May 19, 2008 -- This is how to celebrate a triathlon's silver anniversary. Get the a legendary race director to assemble world champions on a brutal course with super-competitive age groupers and add about ten thousand supporters and spectators. All done with courageous competition and superb sportsmanship at Columbia Tri’s 25th Anniversay. Truly a great day in race director Rob Vigorito’s neighborhood.

Names like McCormack, Lieto, Ficker, and Lovato backed up many returning age group champions to set the scene for success without revealing the climax. Kind of like Indiana Jones with random action scenes. We knew something big was gonna happen, but were not quite sure what or who would do the deed.

Compact groups of pros ran up from the Lake Centennial swim finish for tidy transitions to the 41 K bike course. They quickly vanished up the road as follow-up waves of triathletes thrashed into the transition area in the pro’s wake for their race. American Chris Lieto powered the lead group up the road, pursued by Aussie Chris McCormack and the rest of the elite posse. The race was on by the first turn and tactics were shaping up for a likely showdown on the challenging 10K run. No surprises there, but this is triathlon and surprises are always out there. Unfortunately, it came when a bad corner direction sent McCormack and the first chase group off course. We’ve all been there and as McCormack said, “These things happen.”

Nobody eased up with the chase group back on course, but there was no catching Lieto who rode back in alone. McCormack arrived over four minutes, in hot pursuit, but too far back to make up the gap.

McCormack and his countryman Richie Cunningham were out chasing Lieto with a surprising 19-year-old Andrew Yoder in between. At the end of the day, Lieto improved on Matt Reed’s excellent 2006 record of 1:51:46 with a 1:51:13. Yoder finished second overall for second record of the day, with a 1:54:31 for the juniors. Macca cruised in another three minutes back of Yoder for third.

For the women, New York's Rebeccah Wassner improved on Susan Williams’ stellar 2005 course record of 2:07:22 with a finishing time of 2:04:49. Wassner easily distanced herself from Amanda Lovato and Margaret Shapiro, who finished second and third respectively. Desiree Ficker, in her first race since competing in the Olympic Marathon Trials, finished fifth in 2:13:38. Even though sixth-place finisher Laurel Wassner (Rebeccah's sister) was hot on her feet, Ficker still took the time to roll across the line, in honor of the late Jon Blais.

Men
1. Chris Lieto 1:51:13
2. Andrew Yoder 1:54:31
3. Chris McCormack 1:57:22
4. Richie Cunningham 1:57:55
5. Eric Limkemann 1:59:22
6. Janda Ricci-Munn 1:59:25
7. Holden Comeau 1:59:55
8. Paul Fritzsche 2:00:10
9. Adam Webber 2.00:12
10. Rick Fesler 2:00:47

Women
1. Rebeccah Wassner 2:04:49
2. Amanda Lovato 2:09:21
3. Margaret Shapiro 2:12:23
4. Fiona Docherty 2:13:25
5. Desiree Ficker 2:13:38
6. Laurel Wassner 2:13:55
7. Ayesha Smith 2:14:07
8. Linsey Corbin 2:15:48
9. Heather Leiggi 2:16:08
10. Beth Shutt 2:16:27