Jeff Mutchie, 47, of Boise put in a blazing time of 56:45 at the 2018 Wallowa Lake Sprint Triathlon benefit for Safe Harbors last weekend. Mutchie, who began his triathlon, marathon and Iron Man hobby at Wallowa Lake in 2013, brought the family along and his daughter Kallenn, 11, won the Top Female award in the walk/run 5K held in conjunction with the triathlon.

Kallenn pelted down the route around Wallowa Lake businesses to turn in an astonishing time of 23:48, not only winning her the Top Female 5K award but putting her in second place overall behind 5K winner Chris Alberston, 37, of Richland, Wash., with 19:14.

Second place in the Triathlon went to a youngster with significant talent, Taylor Fox, 13, of Union who put in a combined time of 105:26.

Fox was scaring the older guys from the start, coming first out of the lake after the 250-meter swim. However, he fell to 4th in the 12-mile bike leg and John Mausling, 50, of Boise was sitting in second behind Mutchie when they started the 5K run.

But the run was Fox’s best leg of the event, and 5K was just a warmup. He streaked by Mausling and turned in an overall time more than two minutes faster to steal second.

“That kid is fast,” an impressed Mausling said.

Event organizer Paige Sully could only nod in agreement.

“He’s pretty lickity-split,” Sully said.

Fox is the youngest individual to compete in the Wallowa Lake event. The cutoff age is 16 years unless by special permission. Fox got the permission, as he and mom, Katie, were part of a relay team with event organizer Sully two weeks earlier.

They completed the 204-mile Elkhorn Relay in 32 hours to come in at 4th place, so Sully knew Fox could handle the sprint triathlon at Wallowa Lake.

The top female winner in the triathlon was Megan Larson, 19, of Joseph with a time of 1:18:25. It was Megan’s first competition, made special because her father, Steve Larson, 61, competed with her.

Steve had competed in several Iron Man races and many triathlons a couple of decades ago and came out of retirement. Megan is a parks specialist at Wallowa Lake State Park and the two trained together over the summer.

Second place female triathlete was Ali Kretschmer of La Grande 1:18:44 with Anna Lembke of Enterprise coming in third 1:27:53.

The event continued to be a great family event with Ben Boyd of Enterprise joining daughter Zion, 10, in the 5K to tie with times of 27:34; father/son team of Lars, 67, and Derek Smith, 26, of Walla Walla, Wash., returned for the second time to compete in the triathlon together; and the father/daughter team of Ron and Ashlie McAfee of Joseph also returned — in separate events.

Ron, 60, competed in the triathlon while Ashlie, 17, ran the 5K. The two had done their first triathlon together at Wallowa Lake in 2015.

Men: Jeff Mutchie 56:39; Taylor Fox 1:05:28; John Mausling 1:07:46.

Women: Megan Larson 1:18:25; Ali Kretschmer of LaGrande 1:18:44; Anna Lembke of Enterprise 1:27:53.

Combined: Center for Wellness Team of Moddly Cudmore, Anna Mapes, and Dylan Edwards 1:11:28.

Overall: Chris Albertson 19:14; James Hayes 26:05; Ben Boyd 27:34.

Women: Kallenn Mutchie 23.48; Mak Estill 25:11; Megan Hayes 26:11.

10-19: First Kallenn Mutchie 23:48; Zion Boyd 27:34; Ashlie McAfee 55:50.

20-29: Mak Estill 25:41; Megan Hayes 26:11.

30-39: Hillary Bucklew 29:58.

40-49: Kathy Zacharias 34:50.

50-59: Britta Yates 30:15; Kathleen Ackley 30:55; Alicia Borrego 45:58.

60-69: Gretchen Weeks 29:13; Lola Johnson 35:24.

10-19: Jack McAfee 55:52.

20-29: James Hayes 26:05.

30-39: Chris Albertson 19:14.

40-49: Ben Boyd 27:34.

50-59: Eduardo Borrego 46:24.