Local Athletes Shine: Complete Results from the 29th Rudyard Lions Summerfest Triathlon & 5K Run

Twenty-nine years of community tradition, athletes spanning six decades of age, and competitors arriving from across North America — the Rudyard Lions Summerfest is far more than just a race.

On Sunday, July 26, 2026, Michigan's Upper Peninsula hosted one of its most enduring summer athletic traditions. The 29th Annual Rudyard Lions Summerfest Triathlon and 5K Run brought together competitors ranging from grade-school kids to athletes in their 70s, all converging on Rudyard for a day of competition, community pride, and charitable purpose.

Whether you crossed the finish line this year, are hunting your results, or you're an endurance sports enthusiast eyeing next summer's race calendar, this complete breakdown has everything you need — overall winners, age-category champions, team results, and the story behind the numbers.

The Fastest on the Course: Overall Winners

Let's start where every competitor's eyes go first — the top of the results board.

5K Run Overall Winners

The 5K delivered impressive performances from both ends of the age spectrum. Daniel Scarpino of Sault, Ontario claimed the overall male title with a blazing 16:46 — a pace that would be competitive in most regional road races. On the female side, Quinn Rogers of Rudyard took the top spot with a 26:48, a remarkable result that becomes even more impressive when you learn she's in the 12–15 age bracket. More on that shortly.

Division	Winner	Hometown	Time
Male Overall	Daniel Scarpino	Sault, Ontario	16:46
Female Overall	Quinn Rogers	Rudyard, MI	26:48

Reverse Triathlon Overall Winners

The short-course triathlon at Rudyard uses a reverse format — run, then bike, then swim — rather than the traditional swim-bike-run sequence commonly associated with the sport. This format is often used for pool-based or smaller community events, and it changes the competitive dynamic by front-loading the highest-intensity effort when athletes are freshest.

Christopher Schnettler of Sault, Michigan claimed the overall male title in 1:21:56. In a testament to the event's competitive depth, Cassandra Gallagher — also of Sault, Michigan — took the overall female crown in 1:24:38, just under three minutes back. The two podium times being so close together speaks to the quality of athletes this event attracts year after year.

Division	Winner	Hometown	Time
Male Overall	Christopher Schnettler	Sault, MI	1:21:56
Female Overall	Cassandra Gallagher	Sault, MI	1:24:38

Age-Category Champions: The Full Breakdown

One of the hallmarks of the Summerfest is its commitment to age-category fairness — 11 or more age brackets ensure that a 68-year-old and a 28-year-old aren't chasing the same trophy. Here's who stood out in each division.

Youth Division: Young Athletes Showing Big Promise

The youth results may be the most exciting story of the entire event. Rudyard's local development pipeline is clearly producing competitive endurance athletes.

Triathlon (Ages 19 and Under)

The top three male finishers in the under-19 triathlon division were nearly all hometown athletes:

• 🥇 Seth Templeton (Rudyard) — 1:34:08
• 🥈 Oliver Dankert (Rudyard) — 1:39:33
• 🥉 Zane Nichols (Trout Lake) — 1:40:39

On the female side, Emma DeYoung of Rudyard took first place with a time of 2:02:15 — finishing the full reverse triathlon course as a teenager, which is an achievement worth celebrating on its own.

5K Run (Youth Divisions)

• Ages 11 and under (Male): Callen Fuhrman (Pickford) — 37:09
• Ages 12–15 (Female): Quinn Rogers (Rudyard) — 26:48 (also the overall 5K female winner)
  • 2nd: Selah Beery — 27:11
  • 3rd: Emma Folkersma (Kinross) — 27:17
• Ages 16–19 (Male): Eli Folkersma (Rudyard) — 19:40

Winning your age group is one thing — winning the entire 5K field as a 12–15 year old is another. That kind of result suggests a serious running future ahead.

Prime Performance Years (Ages 20–49): The Competitive Core

This age range consistently produces the fastest times in endurance sports, and the Summerfest was no exception. These results reflect athletes at or near their peak fitness.

Triathlon Results

Age Group	Place	Athlete	Hometown	Time
20–29 Female	1st	Kate Kabat	Minneapolis, MN	1:39:54
30–39 Male	1st	Adam Fuhrman	Pickford, MI	1:26:10
30–39 Male	2nd	Keith Lounds	Dafter, MI	1:38:18
40–49 Male	1st	Kirk Tews	Sault, MI	1:26:33
40–49 Male	2nd	Allan Veler	Fitchburg, WI	1:40:41
40–49 Male	3rd	Joe Dankert	Rudyard, MI	1:41:02
40–49 Female	1st	Elizabeth Veler	Fitchburg, WI	1:49:27

Worth noting: Adam Fuhrman's 1:26:10 and Kirk Tews' 1:26:33 are the two fastest age-group times in the triathlon — both men pushed the overall winner hard. This kind of depth across age groups makes the event feel genuinely competitive, not just participatory.

5K Run Results (Ages 20–49)

Age Group	Place	Athlete	Hometown	Time
20–29 Male	1st	Hayden Mills	Traverse City, MI	18:05
20–29 Male	2nd	Dylan Mills	Grand Ledge, MI	20:55
30–39 Female	1st	Callie Fuhrman	Pickford, MI	28:42
30–39 Male	1st	Daniel Scarpino	Sault, Ontario	16:46
40–49 Female	1st	NeTausha Bergsma	Rudyard, MI	32:18
40–49 Female	2nd	Jennifer Peterman	Rudyard, MI	33:58
40–49 Female	3rd	Heidi Kuehne	Rudyard, MI	45:15

The Fuhrman family of Pickford had a strong showing across both events — Adam in the triathlon, Callie in the 5K, and young Callen in the youth 5K. Multi-generational family participation is one of the quiet beauties of community endurance events like this one.

Masters Division (Ages 50+): Proving Fitness Has No Expiration Date

If there's one message the masters results send loudly and clearly, it's this: endurance sports belong to every decade of life.

Triathlon (Ages 50–59 Female)

• 🥇 Rachel McCoy (Sault, MI) — 1:28:04
• 🥈 Kelly Kabat (Golden Valley, MN) — 1:45:20
• 🥉 Deborah Gallagher (Sault, MI) — 1:52:22

Rachel McCoy's 1:28:04 is worth pausing on — that places her faster than multiple competitors decades her junior. It's the kind of result that should inspire any athlete who thinks their best racing days are behind them.

Triathlon (Ages 60–69 Male)

• 🥇 Gary Duke (Linden, MI) — 1:41:43

5K Run (Ages 60+)

Age Group	Place	Athlete	Hometown	Time
60–69 Male	1st	Terry Myers	Sault, MI	29:05
60–69 Male	2nd	Nate Rudolph	Woodstock, GA	29:37
60–69 Male	3rd	Burton Rudolph	Kinston, NC	37:43
70+ Male	1st	David Brock	Grand Rapids, MI	52:47

David Brock of Grand Rapids, crossing the finish line at age 70+, represents everything this event stands for. From Quinn Rogers at age 12–15 to David Brock at 70+, the Summerfest spans more than 55 years of competitive age — a rarity in any athletic event and a genuine source of community pride. Athletes in their 70s and beyond continue to prove that age is no barrier to competitive endurance sports.

Team Competition: Where Camaraderie Meets Competition

The team triathlon division adds a layer of strategy and fun that individual events can't replicate. Teams divide the swim, bike, and run legs among members — and the results show that community spirit and competitive ambition aren't mutually exclusive.

Coed Teams

The coed division produced the fastest team times of the day:

• 🥇 "MeAn Grandpa" (Rudyard) — 1:22:34 (Lions Challenge winners)
• 🥈 "Kabat Send It" (Golden Valley, MN) — 1:24:07

Frequently Asked Questions

Source: Soo Evening News — Local runners take top spots in 2026 Rudyard Lions Summerfest Triathlon