baha Mar Resort Foundation.

Funds raised from the Powerade Potcakeman Triathlon will go to support the operational costs of BAARK!

In 2022, BAARK! completed approximately 4,500 spay and neuters; its goal is to perform between 5,000-7,000 spay and neuter surgeries annually. The five-year goal is a minimal number of unwanted dogs and cats, resulting in safer and cleaner communities.

BAARK! was founded in 2009 with the mission to carry out spay/neuter and education projects to reduce the homeless dog and cat population and end the unnecessary suffering of dogs and cats in The Bahamas.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian