The Kenai Peninsula put two riders in the top five of the Kenai 250 backcountry mountain biking event from Friday through Sunday. The competitive group ride is held on pretty much all the major mountain biking trails the Kenai Peninsula has to offer.

Seward’s Chuck DiMarzio finished third in 1 day, 5 hours and 14 minutes, while Kenai’s David Seramur was fifth in 1:07:58. DiMarzio is a three-time winner of the event and holds the course record of 1:03:24 thanks to his 2019 ride.

Anchorage’s Eric Strabel, the three-time champ of the Mount Marathon Race in Seward, won at 1:04:16. Anchorage’s Corrie Smith was the first women’s rider to finish. She stopped the clock at 1:12:26. That lowered her 2019 record of 1:12:32.

The race starts in Hope and takes the Resurrection Pass Trail all the way to the Devil’s Creek Trail, taking that trail down to the Seward Highway. From there, riders take the highway to the northern trailhead of the Johnson Pass Trail and ride all the way to the southern trailhead on the Seward Highway.

From there, riders take trail detours to Vagt Lake, Grayling and Meridian lakes, and Bear Lake on the way to the Alaska SeaLife Center on the shore of Resurrection Bay in Seward. It’s then time to head north again, this time departing from the Seward Highway to take the Lost Lake Trail.

Still on the menu for riders at that point is a trip to Cooper Landing and up Snug Harbor Road, with a trip back to Cooper Landing on the Russian Lakes Trail. Riders then get on the Resurrection Pass Trail in Cooper Landing and take that trail all the way back to Hope.

On DiMarzio’s Strava account, the ride measured 255 miles with 18,600 feet of elevation gain and loss. Twelve of the 27 starters were able to complete the ride.

Kenai 250

Friday to Sunday, Kenai Peninsula

1. Eric Strabel, Anchorage, 1 day, 4 hours, 16 minutes; 2. Caleb Helkenn, Anchorage, 1:04:27; 3. Chuck DiMarzio, Seward, 1:05:14; 4. Jason Rowland, Palmer, 1:05:46; 5. David Seramur, Kenai, 1:07:58; 6. Oliver Sternecki, Anchorage, 1:08:41; 7. Joshua Pickle, Anchorage, 1:11:27; 8. Corrie Smith, Anchorage, 1:12:26; 9. Alfred Swanson, Anchorage, 1:15:59; 10. Jamin Agosti, Anchorage, 1:16:37; 11. Sarah Osborne, Chickaloon, 2:17:25; 12. Chuck Pratt, Anchorage, 2:22:58.