Spitler takes top spot at Grizzly Triathlon

Whitefish professional triathlete Erin Spitler held off the pack to take first place at the competitive Grizzly Triathlon in Missoula on Saturday.

Spitler, 35, posted a 1:07:03 in the sprint distance race that features a 1,000-yard pool swim, a 20k bike, and finishes with a 5k run on the Kim Williams trail.

Spitler edged second-place finisher Meghan Faulkenberry by 5 seconds.

The annual spring triathlon features more than 300 athletes from across the region.

Spitler has a background in marathon and ultra-marathon running.