Saturday, July 13 – Lake Whatcom Triathlon, which featured the USA Triathlon Washington State Championships for AG and HS on top of the Olympic, Olympic Relay, Sprint, Sprint Relay, Aquabike and Splash & Dash, set off on the sandy shore of Lake Whatcom beneath a clouded sky and against a long line of oblivious ducks. Taking off in the 1st and 2nd waves was last year’s winner, David Larpenteur, last year’s 2nd place finisher, Leighton Overson, Shelby Traeger, and Heather Nelson of Team BNP, who would take part in the Olympic Relay alongside Amber Morrison. Like a bat out of hell, Tom Hutchison butterflied out of the water minutes ahead of Larpenteur. Larpenteur would go on to chase Hutchinson the whole race through, closing the gap in the last leg – the run.

Tom Hutchinson was 1st OA in 2:05:03, David Larpenteur was 2nd in 2:05:47 and held the fastest run leg, and Leighton Overson was 3rd in 2:09:11 with the fastest ride of the day.

Shelby Traeger was 65th OA, 12th F and 3rd in her AG in the Olympic Tri, in 2:50:52.

Amber Morrison of Team BNP (who was also the title sponsor for the event), alongside Heather Nelson (swim) and Beth Hartsoch (bike), ran the pretty notoriously difficult 10k through Whatcom Falls Park. Team BNP was 1st OA in a field of 6 teams in the Olympic Distance Relay, finishing in 2:24:23.

Full Results HERE!