Fryling, Motoyoshi top Tank-to-Tank

Chris Fryling and Mieko Motoyoshi emerged from a crowd of over 90 runners and swimmers last weekend to take the title in the 17-and-over open division of the Marianas Tourism Educational Council Tank-to-Tank Aquathon.

Fryling was the first to complete the 1-kilometer swim (15:13) around the World War II-era Sherman Tank in the Saipan Lagoon and finish the 5km (23:31) run to the Japanese tank at Quartermaster Road and back, with a an overall time of 38:44, while Motoyoshi exited the water in 14:28 and completed the run in 25:47 for a time of 40:15 combined.

MTEC hosted the event in association with the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Pacific Islands Club, and Tony Romas/Capriciossa last Saturday, Dec. 4, on the beach just south of AJ’s Restaurant.

Participants who took the challenge of the full course entered the lagoon and swam the approximate 500 meters out to the partially submerged Sherman Tank and back—twice. From there, they donned their running shoes and ran northward to the Japanese Tank Memorial at the intersection of Quartermaster Road and back to finish line at AJ’s.

Dirk Sharer and Dawn Hammermeister took top billing in the men’s and women’s 40-and-over masters division. The ageless Sharer sailed through the water in 14:06 and smoked the run course in 22:12 to finish with the fastest overall outing with time of 36:18, while Hammermeister made her way onto the beach in 15:23 and completed the run in 29:10 for an overall time of 44:33.

Amanda Johnson was the fastest female in the 16-and-under division, as she completed the 500m swim in 8:47 and the 2km run in 13:01 for an overall time of 21:48.

Colin Sinclair took the tape for the boys in the 12-and-under division, while Sarah Johnson won for the girls.

Sinclair finished the 200m swim in 6:35 and the 1K run in 5:24 for total time of 11:59, while Johnson completed the swim in 6:16 and the run in 6:17 for a combined time of 12:33.

Clay McCullough-Sterns and Julia Sinclair were the champions of the 8-and-under division, as McCullough-Sterns completed the 100m swim in 4:54 and the 1km run in 7:06 for a total of 12:00, while Sinclair finished the swim in 6:13 and the run in 9:17 for a combined time of 15:30.

Following the race, all of the participants were treated to breakfast at AJ’s Restaurant, given a commemorative T-shirt, and were entered into a raffle for an assortment of prizes from the Pacific Islands Club, World Resort, Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach, Tony Roma’s, Capricciosa, Saipan Sunset Cruise, AJ’s Restaurant/Bar, Island Apparel, Ernest and Young and the Aqua Resort Club.