Our athletes have had quite the 2025 so far… With just 3 months left in the year and so much already accomplished, what’s left in store? You’ll find the colder weather brings a new season of reflection, rest, and racing! On this edition, members of Team Bellingham walk through what they have been up to this summer and how they are entering the fall. We have linked each athlete’s social media accounts and provided additional resources that support their stories. Enjoy reading about all their recent experiences.
Jonas Ecker
The post Olympic year is always more challenging and confusing than you might expect. Some athletes jump right back in to training while others take some much needed time off. In my post Olympic off-season I did a bit of both. I kept my fitness up, but took some time out of my K1, training primarily in my surfski or on my bike through the winter. So when it was time to build back into the 2025 season, I was unsure of how I would stack up. All I knew is that if I put in the work, good things would happen.
Fast forward to this summer, lining up for both the ICF Canoe Sprint U23 World Championships and ICF Canoe Sprint Senior World Championships I knew I had done all I could to prepare, but I didn’t know how I would stack up. As racing progressed at U23s, I found my groove and qualified up through heats, semis, and into the A Finals for both the MK1 1000m and MK1 500m. In both finals my goals were simple, race my best and see if it was enough to win; defend my MK1 1000m title from 2024 and win a new title in the MK1 500m. And with strong races in both events I was able to do so, even setting a new American record in the MK1 500m (In the semifinal).
After racing ended in Portugal it was straight back to training. I flew straight to Milan, Italy to prep for the Senior World Championships. Where I ultimately achieved two B Final finishes. In the MK1 1000m I finished 12th overall and in the MK2 500m I placed 13th. After a long 8 weeks of travel and competition, I’m happy to be back on home waters!
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Cherilyn Suiter
This summer’s training and racing have been interesting to say the least! In April, I headed down to the Spring Classic Duathlon for an early season race where I placed 2nd Athena. It was a fun time, but unfortunately landed me on the injured list for a couple of months with an LCL/MCL knee sprain. No worries though, training was in full swing and I was able to switch my Oliver Half IM entry to a half Aquabike. It was a fabulous race that I was hoping to finish, but I was erroneously pulled from the course for a missed cutoff half way through! Since it was their mistake, they offered for me to come back in 2026 – YES, I will be going back there! 🙂
Next up was my favorite – the beautiful Lake Whatcom Triathlon! Although it took me a really long time to finish (due to the injury), I finished my first Olympic distance of 2025 and took home 2nd in my age group! Lake Tye Olympic was next. I had an awesome race and was able to run off the bike with no walking the entire 10k for the first time in a triathlon since I started back in 2022!! I also shaved 4 minutes off the run and since I was the only Athena 50+, I won that division!
I have two Olympic races left – the Bonney Lake Tri and Chelanathon. My final race of the season will be my first IM branded 70.3 in Tri Cities and I hope to finish what will be my first 70.3 distance in my Tri 2.0 life. I am most proud of how I handled my injury this summer and was able to come back and be able to run the rest of the races on my calendar. It taught me a lot about patience for sure.
This winter I am looking forward to running a few road / trail races and getting ready for 2026. There are so many great trails to train on in Bellingham and I’m excited to explore some of them!
Check out her USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassadorship and learn more about Cherilyn’s story.
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Jazzy Nelson
This weekend I had my first open water swim meet, the Western Zones Open Water Championship in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. The minute I learned I had qualified, I started planning my training swims in our favorite local lakes, Lake Padden and Lake Whatcom. The closer we got to race day, the more nervous and excited I got. When race weekend came around, we arrived a day early to do a warm up swim and go through the race check-in. Arriving at the lake, I was surprised by how big some of the teams were! One team from Nevada had an entire Open Water Team!
Warming up around the buoys calmed my nerves a little. I practiced sighting the buoys and tried to figure out the pace I would keep for my 2.5 KM race. After swimming, I went to check-in, which was at one of the nicest aquatic centers I have been to! At check-in, swimmers would go from station to station where officials dressed in their white uniforms would first approve our race swim suit, then check our finger nails and toe nails to make sure they were trimmed so there was no white nail remaining so we would not scratch other racers. Then we would stand still while two officials worked in tandem positioning race number tattoos on our shoulders, back and hands which made everything feel really official! At 11:20 AM the next day, it was finally time for my race!
The girls 2.5 KM. We were called down the beach and given a safety talk, then lined up by our numbers and all 65 of us were announced one by one. Then we swam out to the start area in a group. The starting 
official ran out and he blew the horn and we were off! The start felt like a boxing match because there was 65 of us all swimming to the same little area! Then as we started to spread out, it felt like I was swimming up a hill with all the waves, and other swimmers splashing around me! There was never a point in the race where I wasn’t getting accidentally kicked or smacked by someone’s hand, or tapped on the foot by someone behind me. That being said, it was one of the most fun races I have ever done and I can’t wait to do it again.
My initial goal had been humble, not to finish last. But after completing the 2.5 km, feeling strong and finishing far from last in a time of 44.03, I can’t proudly say I not only can’t wait to go back but will set my goals higher next year!
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Ethan Hunger
On July 19th, I set out for the fifth time to ruin my day. I spend one day every year trying to create the hardest day I possibly can by doing something impressive enough to gain attention in order to raise money for my local food bank. My goal in doing this is to show that no matter how hard I try to ruin my day, it will never rival the struggles of food insecurity.
On Friday, July 18th, I went to bed at 10 pm and then woke up at 11 pm. I met up with 14 of my best friends around 11:30 pm and we started road biking at midnight headed toward the biggest mountain we could find. By 5 am, we were at Artist Point, watching the sunrise after ~57 miles of mostly uphill climbing. By 8 am, we were back where we started, 115 miles of riding later and the night behind us. This is where the fun begins! We rolled straight up to JD Elite, a HIIT gym I frequent, to spend an hour moving our bodies as best as we could. At this point, my original 14 companions had mostly split off to go grab some shut eye while I powered on. The HIIT class consisted of mostly bodyweight movements like lunges, squats and jumping jacks. Over 80 people showed up to work out with me and from that class alone we raised over $4,000 for the Bellingham Food Bank.
I went straight from the gym to Lake Whatcom where a safety boat was waiting for me and 3 of my friends. We had originally planned to swim the lake from north to south, but the wind direction was contrary to expectation and quite strong at that. We buzzed on down to the southern end of the lake and we started swimming. The lake is 10 miles long from end to end and the conditions were far from favorable. The longest swim of my life at that point was 5 miles and none of the 3 of us had ever swam
over 6 miles. It was set to be a long day. We began swimming just after 10 am and we swam for 6 hours and 53 minutes (including breaks along the way), finishing our swim just after 5 pm. It was a choppy, painfully boring swim that I later described as the least enjoyable exercise of my life. I had some light cramping around 30 minutes in and then considerate shoulder pain began in both shoulders around 90 minutes in. Those two things only got worse as time went on. The inability to socialize with the guys around me seemed to exacerbate the isolation of it too. I found myself counting the minutes between snack breaks just to clear my head and shake out my arms. It was a long time to be swimming.
The conclusion of the swim marked the end of my uncertainties. I was so relieved to be done knowing that the rest of my day was all things I had done before. I went straight from the lake to the local mountain bike trails for a quick lap. I spent just under an hour on my bike and only seemed to care about getting down in one piece. The sleep deprivation really started to settle in at this point and my nervous system could best be described as “fried”. Luckily for me, I was heading toward my last leg of the day. A run.
In the parking lot, I gathered up anyone who had energy to spare and we set out for a run toward the finish line party. The fitness challenge I’ve set out to do has changed a few times over the years. This is the first time I ever attempted to do the iteration I’ve described so far and this is the first time I haven’t had to run a marathon. This final running leg was only 5 miles and it was everything I ever hoped for. We set out at a healthy pace and were able to hold it until the finish. At that point of the day, all I could think about was excitement. Excitement to be done. Excitement to see all of my friends, supporters, & donors. Excitement to talk to people about why I do this dang thing.
I’ll share with you a few words from my finish line speech: “I often get asked what my “why” is. Last week a friend, Dan Perl, and I had the incredible opportunity to sit down and interview a woman at the Bellingham Food Bank named Maria. Maria is both a shopper and a volunteer. Thankfully, Dan is beautifully fluent in Spanish because I’m passable at best and the interview wouldn’t have gone very well if it was just me. Even with a language barrier, I would’ve had to be blind and deaf not to understand the importance of the Bellingham Food Bank to Maria’s life.
Here is a condensed version of Maria’s story: Maria never planned on needing to go to a food bank. 9 months ago, Maria underwent an operation that left her unable to work. She has not made a penny since.
Maria talked about the toll that being hungry and financially insecure has had on her physical health, her mental health, and her self-confidence. She moves slowly, but is still able to volunteer at the food bank packing boxes on Tuesdays and Thursdays as her body allows. She takes home an impressive mix of Latin foods from the food bank and uses that food to feed her community. A community that is scared right now and one that could use all the help they can get.
That is my why. Maria is just one face. One story. One person. She is one of the 10s of thousands of people who rely on the Bellingham Food Bank every week. Folks who wake up hungry. I wish that every person was able to see first hand the impact that the Bellingham Food Bank has on these people! These people are fighting so hard to live right now and I worry endlessly about the real possibility that budget cuts are going to take away the only food source that these people can count on.”
I hope that the focus of my fundraiser isn’t lost on people who get caught up in watching me do the fitness part of this. YES, I have fun doing this, but NO, would I be doing this just for fun.
If you’re inspired by my story and would like to make a donation, we are still accepting donations through this link
Check out Ethan’s annual fundraiser for the Bellingham Food Bank – Hunger vs Hunger
Follow Ethan on Instagram
Heather Nelson
dangling ‘sombrero’ holds. You then climb down a series of cliff hangers, or small ledges, which bring you to four low hanging cannonball holds. To traverse these you must tuck and hold your knees up or you will touch the ground and lose a band.
Joey Malloy
Woke up at 3:30am to get ready and head to transition. The vibes were positive and pretty relaxed. After getting set up, I found my cousin Andrew and started the 1.2 mile walk up to the swim start.
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Kyle Mabie
Candescent Cascadia: This Must Be the Place Cycling dominated my early summer. First, the Galbraith Supreme mountain bike race tested my grit on a lengthy course through Bellingham’s home trails. The scorching sun had its way with us riders, but I finished strong and had an excellent time nonetheless. Next, I packed in a flurry of road cycling in preparation for the Tour de Whatcom- my first century ride. Training took me across the state from Historic Highway 30 just over the Oregon border, to Fidalgo Island, the Centennial Trail, and finally Middle Fork road along the Snoqualmie river. These excellent tours put me in great shape for the main event. With my dad along for support (a cyclist maestro traveling from Wisconsin), I was strong and motivated during the ride. Finding a group to pedal with is a rarity for me, and proved to be a joy and a boon. Cramps and a steady wind were obstacles along the final stretch of coastline heading back to town, but thankfully I found a friend to ride with to the end.
With that, my scheduled races and events concluded for the summer, and my real passion took center stage: adventures in the alpine. Unfettered frolicking in the North Cascades. No house, no service, no schedule- pure freedom. The past few weeks have been filled with friends, rocks, and exploration. What more could a boy want?
My summer shenanigans centered around Washington Pass. I spent my time rock climbing the lofty bluffs above Mazama and splashing in Goat Creek. For nutrition I consumed a sea salt baguette per day from the Mazama Store (If you know, you know). My rocky ambitions also brought me and a friend to the famous Liberty Spires. Traditional gear, hanging rappels, and big exposure heightened our senses and reminded us of our subservience to the dramatic Cascadian wilderness. Skiing and backpacking also took center stage this summer. On my way to completing the Turns All Year challenge (skiing at least once per month for a year), I found myself on the terrifyingly frozen slopes of Mt. Adams in July, then shredding delightful slush on Sahale Peak in early August.
I realize my richness during times like these– wealth in the form of my health, access to adventure, and friends and family to share it with. My home in the PNW makes me feel alive and grateful. All the training, races, rides, and work I do are preparation for moments like these: opportunities to test my fitness, creativity and resolve in the unpredictable glory of our region. This is what a summer in the Cascades is all about, and is absolutely what I live for.
Kyle also writes “slogs” ( ski logs) every so often on his epic adventures. Check it out here.
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Chris Hughes
To say that 2025 hasn’t been great would be an understatement. I started the year thinking my back surgery was a personal disaster, putting me out of training for the majority of the season. Then my problems were put into perspective after the passing of a friend who had a short battle with ALS. In August, my best friend got hit by a truck and spent nearly a month in the ICU and trauma center.
Suddenly, my back surgery and not being able to train how I wanted didn’t seem like a story of pain and woe at all. I had no plans to race this year, content with recovering and just trying to get back in shape. As I told one of my coaches , “I just want to be in good enough shape to have a post-season.” Then, about a month before Santa Cruz, I attended my friend’s memorial. Surrounded by his family and friends, his words of wisdom were shared. He had written them for us before, as he put it, “went on to his next adventure.” One particular piece of advice struck me hard: “Today might be the best you will ever feel. So you might as well try.” With that single quote, my chances of doing a race went from near zero to almost a certainty.
Visiting my friend in the hospital a few weeks later sealed the deal. So, with a new bike, five outside rides, a month of training, and last year’s shoes, I packed my bags and headed to Santa Cruz 70.3 to see what was possible. I had no expectations. Just being there was a win, and my only goal was to finish without exploding or hurting myself. On race day, 2025 suddenly looked a lot better. The sun was amazing, the swim was beautiful. The Santa Cruz bike course didn’t even bother with its characteristic fog, and the run was just hard enough to remind me that strategic walk breaks can save the day. I managed to eke my way into 10th place in my division, roughly 30 minutes slower than my best time on the course. Mission accomplished. I earned my post-season and even got a race in! More importantly, 2025 reminded me how fragile we are and to enjoy the moments you get.
Don’t underestimate the gift of another day. Show up for the people and things you care about. Plan experiences to share with others. This advice was shared with me at my friends memorial, and I’m sharing it with you. Hopefully, it helps you in 2025 and beyond. Happy racing and training everyone!
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If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the bios of our Athlete Ambassadors here to get a little bit more background of each of our athlete’s stories. Make sure to follow Pacific Multisports on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on Team Bellingham’s adventure’s and events.
