Chapman and Cizmas Win XTERRA Sleeping Giant in Thunder Bay

August 17, 2026

Off-road triathlon and trail-running victories opened qualification paths to XTERRA’s global championships.

August 17, 2026 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Stephen Chapman and Kari Cizmas claimed the men’s and women’s Full Distance titles at XTERRA Sleeping Giant, held Aug. 15-16 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Saturday’s program included kids’ triathlons for ages 6-9 and 10-12 before Sunday brought together the Full Distance, Sprint and Super Sprint off-road triathlons, duathlons and three trail running distances.

Sunday began under mostly cloudy skies at approximately 15°C following an overnight rain shower. The temperature climbed above 20°C by early afternoon, but the early moisture left several sections of the mountain bike course slick and muddy.

Chapman, from Ottawa, was the fastest athlete across the 1500M swim, 26K mountain bike and 10K trail run, winning in 2:31:04.7. Thunder Bay’s Matt Agar placed second in 2:35:17.1, while Winnipeg’s Kevin Esau completed the men’s podium in 3:04:37.7.

Cizmas won in 2:49:40.1. The Duluth, Minnesota athlete took control during the bike portion and recorded the third-fastest individual time of the Full Distance race. It was her second Sleeping Giant victory after also winning the women’s title in 2024.

Calgary’s Sheri Foster finished second among the women in 3:08:33.1, followed by Thunder Bay’s Mandy McMahan in 3:09:18.8.

American Phoebe Hodina of Cleveland, Ohio, finished fourth woman overall and won the women’s 30–39 division in 3:19:11.7. Hodina, completing her first XTERRA said, “It was absolutely phenomenal. It was a beautiful day. The bike course was definitely a challenge. It was pretty slick today, but it was really good riding.”

Hodina also praised the Lake Superior scenery and the welcome she received during her visit. “Lake Superior was gorgeous, of course. The woods are great, and everybody in Canada is always so warm and welcoming.”

Clancy Jacob of Inverary, Ontario, won the men’s 20–29 division in 3:30:54.0 after a mechanical issue forced him to carry his bike during part of the race. “There aren’t a lot of XTERRAs in Canada, so it just felt right to sign up for this one,” Jacob said. “You go through the lower bluffs and then ride some of the more technical trails in Thunder Bay. It covers pretty much the best that this place has to offer. You get to see it all.”

Alan Rickels of Burlington, Ontario, placed second in the men’s 50–59 division in 3:30:23.9. “It was a great day. I really enjoyed the course,” Rickels said. “The bike course had lots of ups and downs and was a little bit muddy.”

Rickels said the narrower Thunder Bay trails offered a different test from the wider trails he normally rides around Milton. “Things come up really quickly on you,” he said. “I opted out of a couple of technical bits and went down the easy way, but it was great to have that option.”

In the 25K Trail Half Marathon, Thunder Bay’s Mason Shyiak won the men’s race in 1:55:38.7. Jessica Northan of Guilderland, New York, led the women in 2:23:53.8. Both earned qualifying places for the 2027 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship on Gozo, Malta. Sleeping Giant offered 28 Trail Run World Championship slots across the age divisions.

The Full Distance triathlon offered 56 slots for the XTERRA World Championship in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Direct qualifiers may choose between the 2026 and 2027 championships.

Thunder Bay’s Sawyer Puumala and Emily Agar were the leading male and female youth athletes in the Sprint. Téo Marston of Murillo and Marianna Barrett of Kakabeka Falls led the Youth A results in the Super Sprint.

Race director Brent Maranzan, the Thunder Bay Timing Organization team and many volunteers coordinated the two-day program. Organizers also thanked Thunder Bay CEDC, Tourism Thunder Bay and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation for their support.

Full results and event information are available through the XTERRA Sleeping Giant event page.

Photo credit: Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com