Career Services teachers who competed in the Westchester Triathlon, left to right: Tony Ely, Jason Poniatowski and Damian Powers.

Three teachers at the SWBOCES Center for Career Services recently tested a lot more than their classroom skills, participating in the grueling Westchester Triathlon as a relay team.

Tony Ely, Jason Poniatowski and Damian Powers, who teach at the Career Services campus in Valhalla, entered the grueling triathlon as a team and finished the nearly mile-long swim, 25-mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run. The trio came in 27th out of 60 relay teams.

“It was fun,” said the 58-year-old Mr. Ely, who teaches TV/Video Production at SWBOCES and finished 23rd among the triathlon bikers.

“It was a great experience to push ourselves and to do it for a good cause,” said Mr. Poniatowski, a teacher in the BOCES Office Skills program. “I am looking forward to our team placing higher next year.” Mr. Poniatowski is no stranger to competitive swimming, having been a collegiate swimmer at St. Bonaventure University. He trained for the triathlon by swimming with the White Plains Masters Swim Club at the White Plains YMCA and often practices at the SUNY Purchase pool.

Mr. Powers, the BOCES Commercial Art teacher, fit the triathlon into his training regimen for the New York City Marathon, which will be held Nov. 4th.  He will continue to train regularly and noted that he will participate in the Marathon “for my students and SWBOCES.”

Some 1,200 competitors entered the Olympic-distance triathlon, which was held on Sept. 23rd at Rye Town Park. Mr. Poniatowski dashed into Long Island Sound at the start of the triathlon, to compete in the swim leg of the race.

After the swim, Mr. Ely hopped onto his bike to endure the cycling course that traversed the residential neighborhoods of Rye, Port Chester, Harrison and Greenwich, Conn. The final leg of the race challenged the running skills of Mr. Powers, who ran the course through the streets of Rye, including the famous Rye Playland Boardwalk.

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