The bait was a doughnut. The prey? Competitors in the third annual Saranac Lake 3P race, paddling downstream in the grueling fifth leg of the 13.4-mile journey around town.

The race is as much an event for the spectators as the competitors. They line the course of the race track winding all around town, ringing cowbells and shouting things like “Dig in!” “Keep pushing!” or “Looking good!”

Cosgro said, last year, he dropped a Nori’s croissant right in his daughter Alexa’s lap as she paddled beneath. On the Church Street bridge where he hung the pastries, Wren and Marley McKim, 3 and 7, respectively, waved signs saying “Where is everybody GOING?” and “Smile if you peed a little.”

Race co-organizer Scott McKim said this was “Classic Saranac Lake.”

Team Huskies push their kicksled across the finish line of the Kids 3P. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

This year’s 3P had the strongest winter conditions yet, and the largest pool of athletes, with 159 people from all around the region coming to downhill ski, cross-country ski, kayak, bike and run in the multi-sport shoulder-season event.

The five-person team Ski to Smile crossed the finish line first with a blazing time of 1 hour, 22 minutes, 45 seconds. Nick Gouwens, who was the first runner to cross the finish line said it felt great to place first and credited his teammates Paul Capone, Jonathan Lackey, Jim Sausville and Jan Wellford with giving him a lead to start the steep run up the hill.

He said they love the 3P because it’s something for athletes like them to do in the winter.

Saranac Lake High School Nordic ski coach and band director Keith Kogut wasn’t able to pull out a 3P three-peat of three consecutive overall first-place finishes, but he still carried the solo competition with a time of 1:28:20. Third-place overall finisher, and second-place solo finisher Jim Allott was giving Kogut a run for his money with a time of 1:30:38.

“Keith’s reign is intact,” McKim said. “It was nice for him to have some healthy competition.”

Dakin Henderson, flings himself across the finish line to an eighth place overall finish at the Saranac Lake 3P on Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

A damp start turned into a snowy finish as the temperature dropped below freezing over the course of the race. The river had been frozen in portions up to three days before the race and froze over again on Sunday.

“We absolutely threaded the needle,” McKim said.

There was also fresh snow after the Party at Pisgah put lines all over the mountain the night before.

With the fresh coating of snow, racers who did the biking portion of the race returned, speckled in road slush with lines of brown slush down their fronts and backs.

“I was tasting the salt,” Dakin Henderson said after crossing the finish line.

Solo racer Melinda Bard rips down Mount Pisgah. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Solo racer Eric Bennett took a swim during the paddling portion of the race when his boat hit a submerged log.

“It kicked me left and next thing I know I was in the drink,” Bennett said.

He was soaked up to his neck in 31-degree water, frustrated and sitting on the shoreline thinking about quitting when he realized he’d have to wait 10 minutes on the side of the road freezing for his wife to pick him up. So he bailed the water out of his boat and decided to keep going.

He still had the majority of the paddle and the run ahead of him, but he said — as corny as it sounds — he wanted to set a good example for his kid. On the run, his hands and feet were so cold they didn’t really work well, Bennett said.

“It wasn’t warm,” he said.

A member of Team Summit Sprinters rounds the corner of the track on cross-country skis. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Despite the setback, Bennett finished 21st overall and earned the Spirit Award.

The Kids 3P brought out 15 entries, with several teams and three solo contestants. Team Adk Sled Dogs — Greta Brunette, June Ellsworth, Juna Labonte and Etta Neill — pushed their kicksled across the finish line first with a time of 8:36. Ava Garwood, 10, took first in the solo category with a time of 11:52.

McKim said the event generated more than $15,000 which Saranac Lake 3P will be donating to the Dewey Mountain Friends group and the Saranac Lake Ski Club.

He thanked the 70 volunteers, 70 sponsors and the village and town employees who helped put on the event.

Results from the race can be found at tinyurl.com/yf65cjyd. They’ll also be uploaded to the 3P website at tinyurl.com/27jc9hef.

Jake Handerhan races through town on the Saranac River.(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

A bike racer sets out on her cross-town journey holding a glove in her mouth.(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Diane Litynski puts poles to powder at Dewey Mountain. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Scott Stoddard, right, fist-bumps team Dewin It teammate Doug Haney as he skis on to his second lap at Dewey Mountain. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

A 3P paddler grabs a doughnut from a line hung by Kevin Cosgro, right on the bridge, as Wren and Marley McKim, 3 and 7, wave signs above. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Jan Wellford of team Ski to Smile lives up to his team name as he rounds out the first lap of his Dewey Mountain ski in first place. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Andrea Burke of team International Race Team crosses the 3P finish line with a American, German and Mexican flag. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)