It was much of the same for the men’s race in the SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle on Saturday, but a new women’s winner emerged in the 45th edition of Central Oregon’s signature multisport event.

Bend’s Jesse Thomas won his fourth Pole Pedal Paddle elite individual men’s title on Saturday, finishing the race from Mount Bachelor to Bend in 1 hour, 52 minutes, 54 seconds.

“That was the hardest one I’ve ever done,” Thomas said. “I felt the least prepared for it. I was on the edge of cramping almost the whole race. I was trying to push my body past what it was really capable of.”

Bend’s Andy Krueger finished second in 1:57:29, and Marshall Greene, a seven-time winner, was third in 1:58:46.

Alayna Sonnesyn, of Stratton, Vermont, won the women’s elite individual race, holding off five-time champion Zoe Roy, of Bend, to finish in 2:14:08. Roy finished second in 2:15:53 and Laura Tabor was third in 2:26:40.

The PPP included nearly 2,000 racers competing as individuals or teams on a 34-mile course from Mount Bachelor to Bend that includes alpine skiing, a 6.2-kilometer nordic ski, a 22-mile road bike ride, a 5-mile run, a 1½-mile paddle and a 1-mile sprint.

Sonnesyn, who is in Bend to train with her nordic ski team, was racing the PPP as an individual for the second time. She finished second in 2019 and raced as part of a team last year.

“This year I felt like I was ready to go for it again,” said Sonnesyn, 26. “Mostly I was just trying to make sure I got all the gear. That was the hardest part for me.”

Thomas, 43, said he was worried he was going to have to walk during the 5-mile run due to cramping in his quadriceps and hamstrings, but he hung on to win by nearly five minutes.

The former professional triathlete said he hopes to continue racing the PPP as an elite individual into his 50s.

“I kind of like the idea of me just planning to do the Pole Pedal Paddle just as I go into my mid- and late-40s, and 50s even, if I feel like I’m not going to hurt myself doing it. I’ll still race the elite wave and be the old guy who’s still trying to do the best that he can.”

A young Krueger, 23, also a triathlete, was racing the PPP for the first time. He moved to Bend from Portland four years ago and grew up watching his parents compete in the PPP.

“I have a lot of learning in the transitions and just the dynamics of how your legs feel,” Krueger said. “Overall, I’m really excited to get second. I’d love to win it one day.”

Greene, 41, who is still hoping to tie Justin Wadsworth’s record eight PPP victories, said he senses a changing of the guard.

“Finally the younger generation is gonna get to us,” Greene said, covered in sweat near the finish line in Bend’s Old Mill District.

Sonnesyn said she knew it would take a huge effort to beat Roy, 35, who had won the last five women’s PPP titles.

“I know Zoe is so impressive,” Sonnesyn said. “I was going to try really hard, but I know she is really ambitious and talented.”

Sonnesyn passed Roy during the 6.2-kilometer nordic ski at Bachelor.

“I knew that was my strength, so I was going to put as much time in as I could on that,” Sonnesyn said.

She plans to return again to race the PPP. “I’ll be back,” Sonnesyn said. “I don’t know if it’s next year, but I’ll be back at some point.”

Roy will likely be back as well to go for her sixth women’s title in the PPP.

“It was hard,” Roy said. “She caught me on the nordic ski and gained a little bit in each (stage). I wish the paddle was a touch longer, but she was just a touch better in all of them.”

The fastest time in the PPP was posted by open team Just For Fun, which finished in 1:51:40, 1:14 faster than Thomas.

The PPP is the primary fundraiser for the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, a nonprofit that serves youth athletes in competitive alpine and nordic skiing, freeride skiing, freeride snowboarding and cycling.

Nearly 2,000 racers compete as individuals or teams on a 34-mile course from Mount Bachelor to Bend that includes alpine skiing, a 6.2-kilometer nordic ski, a 22-mile road bike ride, a 5-mile run, a 1 1/2-mile paddle and a 1-mile sprint.

Information: www.pppbend.com