St John’s athletes shine at Niantic Bay Triathlon
Bishop Laura joins the St John’s team, and celebrates her birthday with a 5K run and a cupcake in the church hall
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St John’s competitors enjoy their achievement on McCook Beach.
From left: Bishop Laura Aherns, Peter Chomowicz, Christie Hayes, Scott Todd, Mother Jackie, Chris Cooper and Laura Stefanski
The morning of August 9th was hot and humid as 416 individual athletes and 43 three-person relay teams swam, bicycled and ran the Niantic Bay Triathlon. But the St John’s participants ended the day largely ahead of a generally more youthful field!
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Bishop Laura celebrating her 64th birthday on the course in Niantic
For her relay team, Bishop Laura ran the 3.2 mile course, contributing to a finish in 19th place. Completing the 0.4 mile swim in just over 13 minutes, our star swimmer Christie Hayes beat 371 other swimmers including the women placed first, second and third in the triathlon. Peter Chomowicz, a member of Calvary Episcopal Church in Stonington Borough, was 9th among other relay riders in the 11.3 mile cycle race.
Christie, who is 78, holds no fewer than three current US records in her age group - for the 1,000m and 1,650m (one mile) freestyle and the 400m individual medley - and has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of Wiliam Smith College and New England Masters. She is also a member of a relay team that in March 2026 set a US record in the 400m medley, and the 400m and 800m freestyle.
Christie Hayes after her 13 minute swim, in which she beat 371 individual athletes
The other St John’s relay team included swimmer Chris Cooper, cyclist Scott Todd, and runner Laura Stefanski – achieving another impressive finish in 28th place.
Chris Cooper, Scott Todd and Laura Stefanski
Mother Jackie took on all three parts of the Triathlon, completing the whole course in 1 hour and 53 minutes, and finishing the swim in second place in her age group.
Mother Jackie, coming ashore after the first part of the Triathlon and only 32 seconds behind the winner in her age group.
Mother Jackie completing the bike ride and on Beach Avenue in the home stretch of the 5K run
The three courses of the triathlon, with the finish line on McCook Beach (maps from the Hartford Marathon Foundation)
After a few moments to recover at the finish line on McCook Beach, our athletes returned to the Church Hall to present Bishop Laura with a birthday card and serenade her in the traditional way.
A card and cupcakes to celebrate Bishop Laura’s birthday
St John’s participation in the Triathlon aimed to raise money for Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries which operates from St John’s and five other coastal churches.
Mother Jackie said “I see the effects of food insecurity every day in my practice as a doctor, even along what we think of as a relatively affluent coastline, and the impact has been getting worse since the cuts in food assistance.
“Food pantries like ours are more important than ever in providing basic nutrition to people of all sorts who would otherwise go hungry.”
The St John’s pantry is inside the church hall between 2.30pm and 4.30pm each Thursday, at 400 Main Street, Niantic. Donations can be earmarked for our pantry, including by writing a check to “St John’s Episcopal Church, Niantic” with “SSKP” placed on the memo line to indicate the intended destination of the donation.
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With hundreds of competitors and supporters bound for Niantic beach and the transition area on McCook Beach, St John’s once more made the most of a fund-raising opportunity by providing parking on Roger’s field and St John’s Green.
Dick Miller organized parking assisted by Jim Loccicero (left) and others including David Lersch and Richard McKnett
Four hundred and eleven cars were packed onto the improvised parking lots on Roger’s Field and St John’s Green, raising more than $1,600.