Race Previews
Will the Layton Boys Be There?
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Saturday, 25 July 2026 00:10
2026 Graniteman Big Lake Preview - The 16th edition of this race's Sprint competition, and 11th running of it's Olympic event will happen next Saturday at Lakeside Park in Big Lake. Approximately 400 athletes are expected to participate.
A glance at the current list of entrants suggests that, in the Sprint, we might see a similar result to last weekend's Lake Rebecca Triathlon, where the first Minnesotans to finish were Andrea Myers and Jeron Hall. Myers won the women's title at LRT and was victorious here in '25, whereas Hall was a close second (+10-seconds) last weekend to visiting out-of-stater, Robert Atchison.
Last year's Sprint runner-up Brenner Hohenstein is returning and gunning for another podium finish.
As always, heated AG battles can be expected.
In the Olympic competition, Bryan Tinajero, 2024 Graniteman Clearwater winner, and Steven Voss, last year's Olympic runner-up here, appear to be the guys to beat.
But wait. Let's not discount the possibility the Big Lake's own Kade Layton, last year's BLO champ, entering the race. That would make him the automatic favorite. In case you didn't know, Layton shocked America's amateur tri world with a resounding victory at Ironman 70.3 Omaha. His 4:04:30 (4:38 MOV!) is the fastest 70.3 time by a Minnesotan in more than a decade.
And let's not forget that Kade has a talented brother, Owen, who won the BL Sprint back in 2022, when he was only sixteen. Maybe he's ready to move up in distance?
And what if Preston Youngdahl were to show up? He does that. He's a three-time Minnesota Triathlete of the Year and three-time winner here, and he own's the men's course record.
What about the Olympic women? We see 2025 Most Improved nominee Amy Preusser as the clear favorite. Will a late registrant or two challenge her? We're anxious to find out.
You can still get in, perhaps using it a a prelude to Nationals in Milwaukee the following weekend. Whatever your reason for racing, we hope to see you ay Lakeside Park next Saturday. RACE WEBSITE
Moving in the Right Direction...
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Sunday, 12 July 2026 00:10
2026 Lake Rebecca Preview - One-hundred and sixty-six athletes registered for the inaugural LRT in 2024. Two hundred and sixteen enrolled in the 2025 edition of this race. And as of this morning (Sunday), 284 athletes have paid their entry fees.
You gotta love the trajectory of this event. The organizers are obviously doing something right. It doesn't hurt that the race is staged at one of our state's premier locations, one which hosted the popular Liberty Triathlon for so many years.
And the fact that the recidivism rate is high suggests an elevated customer satisfaction level.
Three of the the four prior Sprint course winners are returning, one of which we are especially anxious to watch. Her name is. Adeline Althaus-Kotila, and she is only 17-years-old. She won here last year, which along with her other fine performances, earned her a nomination for Minnesota Junior of the Year. And yes, we expect her to be even faster this year.
Will Adeline win again? It's very possible, but once again she will be facing course-record holder / eight-time MInnesota Master of the Year nominee Andrea Myers. They are 1-1 against each other at LRT, and Saturday will be the tie-breaker.
We remind everyone that registration is open and we'd love to see this year's enrollment double the 2024 turnout.
Race Website - https://www.trisignup.com/Race/MN/Rockford/LakeRebeccaTriathlon
Timberman's Competitive Trends...
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Monday, 06 July 2026 00:10
2026 Timberman Triathlon Preview - The 41st edition of the Timberman is happening this weekend, and if you are not already one of the 300ish current registrants, we recommend that you sign up at your earliest opportunity. There is not a swim-bike-run in Minnesota--our state's "Premier Destination Triathlon"-- that we recommend more highly.
Entering it fifth decade, Timberman has experienced what can be called "competitive eras." In the second half of the 90s, for example, four-time winner Doug Davis was the man to beat in the Oympic distance option. When the 2000s got underway, it was Jan Guenther who set the standard for women, winng five times. Brian Bich, another five-time champ, set the pace for the men during this era.
Currently, and likely to continue, it is Heather Lendway who appears invincible. She'll be favored to win her 5th Olympic distance title on Saturday.
Have any men dominated the Olympic race in the post-pandemic years? The answer is no. There have been no consecutive winners during this time. Perhaps a new trend will start on Saturday?
The companion Sprint race had been dominated between 2010 and 2017 by Adam Himes, and more recently by Brooks Grossinger. Tara Makinen racked up six Sprint wins between 2009 and 2021. More recently, Bettina Keppers, with seven wins, has led the way for the women
Will the current trends continue? Or will a new athletes start new trends.
We are anxious to find out. Race Website
Buffalo Preview II - Performance History...
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Thursday, 04 June 2026 00:10
Buffalo Triathlon Preview II - There have been countless outstanding performances over the nineteen years of the Graniteman Buffalo Triathlon, which celebrates its 20th edition on June 7. Here are some of of the highlights:
Winningest Triathletes (Overall): .....
2026 Buffalo Sprint Preview...
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Tuesday, 02 June 2026 00:10
2026 Buffalo Sprint Preview – Based on the current list of registrants, here are some of the folks we expect to excel at next Sunday's Buffalo Sprint Triathlon:
Mitchell Clayton – Mitch is making his Buffalo debut and we believe he has what it takes to win the overall men's title. His 2024-25 resume features seven podiums, including two wins, in eight starts. His only non-podium effort was a DNF at Clear Lake, where he was leading at the time his tire blew.
Brian Storhaug - Brian has a win, two seconds and a third in this race. Another podium is very possible.
Thad Ingersoll – An elite master who fliess a bit under the radar because he only races once or twice per season. He placed 2nd behind Storhaug in '23, and 4tlast year.
Jeron Hall – After a succesful junior campaign in 2025, we wouldn't be surprised to see Jeron, now 20, breakout at Buffalo. A top 5 is certainly conceivable. Brenner Hohenstein, 29, is another guy to watch.
Cheryl Zitur – She's 61 now, but still hard to bet against in sprint races, as she's proven here with four wins and four 2nds to her credit. She owns a similar resume at Maple Grove Sprint....
Minnesota's 2026 Outdoor Tri Season Opener
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Saturday, 30 May 2026 00:10
Minnesota's outdoor tri season launchs on June 7 at the 20th edition of the regionally iconic BUFFALO TRIATHLON. Between 400 and 500 participants are expected to attend and we hope that you'll be among them.
Defending champions in the Olympic race--Spencer Syvertson and Katie Deregnier--are hoping to repeat, but it won't be easy, especially in the women's contest. Two-time Buffalo Sprint winner Elena Jasper comes into the Olympic event as the favorite on paper. Three-time Top 3 finisher Christina Roberts is also registered. Roberts hasn't raced in a tri since 2022, but has excelled in other endurance sports, e.g. Nordic skiing and Swim-Run, during her absence....
