Sharer, Motoyoshi top Tank-2-Tank

Dirk Sharer and Mieko Motoyoshi emerged from large crowd of runners and swimmers on Saturday morning to take the title in the 17-and-over open division of the Marianas Tourism Educational Council Tank-to-Tank Aquathon.

Sharer was the first to complete the 1.2-kilometer swim around both of the World War II-era Sherman Tanks in the Saipan Lagoon and finished the 5-km run to the Japanese tank at Quartermaster Road and back with an overall time of 46:28, while Motoyoshi scored her second consecutive victory in the event with a time of 48:24 combined.

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 took off toward the reef out to the second tank before heading back to shore. 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.

Last year Sharer took top billing in the men’s and women’s 40-and-over masters division, but this time around that title went to Kieran Daly of the Pacific Islands Club. The ageless Daly sailed through the water and smoked the run course to finish with the fastest alongside Sharer at 46:28, while Vicky Taitano bagged the women’s crown with a time of 1:06:20.

NMITF veteran Rob Carruth managed to squeeze out one more event before leaving the CNMI as he teamed up with Butch Sublemente to win the team event with a combined time of 46:14.

Juan Camacho of Saipan Swim Club fame was the lone competitor in the 13-16 year old division, as he completed the 500m swim and the 2km run in 48:17. There was plenty more competition in the younger divisions as Clay McCullough-Sterns went from winning the 8-and-under division last year to taking the 9-12 year-old plum in the extended distance course as he finished the 200m swim and knocked out the 2km run in 16:44. Andrew Kimball filled the shoes McCullough-Sterns left empty in the 8-and-under division with the terrific time of 9:13 around the 100m swim and 1k run course.

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, AJ’s Restaurant, Island Apparel, World Resort, Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, Tony Roma’s, Capricciosa, Saipan Sunset Cruise, Ernst and Young, Hyatt Regency Saipan, All Star Sporting Goods, Saipan Tribune, Hotel Nikko Saipan, Aqua Resort Club and the Marianas Visitors Authority.