PHOTO: 21-25 Cruiser Class- Caleb Plummer Port Orchard #8, Angel Plata Seattle, racing photo by Revolution Racing.
PORT ANGELES — Local athletes were making headlines on both land and water this weekend.
At Lincoln Park BMX, riders from across Washington converged on Port Angeles for a busy weekend of racing highlighted by the USA BMX State Qualifier Double. Friday night’s racing drew 124 riders competing in 35 motos despite challenging windy conditions. Saturday’s State Qualifier attracted an even larger field, with 374 riders and 83 motos filling the track.
Several local racers turned in strong performances. Teyah Elofson-Cross of Lincoln Park BMX captured first place in the 13-14 Girls Cruiser division, while Bradan Gray won the 12 Cruiser class. Local riders also posted podium finishes throughout the weekend, including Kylin Weitz, Wyatt May, Jackson Beal, Deana Volker and several others competing against racers from Spokane, Moses Lake, SeaTac and beyond.
The state qualifier series will ultimately lead riders back to Port Angeles on September 27, when Lincoln Park BMX hosts the Washington State BMX Finals.
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Meanwhile, Port Angeles paddler Lillian Kuehl picked up a major victory on the water.
Kuehl and teammate James Lesniak, racing as Team Race Boss, won the Facing Backwards division of the Seventy48 endurance race. The event, organized by the Northwest Maritime Center, challenges competitors to travel 70 miles from Tacoma to Port Townsend within 48 hours using only human power.
The win comes just weeks before Kuehl takes on an even bigger challenge. On June 14, she’ll compete in the Race to Alaska, a nearly 750-mile race from Port Townsend to Ketchikan, Alaska. Kuehl will race solo while pursuing the Hecate Solo Star Award, a one-time honor that will go to the first woman to successfully complete the Race to Alaska alone.