Race Coverage

The Layton Boys Strike Again...

Sunday, 03 August 2025 00:10

2025 GRANITEMAN BIG LAKE COVERAGE - Big Lake's LAYTON BROTHERS are occasional triathletes. VERY occasional. But when they show up, look out. In 2022 OWEN, age 16, won the Big Lake Sprint by just under a three-minute margin. He had also raced in the hometown tri in 2020 (age 14), where he finished 38th. Nice improvement.

Owen's brother KADE, 20, raced in this year's Granitman BL Olympic race, an event he entered in 2023 and managed to finish 11th. Last Saturday, though, he won the race outright by a 58-second margin over a gaggle of tri vets. Neither of the Layton brothers has raced in more that three triathlons in their lives. Very cool. We recommend that they get serious about swim-bike-run because their respective aptitudes are clear.

While Kade's W was a pleasant surprise (as was his brothers a few years back), the Top Two women in the Saturday's Olympic race were very prediicatable. Winner of more than 50 tris and dus in her stellar career, BECKY YOUNGBERG outsplit the field in each discipline en route to her victory, with AMY PREUSSER finishing comfortably in 2nd place. Amy's 2025 scorecard now features two wins, two 2nds and a 4th.

Also predictable were the winners in BL's Sprint competition, with ANTHONY HIRSCHMAN (Scott Ramsom photo), fresh off a victory at Lake Rebecca, claiming the men's title for the second straight year. Seven-time Minnesota Master of the Year...

nominee ANDREA MYERS, last years Olympic runnerup after her Olympic win in 2023, took the Top Step in the Sprint. Like HIrschman, she also posted a win at Lake Rebecca a week ago.

Talented junior RAYCHEL TONG, 17, who placed 2nd here last year, settle for 3rd this time around because another occasional triathlete, albeit one who tends to be impressive when she chooses to race, finished 2nd. We're talking about JENNIFER MARTONE. Before the race she claimed that Graniteman Big Lake would be her only tri of the year. After the race she was heard to say that she had "too much fun" and that she's considering doing another tri. 

There are plenty of great late season races to choose from, Jen. We hope to see you at one of them.

Twas a perfect morning for racing and the event was flawlessly executed by our friends from Active Central MN. The event drew 248 partipants,  RESULTS