Race Coverage

Preston, Heather, Kyler & Bette...

Sunday, 23 August 2026 00:10

2026 MAPLE GROVE OLYMPIC CAPSULE COVERAGE - In 21 starts on Minnesota soil since his return to the state in 2022, Preston Youngdahl has only been beaten twice, and yesterday's  race at  Weaver Lake Park was not one of them. It was his fourth MGO title and his margin of victory over fellow elite / runner-up Joe Adriaens was 2:17.

Placing 3rd overall was the ever-amazing Heather Lendway, who was coming off her 4th (!) National Championship victory in Milwaukee the previous weekend. Her time was insane: 2:03:03, bettered only on this course by her 2:01:30 record set back in '22. 

Finishing 2nd for the women was last year's Minnesota Women's Triathlete of the Year Paige Schulz. Her time was a fine 2:07:43.

The final podium steps for each gender were earned by two-time Green Lake Olympic winner Jacob Niemann (2:03:20) and 2025 Most Improved nominee Amy Preusser  whose time (2:14:07) kept her slightly ahead of Trinona Olympic winner Jessica Taylor (2:14:22) and arguable the #1 female Grand Master in the country, Juliia Weisbecker, 60 (2:14:47).

We'll also mention 6th placer Elena Jasper, who is 18-weeks pregnant. Though formal records aren't kept, Elena's 2:15:26 has to be the fastest "Pregnant Lady" time in the 17-years of the Maple Grove Olympic Triathlon.

MAPLE GROVE SPRINT CAPSULE COVERAGE - Brian Sames' course record 56:59 has stood since 2014. It was taken down yesterday by emerging national talent Kyler Williams, 17, of Zimmermann. His time was 56:21, 38-second fater than Sames' clocking and a chucky 6:20 in front of MGS runner-up Michael Headlee. Before this season we knew that Kyler was good, we just didn't know how good. That became clear last weekend in Milwaukee where he dominated his AG and finished 13th overall in the brilliant time of 1:58:49. 

Bette Rowley's Maple Groove Sprint Debut yielded a victory and a 1:08 margin over 2nd-placing Adeleine Althaus-Kotila, 17, who was nominated for Junior of the Year in 2025 with another nomination likely to come her way at season's end. She has podiumed in all three of her in-state starts this year.

Placing third in the Sprint yesterday were Eau Claire's Trevor Bauer, 17, who has race often and successfully on this side of the St. Croix this season, and South Dakota's Brigitte Setness.

Almost 1200 athletes registered for this years Maple Grove Triathlon. RESULTS