Area athletes claim top Pigman finishes

PALO - As Daniela Williams turned the final corner at the Pigman Triathlon sprint race on Sunday, the North Liberty native had the support of a home crowd cheering her on.

With that support behind her, Williams was able to finish as the top Iowa female during the 500-meter swim, 25K bike and 5K run.

'Up at the corner was my significant other and his parents,” Williams said. 'His dad has never seen me race, so it was really exciting to have them here.”

Williams is trained by another local triathlete, Daniel Bretscher of Mount Vernon. Bretscher was the overall winner Sunday, completing the course in 1 hour, 1 minute, 30.76 seconds.

To race on the same course as her coach was an exciting, Williams said.

'He's very motivational,” she said.

Williams finished second among all females in 1:11:30.41, less than five minutes behind Heather Lendway of St. Paul, Minn.

Once traveling seven hours to compete in the Pigman, it took Bretscher only 30 minutes to get to Pleasant Creek State Park this time.

Formerly of Indiana, Bretscher held off Minnesotans David Thompson - the course record holder - and Dan Hedgecock to place first among males. Bretscher said it was really a tossup between the three on who would come out on top.

'David Thompson has won the most of anyone here, and today was my second time winning the sprint,” Bretscher said. 'Dan won last year, so it was the same 1, 2, 3 as last year, just a different order.”

Bretscher's said his main goal coming into Sunday's race was to win in front of a local crowd.

Bretscher called the Pigman Triathlon a classic race in Eastern Iowa - and one with bragging rights. To win an event so close to his home made the victory extra special.

'To say you're a Pigman champion is a source of pride,” Bretscher said.

l Comments: stephen.koenigsfeld@thegazettecompany.com