CASEY GARRISON South Korea - Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation sports department held the annual team triathlon at Hanson Field House July 25 with more than 50 Soldiers vying in 3 man teams for trophies. The team record was set at 1:33:40 in 2003. The event featured a 500 meter freestyle swim, 30 kilometer bike and 10 kilometer run.
Placing 1 was the team of Jason Kim (swim), Patrick Walsh (bike), and Pete Bauleke (run) with a combined time of 1:36:14. Putting a team together that could finish 1 took some searching for Walsh.
"I first looked for a fast swimmer," Walsh said after he and his team received the trophy from Lt. Col. Richard Fromm, USAG-Casey commander. "I might not have found the fastest runner, but last year we had a West Point cadet experience the event and cadets are usually in good shape, so this time I picked the fastest cadet I could find to round out the team."
Experiencing the triathlon held at USAG-Casey gives cadets a good taste of what lieutenants' experience. "It gives them an idea of what is actually going on," he said.
Jason Kim finished the swimming part of the event more than 2 minutes ahead of the other teams, but is not a coached swimmer.
"I don't swim often," Kim said. "The only experience I have swimming in competition is from swimming in the last two swim meets."
"He beat me on the last swimming event, so I knew he was going to be the fastest swimmer today," Walsh said.
Pete Bauleke started the event by warming up to the time he was to take the hand off from his biker teammate Walsh.
"I took about a 10 minute warm-up before starting," Bauleke said. "It was enough so not to shock my body with the sudden run."
Bauleke competed in triathlons in his first years at West Point, so he knew his abilities and knew how to turn in his best 10 kilometer time.
"I competed in New York triathlons and national triathlons in Alabama every year," he said.
For the Mixed Division, the team of Alex Glade (swim), Paul Lashley (bike), and Daniel Pasche (run) placed 1 with a time of 1:42:27.
For the Men's Division placing 2 was the team of Brian Wadas (swim), Abraham White (bike), and James DeBerm (run) with a time of 1:39:34. Finishing 3 was the team of Joshua Groen (swim), James Sheffield (bike), and Joshua Hudson (run) with a time of 1:41:19. Finishing 4 was the team of Chris Korpela (swim), Jason Hester (bike) and Richard Gash (run) with a time of 1:47:28. Finishing 5 with a time of 1:50:29 was the team of Corey McCue (swim), Kevin Pidcock (bike), and Lucas Mefferd (run).
"I am glad to be out here today and happy FMWR put on such a great event," Fromm said. "I think Area I FMWR is doing a great job, and I know we will continue to support the 2nd Infantry Division troops. As long as I am available, I will be at all the sports events FMWR puts on."
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