PROVIDENCE, RI - For the second consecutive year, Bill Beecher was the top finisher at the Amica 19.7 Tellico Sprint Triathlon. The race was held at the Tellico Dam Recreation Area in Knoxville, TN. Beecher, 37, covered the 19.7 sprint distance in his hometown on Sunday in 1:15:11.6, crushing his winning time recorded in 2011 (1:16:42).

Ryan New, 30, of Danville, KY, was the runner-up. He finished in 1:16:21, just ahead of the third place finisher, Patrick Beasley of Knoxville, who was clocked at 1:16:32.

Kit Hayes, 34, was the top female in the sprint triathlon, which featured a half-mile open-water swim, a 16.1-mile bike and a 3.1-mile run. Hayes, of Jonesborough, TN, earned the win with a time of 1:23:55. Valerie Perry of Grey, TN was the runner-up (1:27:20). Janelle Wigal, 16, was third (1:31:12).

Triathletes ranging from 15 years old to 67 years old competed in the Amica 19.7 Tellico Sprint Triathlon. The swim took place in Tellico Lake. The bike course traveled along the Tellico Parkway, looping Davis Ferry and Maple Hill Roads. The run course covered roads and paths around and along Tellico Dam.

The sprint triathlon concluded a weekend of races at Tellico Dam Recreation Area. Hundreds of endurance athletes competed in the weekend-long event, which also included a half marathon, 10k and kids' fun run on Saturday.

Fred Miller III was the winner of the half marathon on Saturday. The Anderson, IN resident finished the 13.1 mile race in 1:18:28. Rachel Layer, of Johnson City, TN was the top female in (1:33:22).

Luke Pfleger captured the 10K in 42:18 and Alison Haugh was the top female finisher (53:07).

The Amica 19.7 Knoxville Sprint Triathlon is part of the 2012 Amica Race Series, which includes nine sprint distance triathlons throughout the country. The events in Las Vegas, Knoxville, Charlotte and Boston also each include a half marathon, 10k and kids' fun run.

To register for any of the races in the 2012 Amica Race Series, visit www.amicaraceseries.com.