Deep Creek Lake triathlon drawing more than 1,200 from 34 states

SavageMan event benefits melanoma foundation

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — The sold-out sixth annual Win-The-Fight SavageMan Triathlon Festival, slated for Saturday and Sunday at Deep Creek Lake State Park, will feature 1,200 athletes from 34 U.S. states and numerous foreign countries.

Organized and produced by Win-The-Fight Events, the traithlon benefits the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation.

The starting field includes 2010 SavageMan 70.0 champion and Hawaii Ironman World Championship runner-up De-siree Ficker (USA) in the female race as well as Zach Ruble (USA), second, and Josh Beck (USA), third places, respectively in SavageMan 2011.

Numerous viewing opportunities abound in Deep Creek Lake State Park and Garrett and Allegany counties for the general public. For course maps and daily activities, visit the primary SavageMan website, www.savagemantri.org. To review brief safety secondary road closures, visit www.savagemantri.org/ road_closures.pdf.

The 2011 SavageMan charity race raised nearly $100,000 in donations by individual champion athlete/fundraisers for the foundation’s mission of mel-anoma education, advocacy and research. The broad slate of sponsors that provide services and support for the 2012 event includes Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, Railey Realty, Railey Mountain Lake Vacations and High Mountain Sports, among numerous community organizations and businesses and national sponsors.

The SavageMan 70.0 signature event features a 1.2-mile swim in Deep Creek Lake, followed by the crown-jewel bike stage featuring nearly 5,800 feet of vertical climbing, including the “most savage ascent in all of triathlon — the Westernport Wall.” The triathlon culminates in twice tackling the 6.5-mile loop run course along the shores of Deep Creek Lake and State Park Road.

The SavageMan Triathlon is the result of race director, founder and architect Kyle Yost’s passion for triathlon. “First of all, SavageMan is the toughest of the tough,” said Yost. “There will be endless debate in the triathlon community about which race is harder than which, but no one who has done SavageMan ever claims there is another tougher.”

According to foundation president Greg Safko, “The Win-The-Fight SavageMan Triathlon Festival has garnered much international attention as arguably the world’s toughest and most savage triathlon at the long-course distance. Besides attracting the world’s most accomplished and savvy triathletes to test themselves and compete on this very challenging and unique triathlon course, we also hope to inform them as fundraising champions and their donors, that melanoma skin cancer is the No. 1 most common cancer among 25- to 29-year-olds; and, is a very insidious and formidable skin cancer that, if not prevented or detected early, is extremely fast and lethal.”

The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation underwrites melanoma research at numerous prestigious cancer centers across the U.S. and maintains a comprehensive high school health curriculum for students to learn the deadly risks of melanoma skin cancer and “UV-safe” preventative and detection practices.

More here.

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Savageman Triathlon Ranked #2 in USA by Men's Health

THE 20 BEST TRIATHLONS IN AMERICA
From races with jaw-dropping backdrops to courses with hellacious hills, these are the country's top endurance events

By Andrew Daniels

Savageman Triathlon

Deep Creak Lake State Park, Maryland

Distance: Half Ironman (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run)
Registration: Open registration

Named the hardest race on Earth by Triathlete Magazine, Savageman is a diabolical, 5,800-foot ascent up the mountains of Western Maryland. It's caused some of the world's best cyclists to grasp for lower gears while gasping for air at a snail's pace of 2 miles per hour. At the end of the 70.3-mile trek, there's little money to be made—but plenty of pride to be earned—from finishing in one piece. And if you love hard workouts, we dare you to try the 15-minute muscle shredders in our 15-Minute Abs, Arms, and Chest Workout DVD.

savagemantri.org

Read more at Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/20-best-triathlons#ixzz207wPZm6N

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SavageMan triathlon this weekend

Event begins, ends at Deep Creek Lake State Park
For the Cumberland Times-News
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Wed Sep 14, 2011, 11:33 PM EDT

SWANTON — The fifth anniversary 2011 Tri-to-Win SavageMan Triathlon Festival scheduled Saturday and Sunday beginning and ending at Deep Creek Lake State Park will feature athletes from all corners of the U.S. and numerous foreign countries, including Canada, Great Britain, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Australia.

The fight-against-melanoma event benefits the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation, known as the “voice for melanoma prevention, detection, care and cure.”

Philip Graves of Great Britain and Desiree Ficker of the U.S. return from 2010 strong victory performances, with Graves setting both new overall SavageMan 70.0 course and 55.7-mile bike records; and Ficker a new 13.1-mile run record.

The 2011 starting field also includes John Kenny and Zach Ruble, Americans who placed second and third in 2010. They will be joined by the featured triathlon legend, six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott of the U.S. Also, American Josh Beck, considered one of the world’s top duathlete champions in running and cycling, returns for his fifth consecutive race.

Two-time SavageMan 70.0 victor, women’s course-record holder, and the only U.S. Olympic triathlon medalist ever, Susan Williams, returns to ensure solid competition in the 70.0 women’s event. In a March 2010 Triathlete magazine article, SavageMan 70.0 earned the “Editor’s Choice” distinction of “No. 1 Hardest Race on Earth.”

A multitude of viewing areas are available in Deep Creek Lake State Park and over Garrett and Allegany counties and volunteers can sign up at www.savagemantri.org/volunteers.html. Course maps and daily activities are available at www.savagemantri.org.

The 2010 race raised nearly $100,000 in donations by athlete/fundraisers. This year’s sponsors include Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Railey Mountain Lake Vacations and Railey Realty. The SavageMan 70.0 “signature” event features a 1.2-mile swim in Deep Creek Lake, followed by bicycling nearly 5,800 feet of vertical climbing and ending in twice tackling the 6.5-mile loop run course along the shores of Deep Creek Lake and State Park Road.

The SavageMan Triathlon courses are the result of course founder and architect Kyle Yost’s passion for triathlon. “First of all, SavageMan is the toughest of the tough,” said Yost. “SavageMan was created simply because the venue, and in particular the roads and severe climbs for the bike course, were simply too wonderful for an event to not exist there.”

Many triathletes recognize the famous vertical challenge — the “Westernport Wall.” Those successful and able to complete the race are memorialized with a personally engraved name “brick in the wall.” Following the 2010 race, 252 “savages” now find their names memorialized in the legendary pavement of Westernport, along with only nine “legacy” bricks for successful climbers of all four previous races.

Besides the renowned 70.0-mile event, the festival features the SavageMan 30.0 Olympic-distance triathlon to complement race offerings and fundraising opportunities for everyone.

More here.

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DCL Park Visitors Advised Of Closings, Crowding For Fest

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Sep. 8, 2011

The roads of the Deep Creek Lake State Park, as well as the boat ramp and beach area, will be heavily congested for most of the weekend of Sept. 17 and 18 as a result of the 5th annual SavageMan Triathlon Festival.

The competition will begin and end at the Deep Creek Lake State Park beach area. Visitors should expect traffic congestion and a large number of people moving throughout the park from 6 a.m. until late afternoon each day, officials said.

There are more than 500 athletes registered to participate each day of the event, which is a fundraiser and a melanoma cancer awareness campaign of the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. For additional information, persons may go to the event web site at savagemantri.org/

More here.

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Celebrity To Participate In Savage Man

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Triathlon celebrity Dave Scott will be among the elite participants in the 5th annual "Tri-To-Win" SavageMan Triathlon Festival, slated for Sept. 17 and 18, with the start and finish at Deep Creek Lake State Park. Scott is a triathlon legend, having been the champion of the famous Ironman six times. He is joining a field of numerous other accomplished athletes, such as John Kenny (USA) and Zach Ruble (USA), SavageMan 2nd and 3rd placers, respectively, in 2010; Josh Beck (USA), considered one of the world's top duathlete champions in running and cycling; and Susan Williams, two-time SavageMan 70.0 victor, women's course-record holder, and the USA's only Olympic triathlon medalist ever (Athens 2004).

More here.

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Athletes From Across The Globe Register For 2011 SavageMan Race

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Sep. 8, 2011

The 5th annual "Tri-To-Win" SavageMan Triathlon Festival, slated for Sept. 17-18 at the Deep Creek Lake State Park, has attracted athletes from 32 states – including California and Hawaii – Washington, D.C., and numerous foreign countries such as Canada, Great Britain, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Australia. Olympians and world champions will be arriving in Garrett County next week for the three-pronged athletic competition.

This event, which has become internationally renowned as one of the most difficult triathlons in the world, is organized and produced by the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. Proceeds from the event will benefit the foundation as well.

Philip Graves (GBR) and the Desiree Ficker (USA) will be back to defend their 2010 victory performances, with Graves setting both new overall SavageMan 70.0 course and 55.7-mile bike records; and Ficker a new 13.1-mile run record.

The 2011 starting field will also include John Kenny (USA) and Zach Ruble (USA), 2nd and 3rd placers respectively in 2010; as well as the featured triathlon legend, six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott (USA).

Josh Beck (USA), considered one of the world's top duathlete champions in running and cycling, and who posted a sub-6:00 minute run record on the SavageMan 13.1-mi. run course in 2010, is returning for his 5th consecutive race.

Fronting the women's field is two-time SavageMan 70.0 victor, women's course-record holder, and the U.S.'s only Olympic triathlon medalist ever (Athens 2004) Susan Williams.

In the March 2010 Triathlete magazine, an article was published titled "The 100 Best Races in the World," in which the SavageMan 70.0 was the lead-in two-page feature preface highlight, and was given the "Editor's Choice" distinction of "Number One Hardest Race on Earth!"

Greg Safko, president of the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation and race director, said the two-day festival has "built a loyal following and solid reputation among athletes worldwide seeking a very unique lifetime experience."

He also reported that post-race surveys taken by athletes indicate that 100% of athletes recommend the SavageMan Triathlon Festival to others.

"This survey result reflects the phenomenal attraction to western Maryland for the race," Safko said.

There are a multitude of viewing areas in Deep Creek Lake State Park and across Garrett and Allegeny counties for the general public, he noted. Volunteers to help out with the event are still in need.

"Volunteering doubles the fun for spectators to experience this one-of-a-kind international sporting event up close," Safko said. "And our volunteers are key to ensuring a safe and successful event for participants from around the country and world, as well as supporting the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation's mission."

For further information on volunteering, persons may visit www.savagemantri.org/volunteers.html. For course maps and daily activities, persons may go to the primary SavageMan web site at www.savagemantri.org.

More here.

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SavageMan Set For Sept. 16-18; Volunteers Sought

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SavageMan Set For Sept. 16-18; Volunteers Sought


Aug. 25, 2011

The fourth annual "Tri-To-Win" SavageMan Triathlon Festival will take place on Sept. 16 to 19, with the starting and finishing point located at Deep Creek Lake State Park. Organizers are currently recruiting volunteers to help with the international race.

The SavageMan Triathlon Festival, a charity event that benefits the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation, has been touted internationally as "the world's most beautiful – and most 'savage' – triathlon." Athletes from around the world are already registered for this year's contest, according to Greg Safko, president of the foundation and lead organizer for the triathlon.

"The most critical ingredient in staging a successful triathlon is the active participation of enthusiastic, energetic and committed volunteers," Safko said. "And our volunteers are tremendously appreciated by all our athletes, professional and amateur alike, who come from around the world to compete in this 'Savage Race to Fight a Savage Cancer.'"

All volunteers will receive a complimentary volunteer T-shirt and cap, and will be invited to the post-race party. Volunteers will be advised as to how to obtain the gifts. Complete information and an application can be found online at www.savagemantri.org/volunteers.html.

A number of volunteer positions are available. Some of these include the setup crew, which will work each day from Thursday, Sept. 15, through the end of the weekend event. (Persons may choose a day to work, or be there each morning.) Volunteers are needed for course marking, parking guides, packet pick-up, body marking of the athletes, transition area guides, course support for all three legs of the race, finish line support, Westernport Wall success tracking, a tear-down crew on Sunday, and a clean-up crew on Monday.

Volunteering roles that require training, special equipment, certifications, or specific skills are photographers, medical personnel, kayakers, lifeguards, bikers, and videographers, among others.

For more information, persons may call Dick Zimmerman, the regional volunteer coordinator, at 240-405-4700, or contact organizers by e-mail at volunteers@savagemantri.org.

All race proceeds go to the melanoma foundation, named in honor of the late Joanna M. Nicolay. Her daughter, Denise Nicolay Safko, said the volunteers touch many lives.

"Not only are they and the community supporting the athletes, they are proving a way for many of the participants to honor someone whom they've lost, or who is battling cancer," she said. "It is really an inspiration to me."

For more information about the organization, persons may visit www.melanomaresource.org.

More here.

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Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation works to help fund research, inform people of cancer risk

Posted: Monday, July 4, 2011 12:15 am | Updated: 11:54 pm, Sun Jul 3, 2011.

Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation works to help fund research, inform people of cancer risk By Vanessa Junkin, Times Correspondent

Donations sought: In addition to monetary donations, which can be made online, the foundation seeks volunteers. Safko said the next big event is the Tri-To-Win SavageMan Triathlon Festival at Deep Creek Lake State Park Sept. 17 and 18. If interested in participating, email contact@winthefight.org. To volunteer to help with the race, fill out a form on the website. Volunteers wishing to help in other ways can email contact@melanomaresource.org.

Why do you believe in the cause? "The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation was initiated due to the loss of a loved one in our family, and rather than a memorial tree, brick or park bench, we decided to create a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to melanoma prevention, detection, care and cure," Safko said "and [to] have a more enduring and positive impact on the lives of many." Nicolay, a Carroll resident, was Safko's mother-in-law.


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Speaking with Dave Scott - Savageman Reference

Ironman legend to be inducted into USA Triathlon Hall of Fame

By Jon Ackerman Posted: Jan 14, 9:38a ET Updated: Jan 14, 9:38a ET

Spotlight: Ironman legend Dave Scott
American Dave Scott won six Ironman world championships in the 1980s, a mark matched by only one other person. He's a member of the Ironman, Triathlon and USA Triathlon Halls of Fame.

Since the gun sounded the start of the first Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in 1978, no human has won more world titles than American Dave Scott's six (though compatriot Mark Allen later matched the feat). In 1993, Scott became the first member of the Ironman Hall of Fame, which he celebrated by coming out of retirement to compete in Kona at age 40. He finished second and felt so good that he entered again two years later, placing fifth...

...Are you still competing these days?
I still train like a demon, but I got clobbered in May '09. I was thinking about doing an Ironman; I silently told a few people. By the end of May I was going to make a decision and I really felt quite strong. And I was three-quarters of a mile from my house after riding about 56 miles and this woman did a U-turn in front of me in her SUV, and I was coming down this little grade. I screamed and hollered, locked up my brakes and skidded, and I slammed right into the side of her door. So I shattered my scapula and fractured my hand, wrist, and fingers. Ended up having three surgeries and got a blood clot in my lung. So that kind of curtailed things for quite a while.

But I still have a passion for health/fitness. So I'll do mostly promotional events. I've got a couple this year -- one grueling half-Ironman called Savageman (in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland) that has this most-wicked climb. I don't even know how they pave the hill but it's about 30 percent grade. I don't have visions of beating too many of the young stallions but I still like to scare them.

Read the full article here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Bethesda lawyer ‘guts it out’ in Maryland triathlons

Posted: 7:00 pm Sun, December 12, 2010
By Danny Jacobs

James R. Hammerschmidt took a 55-mile bike ride Memorial Day weekend in Garrett County. He followed the route used for the SavageMan Triathlon, which took him through Deep Creek Lake State Park, Savage River State Forest and New Germany State Park. He took in the beautiful scenery and gutted through the steep climbs. And when ...

Read the full article here.

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Finished! What a Feeling!

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Sep. 23, 2010

Local athlete Elizabeth Green is pictured as she reaches the ultimate goal in the SavageMan Triathlon — crossing the finish line. Hundreds of runners, swimmers, bikers, and those who do all three came across the line, completing what Triathlete magazine has crowned the hardest triathlon in the world. The SavageMan Festival took place over the weekend, with the 30.0 race held on Saturday and the grueling 70.0 on Sunday. The competition began and concluded in Deep Creek Lake State Park. The results and multiple photographs can be viewed online at savagemantri.org. Greg Safko, director of the race and president of the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation, the recipient of the race proceeds, said this year's event was "an incredible race in a multitude of perspectives — from registration of 1,100+ athletes, many drawn to western Maryland for the first time to experience the beauty and savage challenge — to the hundreds of highly valued and praised volunteers from within the communities hosting athlete guests from throughout the country and the globe." He said the fundraising for the melanoma foundation "far exceeded prior years." See additional pictures in today's issue, and at the festival site located at www.savagemantri.org Photo by C. Kellyann Green.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Savageman Triathlon Videos from Sunday

I wanted to blog about the Savageman Triathlon from last Sunday before the week got away from me! My wife Jessica and my son, Noah, and I arrived at the top of Miller Rd (near Jennings) at about 10am to volunteer at the Killer Miller Hill aid station. Mike Kennedy & Marcia Warnick were already hard at work setting up the tent and filling water bottles with HEED (protein water) for the triathlon bikers.

The weather was perfect; sunny and warm. We had already seen some of the bikers riding down Mellinger Rd to Westernport. The bike course was something like 56 miles and the entire back-end of the race was UP Savage Mountain. I couldn't believe how steep the hills were, but one by one the bikers started peddling by. Some took water, some took HEED, others took gel and salt tabs, but they all kept pushing past the aid station. It was really impressive to see these athletes climbing up hills ranging from 20-25% grade. Scott Lohr brought a sound system and blasted music throughout the day and it seemed to pump the bikers up. One biker even asked Scott for a beer as he rode through - and he got it :) Nancy Jo Fratz did a great job coordinating the volunteers, and we had a lot more friends show up to pitch in.

We had several Railey Realty agents & friends/family participating in the race. Jimmy Railey, Russell Bounds, Steve & Kellyann Green, Audrey Kennedy and Jesse Shimrock to name a few. One of the videos below is of Audrey Kennedy coming up the hill, with her two boys & husband Mike cheering her on.

If you get a chance to volunteer next year or just watch the race, definitely participate. It's a great way to spend a fall day in Garrett County and see some sights that you may not have seen before. The event brings lot of people and positive recognition to the area, which is great for everyone, and this race through our 'hills and lakes' is recognized as one of the toughest in the WORLD!!

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Hundreds Registered For Western Md. Triathlon

SWANTON, Md. (AP) ― A western Maryland triathlon billed as the world's toughest has attracted hundreds of registrants.

The 70-mile SavageMan Triathlon begins Sunday morning at Deep Creek Lake State Park near Swanton.

The event, combining swimming, biking and running, was rated the hardest race on earth this year by Triathlete magazine.

The race course passes through two state parks and the Savage River State Forest. It also crosses the Eastern Continental Divide.

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Savageman Triathlon this weekend - #1 toughest in the world

Time for the 'toughest triathlon in the world' - the SavageMan! I am participating for the first time with the Railey Realty Aid Station at the top of 'Killer Miller' hill. Sveral of our agents are racing and participating in the event, which is really exciting. I have heard so many stories about how exciting it is to be involved and to cheer on these world class athletes, so my family and I will be there Sunday morning to get involved and ring some cowbells...

Here is the schedule of events and the main website (lots of cool photos to check out):

2010 SavageMan Triathlon Festival Schedule of Events

Friday, September 17
*30.0 athletes are strongly encouraged to pickup packets and rack bikes on Friday
3:00 - 9:00 PM 30.0 and 70.0 Packet Pickup at Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
3:00 - 9:00 PM Volunteers Check-In at Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
3:00 - 7:00 PM 30.0 Bike Racking at Transition Area


Saturday, September 18

SavageMan 30.0 Triathlon
6:30 AM Transition Area opens
6:30 to 8:30 AM 30.0 Packet Pickup at Oak Pavilion
6:30 to 8:30 AM 30.0 Bike Racking
8:45 AM Mandatory Athlete Briefing
9:15 AM Transition Area Closed
9:30 AM SavageMan 30.0 Triathlon Race Start
9:50 AM First athlete on bike course
11:00 AM Swim cut-off time
10:50 AM First athlete on run course
11:30 AM First athlete finishes!!
1:00 PM Bike cut-off time
2:00 PM SavageMan 30.0 Course Closed
2:00 PM Awards Ceremony
5:45 PM "Champion" Fundraiser private reception with Dave Scott at Wisp Resort
6:30 - 8:30 PM SavageMan Carbo-Load Dinner
SavageMan 70.0 Triathlon
1:30 - 6:30 PM 70.0 Packet Pickup at Oak Pavilion
3:00 - 7:00 PM Mandatory 70.0 Bike Racking
3:30 PM Mandatory Athlete Briefing #1
4:30 PM Mandatory Athlete Briefing #2
5:45 PM "Champion" Fundraiser private reception with Dave Scott at Wisp Resort
6:30 - 8:30 PM SavageMan Carbo-Load Dinner


Sunday, September 19
SavageMan 70.0 Triathlon
6:00 AM Transition Area Opens
8:15 AM Transition Area Closes
8:15 AM Spectator Shuttle Departs for Westernport Wall
8:30 AM SavageMan 70.0 Triathlon Race Start
8:55 AM First Athlete on Bike Course
9:30 AM First athlete encounters Westernport Wall
10:10 AM Swim cut-off time
11:25 AM First athlete on run course
1:00 PM First athlete finishes!!
3:00 PM Bike cut-off time
3:30 PM Awards Ceremony
5:00 PM SavageMan 70.0 Course Closed

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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Triathlete Magazine Names SavageMan #1 Hardest Triathlon In The World

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Aug. 26, 2010

by Mary Sincell McEwen
Garrett County's own Tri-To-Win SavageMan triathlon has garnered national attention this year via the editors of Triathlete magazine, who proclaimed in the March issue that the local triple event is the "No. 1 hardest triathlon in the world."

The magazine was rating the 100 best races on earth, and not only was the local event named in that list, but it was placed at the top of the subcategory of "most difficult." The 4th annual SavageMan Triathlon Festival will happen this year on Sept. 18 and 19, with two swimming-biking-running races (a "30.0" and a "70.0") set for each day. The events begin and end at Deep Creek Lake State Park.

"This article, combined with broad word-of-mouth promotion, has led to higher athlete registration," said Greg Safko, founder of the race, which is a major fundraiser for the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. "In fact, because of the SavageMan Triathlon Festival's tremendous international popularity, both races will most certainly be sold out."

He said this week that there are only about 20 slots remaining in both races and may be gone by press-time.

Because of the rapid sell-out and full rosters of athletes, as well as maintaining the current mark of excellence earned by previous events, Safko stressed the need to meet the expectations for a high quality event.

"This necessitates our recruitment of a significant, qualified volunteer base," Safko said. To address this need, the organization created a volunteer coordinator position, now held by Dick Zimmerman.

Persons who wish to volunteer for the event are encouraged to contact Zimmerman at 240-405-4700, or by e-mail at: volunteers@savagemantri.org. Individuals are needed to man relief stations, help with traffic and safety areas, and work in other support roles. Each volunteer will be given a SavageMan T-shirt, cap, and an invitation to the after-party.

Safko also reported this week that six-time IronMan World Champion Dave Scott will be attending and competing in the Tri-To-Win SavageMan 70.0 Triathlon. Scott has attended the event since 2007 as a celebrity guest, signing all first-place awards for all the divisions, and being on hand to meet other athletes and autograph items. This year, however, the world-renowned athlete will actually be taking part in the event.

"This is big news, and we're thrilled about it," Safko said.

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Athletes, Volunteers Gearing Up For Second SavageMan Triathlon Fest

courtesy Republican News


Sep. 11, 2008

The second annual SavageMan Tri-To-Win Triathlon will take place on Sunday, Sept. 21, in Garrett County, and will involve nearly 600 athletes from all over the world. Several local residents will take part in either part or all of the three-sport event, joining registrants from 23 states, Washington, D.C., the Virgin Islands, Canada, Belgium, and Sweden.
"The excitement is growing. The SavageMan is a great attraction for the United States and internationally," said Greg Safko, race director and board member.

A triathlon is an athletic event consisting of swimming, biking, and running. After the success of last year's first SavageMan Triathlon, the local event has now become known as "the world's most beautiful and most savage triathlon," Safko said.

The internationally renowned "Half" distance event is a strenuous race consisting of 1.2 miles of swimming in the open waters of Deep Creek Lake, 56 miles of road bicycling, and 13.1 miles of running.

A second, shorter competition, called the International Race, has been added this year, offering athletes a "more forgiving" event. It consists of a .93-mile swim, 23-mile bike, and 6.2-mile run.

Safko wished to alert all residents to the paths of the races, so that persons may come out to watch and support the athletes, as well as make sure dogs are kept inside for the short duration when runners and bikers will be passing by. Drivers should be aware that racers will be on the roadways as well.

Both events will begin at the Deep Creek Lake State Park on Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. (with registration open that morning at 6:30 a.m.). Athletes will begin their journeys by running into Deep Creek Lake and swimming the allotted distances.

They will then move on to the biking portion of the race, with athletes getting to the road somewhere around 8:30 a.m. They will head out of the state park on Toothpick Road onto Glendale for about 3 miles, and then onto Spring Lick Road for about 5. They will be on Savage River Road for 6 miles, and then go on through smaller roads to Westernport Road for 4.2 miles. There the riders will encounter the Westernport Wall, which is the most challenging portion of the bike race.

A special spectator shuttle will transport supporters from the state park to the Westernport Wall, leaving the park around 8 a.m. and returning after the bikers have conquered the steep incline. Those wishing to ride the shuttle should register at the event web site: www.savagemantri.org. Fans are invited to bring noisemakers, because the athletes "need all the encouragement they can get as they get through Westernport," the web site states.

The bikers will then head back toward Garrett County, along McAndrews Hill and New Germany roads, and then Otto Lane. They will travel along Jennings Road for 1.8 miles, onto Miller Road, Maynardier Ridge Road for about 4 miles, and then on Bittinger to Orendorf roads.

They will be on Beachy Road for a little over a mile, and then on Rock Lodge Road for 5.2 miles. They will then follow State Park Road back to the park.

Bikers are expected to start returning to the state park around 11 a.m. They will then begin the run, which begins on the gravel road next to the lake. They will run the length of the state park and go behind the Discovery Center. Runners will then take a right on State Park Road and left onto Brant Road. After a turnaround on that road, they will circumnavigate the park's campgrounds and return to State Park Road. A 2-mile jaunt on State Park Road will lead to a 1/4 mile climb up Thayerville Fire Tower Road and to a turnaround. Runners will return again to State Park Road and down Meadow Mountain Lane, re-entering the state park and completing the loop.

The International Race participants will share part of this course in their events, although their paths are shorter.

The first athletes in the SavageMan Half are expected to come through the finish line sometime around 12:45 p.m. The International race should start wrapping up about an hour earlier.

The final cut-off for racers is 4:40 p.m. During those hours, all residents, especially those living in that area, are asked to take note of the roadways involved and be aware of the athletes. All are encouraged to come out and cheer for the participants, Safko said.

Some athletes will do one portion of the races, such as just the bike event or just the running. Others are taking on the entire race. The results will be available online at the event web site, and local results will be reported in The Republican when they become available.

All proceeds of the SavageMan "Tri-to-Win...the fight against melanoma" Triathlon Festival benefit the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation's efforts toward medical research leading to a cure for melanoma, opportunities to educate the general public on prevention and the seriousness of melanoma, and the development of resources for patients and the entire melanoma community.

Melanoma is the most serious and lethal form of skin cancer that strikes individuals of all ages, races, and economic levels.

"The foundation is very instrumental as 'the voice for melanoma prevention, detection, care, and cure,'" Safko said.


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350