Meet the Ladies of the Flies — Rene and Christy, sisters‑in‑law, self‑described “female fisherwomen,” enthusiastic novices who will happily catch anything that takes the bait (big, small, or suspiciously photogenic). They cruise at a sightseeing pace, fish eagerly, and love the outdoors enough to call chasing trout between laps a perfectly reasonable Saturday.
The Davis Ponds Cup Flyathon at Staunton State Park is a gloriously chaotic mix of running, fishing, and awkward teammate refueling: “drivers” follow flags to complete “laps” on a ~2‑mile out‑and‑back loop with ~200 ft of elevation, stop halfway to to fish, show a trout photo to the pond marshal or accept a “NO FISH” time penalty, then finish the lap and release their teammate by consuming race “fuel” (ie beer) holding the empty refueling vessel upside‑down with minimal spillage. It’s like NASCAR, if NASCAR required waders and patience instead of cars.
Why your dollars matter: all proceeds support Running Rivers’ mission to conserve and restore native fish ecosystems — specifically the native greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado’s state fish. Donate to help Rene and Christy catch glory (and maybe a few tiny trout), and to keep our rivers full of native fish, outdoor fun, and future Flyathlon chaos.