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Riverhead Rocks Triathlon returns Sunday morning

The fifth annual Riverhead Rocks Olympic Distance Triathlon is set for Sunday morning.

In last year’s race, Anthony Chan of Flushing spoiled a fourpeat bid by Tim Steiskal of Brookhaven, who had won the first three Riverhead Rocks races. Chan completed the 1.5-kilometer swim in Peconic River, a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer run in 2 hours 5 minutes 48 seconds.

Karen Pompay of Garden City finished first in the women’s race, crossing the finish line in front of the Suffolk Theater in 2:21.28.

The race will be contested one week after a triathlete died after being rescued during the swim phase of the Smith Point Sprint Triathlon on Sunday morning. Vincent Fleck, 69, of Mount Kisco died after a lifeguard rescued him during the 500-meter swim in Narrow Bay, Newsday reported.

Vicki Ventura, the race director for EventPower, which organized that triathlon as well as the one in Riverhead, told Newsday that “all measures were taken to ensure the athletes’ safety was a priority during the entire triathlon event.”