CAMBRIDGE – More than 1,000 athletes converged in Cambridge for the 2017 Ironman Maryland Triathlon on Saturday. The event attracts competitors from across the country and the world, who swim, bike and run a 140.6-mile course as they try to qualify for the championships in Hawaii, or simply to meet and beat a personal challenge.

DJ Snyder (M30-34) and Molly Smith (F35-39) prevailed, taking the top honors with finish times of 8:51:11 and 9:54:26, respectively.

Four members of Cambridge Multi-Sport Club finished the race and can now be called the cherished name of “Ironman”.

Melissa Coenen-Lantz finished in 13 hours, 45 minutes and 15 seconds. She ranked 35th in her division, 135th among women, and 575th overall. Her times were: swim 1:35:18; bike 7:22:01; and run 4:28:08.

Michelle Potter finished in 13:53:27. Her rankings were: division 15, gender 144, overall 603. Her times were: swim 1:24:15; bike 6:39:28; and run 5:30:56.

Tom Hutchinson finished in 14:39:43. His rankings were: division 81; gender 547; overall 732. His times were: swim 1:35:50; bike 6:39:27; and run 6:04:16.

Aubrey Port finished in 16:09:58. Her rankings were: division 105; gender 672; overall 939. Her times were: swim 1:28:50; 7:41:01; and run 6:33:19.

The triathlon saw nearly 1,100 athletes representing 32 countries and 44 states start the race. One of more than 40 events in the global IRONMAN Series, athletes took on a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run throughout Cambridge and its surrounding areas.

The swim takes place in the Choptank River, while the two-loop bike course winds through Dorchester County and into Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The three-loop run course is flat and fast and takes athletes through downtown Cambridge with an energetic finish at historic Long Wharf. The event offers 40 coveted age-group qualifying slots to the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship, taking place on Oct. 13 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

While the event provides inspiration for local athletes and funding for volunteers’ organizations, it is also a shot in the arm for local businesses. Last year, 65 percent of athletes reported spending at least $1,000 in Dorchester County.

“I’d like to thank the community for rallying behind Ironman and enthusiastically supporting our local booster club,” Tourism Director and board member Amanda Fenstermaker said. “We’ve had a powerful return on investment – the Ironman races have generated about $15 million for our area’s economy over three short years.”

Full results for the 2017 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon can be found at http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/maryland/results.aspx.