Sipe wins Spuddy Recovery Triathlon
A large crowd cheered on the 16 race participants of the Spuddy Recovery Triathlon at the 2013 Maine Potato Blossom Festival on July 20 prior to the parade. When the dust settled, Brian Sipe of Presque Isle took home the title of grand champion and his company, Gallagher Insurance of Caribou, the Spuddy championship for 2013.
Contributed photo
CHAMPION — Spuddy Recovery Triathlon champion Brian Sipe pushes the 50 lb. bag of potatoes in a wheelchair to cross the finish line as the winner of the second annual Spuddy Recovery Triathlon held July 20 at the Maine Potato Blossom Festival in Fort Fairfield. In addition to Sipe, the Gallagher Insurance team was comprised of Elaine Sipe, Justin Lewin and Ben Sipe.
The TAMC-organized activity was taken up a notch in its second year with local businesses engaging in the amusing display of community collaboration and friendly competition at this year’s Potato Blossom Festival. Local businesses included Gallagher Insurance, I Care Pharmacy of Fort Fairfield and Huber Engineered Wood Products of Easton. One family from the crowd also participated in the activity – naming themselves the “Campbellers.” The lampoon-style triathlon has already served as the precursor for the Limestone Fourth of July and Ashland Summerfest parades, and returned for its championship match in Fort Fairfield.
Participants navigated the first leg of the race through a light obstacle course comprised of hay bales, pushing a wheelchair loaded with a 50 lb. bag of potatoes. They then transitioned to pushing a medical rolling walker with a vase full of potato blossoms and water through another series of hay bales, before finally using a crutch as a golf putter to get a potato into a barrel. Participants then reversed course and took the walker and wheelchair respectively back through the obstacle course to finish where they started. The greatest challenge to competitors was trying to keep the flower vases upright and not tipping the wheelchairs full of potatoes. Both items are required to be on board their respective crafts at the end of each leg.
TAMC worked with Cavendish Farms, who provided the potatoes and blossoms for the event. Acadia Medical Supply, which provides a full line of medical supplies to local healthcare organizations and to individuals, as well as clothing for workers in the healthcare industry, supplied the wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches. Maple Meadow Farm, a newcomer to the event, donated 32 bales of hay and four potato barrels for the setup of the obstacle course.
Race participants received a TAMC bag with the contents including a frisbee, water bottle and TAMC pen along with a “participant” medal. The overall winner, Sipe, received the TAMC bag with the contents as well as a “winner” medal.
While the Spuddy Recovery Triathlon Championship was a great hit at the Potato Blossom Festival and the previous showings at other various locations, a just-for-fun versions of the TAMC challenge is coming to Washburn during the annual August Fest celebration Aug. 17.
