Pole Pedal Paddle 2004 - Sisters stars

First place boys age 13-15: Kelly Crowther, Luke Glick, Nick Anthony, Riley Gilmore and Josh Uttley. photo by Lynn Gilmore Sisters was well-represented among the athletes who took on Bend's legendary US Bank Pole Pedal Paddle event on Saturday, May 15.

Braving chilly, rainy conditions, athletes of all ages combined in teams or set out alone to conquer the multi-event course that included alpine and cross country skiing, cycling, running and canoeing from Mt. Bachelor to the Les Schwab Ampitheater in downtown Bend.

Sisters kids participated in the mini-PPP event on May 16 and a fifth grade team of Sisters Outlaws took first place honors while Sisters' fourth graders placed third.

According to Veronda McConville, her daughter Chelsea is already talking about putting together a team for next year's "big" PPP.

Mini PPP participants: Back row: Chelsie McConville, Scotty Bowen, Scott Everson, Timmy Hernandez, Brennan Layne, Lauren Rudinsky. Front: Marcus Arends, Colby Gilmore, Austin Williams, Sebastian Boehm, Jalen Miller, Jared Kaping. photo by Peggy Chesser

A Sisters High School team, Oats 'n' Honey, took third place with a time of 2:39. The team included Crystal Leis, Sam Pyke, Byron and Harry Womack, Elizabeth Dale and Kelly Morton.

Kelly's mom, Rebecca Morton, was part of the Sisters Trail Runners team that also included Sue Burck, Jacquie Zenck and Cathy Marshall. They took top honors in the women's 44-50 age group with a blistering 2:22 finish.

Renee Perin and Jeff Wester each raced as individuals. Wester finished in 2:49, determined to learn to skate-ski to improve his time next year. Perin finished at 2:36.

Julie Laudenslager, left, with her PPP team, "Girlfriend in a Coma." photo by Jim Mitchell

Marcia Tripiano finished at 3:41 in the individual women's 60-64 category.

The team of Kelly Crowther, Luke Glick, Nick Anthony, Riley Gilmore and Josh Uttley set a blazing 2:27 pace to win in the men's age 13-15 category.

The female pairs team "Extremely Last" from Sisters (age 35-40) wasn't. The unidentified pair came in eighth. A coed 55-98 team named "Angels Flight" took wing to finish in 3:12 while Dog Ear'd and Pup, a 40-44 coed team notched a 2:41.

Nikki Lewis, center, of tandem team Sexual Healing in the "paddle" phase of PPP. photo by Tim Jones

A 40-44 male team "Downhill Fast" recorded a finish at 2:32.

The Nugget staffers Elise Gourguechon, Nikki Lewis and Julie Laudenslager each participated on different teams and pair configurations.

Gourguechon's time as part of Las Pistoleras was 2:47. Laudenslager's Girlfriend in a Coma team notched a 2:21 while Lewis's tandem pairs team Sexual Healing finished in 2:32.

The US Bank Pole Pedal Paddle is the largest multi-sport event in the Pacific Northwest.