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William Huffman, 30, of New York City won the 42nd annual RJA Memorial Mighty Montauk Triathlon on Saturday, his second straight win. KYRIL BROMLEY
William Huffman, 30, of New York City won the 42nd annual RJA Memorial Mighty Montauk Triathlon on Saturday, his second straight win. KYRIL BROMLEY
William Huffman, 30, of New York City won the 42nd annual RJA Memorial Mighty Montauk Triathlon on Saturday, his second straight win. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Triathletes make the transition from the bike to the run portion. KYRIL BROMLEY
Caitlin Kappel of East Hampton was the female champion of the sprint triathlon. KYRIL BROMLEY
Caitlin Kappel of East Hampton was the female champion of the sprint triathlon. KYRIL BROMLEY
Caitlin Kappel of East Hampton was the female champion of the sprint triathlon. KYRIL BROMLEY
Caitlin Kappel of East Hampton was the female champion of the sprint triathlon. KYRIL BROMLEY
The reigning male and female champions of the Robert J. Aaron Memorial Mighty Montauk Triathlon successfully defended their titles on Saturday morning for the 42nd anniversary of the race.
William Huffman, 30, of New York City, repeated as overall champion, crossing the finish line of the 1-mile swim in Lake Montauk, 20-mile bike ride and 6.2-mile run in 1:49:35.5. Jillian Jacinth, 30, of Babylon once again won the women’s race in 2:14:19.1. Both Huffman and Jacinth were each just a few minutes slower than the times they posted a year ago, when the race was first brought back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Tim Steiskal, 33, of Patchogue, placed second overall in 1:59:05.3 after having placed third last year. Shayne Lewis, 33, of Brightwaters, finished right behind Steiskal in 2:00:51.7.
Reia Tong, 30, of New York City, placed second among female finishers in 2:16:53.8. Allison Backer, 43, of Shoreham, finished third in 2:33:45.5.
Full results are at trisignup.com.
According to mightymontauk.com, Robert Aaron, who enjoyed many outdoor activities such as surfing, skiing, marathons and fishing, participated in his first triathlon in the early 1980s and was so inspired by the then emerging sport that he decided to produce one of his own. Known for its scenic beauty, Aaron thought Montauk was the ideal place to host a triathlon, and so, in 1982, the Mighty Montauk was born.
After a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Aaron died in 2002, but his legacy lived on through the race, which is one of the oldest triathlons on Long Island. Not long after his death, his surviving wife, Merle McDonald-Aaron, who has been the race director since, renamed the race to honor his memory.
The Lustgarten Foundation, which raises money for pancreatic cancer research, has been the primary beneficiary of the race, as another way to honor Aaron’s memory. Other beneficiaries include the St. Therese Youth Group, East Hampton PBA, the Montauk Ambulance Squad and other local nonprofits.
