Above all else, the Beaton Classic is truly a celebration of healthy living.
Athletes of all ages and shapes conglomerated this past Sunday morning at Moonlight Beach, with their efforts in the uniquely northern quadrathlon (a standard triathlon with a paddling component mixed in for good measure) ranging from solo competitors to duos and teams of four.
Yet for as much as the smiles that accompany any sense of sporting accomplishment were plentiful throughout the morn, there was also sadly a sombre overtone to the festivities.
A participant on at least a handful of previous occasions and well-established member of Masters Swimming Sudbury, high-school teacher Sylvia Donato tragically lost her life in early August, struck by a boat while out on an open water swim.
Somehow, through their grief, family and friends of Donato managed to assemble a team entry for the 2025 Beaton, the Four4Sylvia quartet a testament of strength and courage – and a very personal tribute to a woman who was dearly loved.
“Today was really special,” said 65 year-old Robert Masih, a friend and teammate of Donato who stepped in along with Jocelyne Heneberry (friend and cyclist), Ryan Lafraniere (friend, co-worker and runner) and Randy Donato (spouse and paddler) to tackle the challenge that would take the foursome some two and a half hours to complete.
“I told Randy that when Sylvia and I would do open water swimming together, she was always on my right side,” Masih continued. “Because I breathe on the right side, we could keep an eye on each other. I felt her next to me the whole swim – and I had my fastest swim of the summer.”
The team came together early last week, with absolutely no hesitation from those who were approached. “I was surprised, but I was also really pleased,” said Masih. “I think Randy is pleased with the decision that we put a team together.”
While many were the participants on hand who had become acquainted with Sylvia Donato over the years, newcomers to the scene were greeted equally with open arms, covering the spectrum from very experienced rookies (more on that in a moment) to very elite athletes taking that leap of faith in testing the physical limitations of their bodies.
At 63 years of age, Don Gunn stressed first and foremost that he has never identified as an athlete, certainly not a competitive one – all of which did not stop him from jumping aboard when a foursome of folks who live on the same street decided to form the Hunter Street Blues.
Though the likes of Chris Gore (bike), Stacy Halonen (paddle) and Shelley Walushka (run) bring an impressive array of athleticism to the mix, Gunn was more than pleased simply to secure the traditional t-shirt – without have to pay for it.
“All I had to do was finish my swim so that my team could continue to roll,” said Gunn, who took on this test with gusto, practicing for his opening leg by tackling the 18-inch waves of Providence Bay in training sessions leading up to the big day.
“I finished – and I wasn’t last,” Gunn beamed.
Self-deprecating humour aside, the retired businessman did seem to be hooked on the notion of making this a regular part of his summer schedule, if all goes well. “Now that I’ve experienced it, I am looking at the other disciplines,” he said. “This is a good start for the next phase in my life.”
As anyone who has ever taken part in the Beaton – or any triathlon or similar undertaking, for that matter – there is always that sense that for the remainder of your life, no one can ever take that accomplishment away from you.
Laurentian Voyageurs’ nordic ski co-captain Margot West will forever be able to add her solo effort in the 2025 Beaton to a growing list of impressive sporting accolades – and not just any solo effort. The 20 year-old from Ottawa finished second only to perennial women’s champion Sara McIlraith, her time of 2:38:44 more than respectable for the Mechanical Engineering major who earned a top-ten finish at the OUA Nordic Ski Championships last winter.
Like many of those whose ages fall between perhaps 15 and 25 or so, there is often enough of a varied athletic base to give reason to the notion that completing the Beaton is not complete silliness (as it would be for myself and the overwhelming majority of the Greater Sudbury population, for instance).
“I spend all summer running and (roller) skiing to be ready for cross-country skiing,” said West. “And I grew up with canoe trips. Swimming was the one area I wanted to focus on. I taught some swim lessons for a bit but I wouldn’t call myself a competitive swimmer.”
“I hopped in the pool a few times and went open water swimming once and thought I was good to go – and I was.”
Come time for the annual Beaton, Steven Gonder is always ready to go.
An accomplished runner with many a marathon under his belt, the 47 year-old Sudbury native remains constantly thankful for the efforts of race organizer Neil Phipps and a host of amazing volunteers, allowing him to return to the venue of his very first (running) race about a decade ago.
“Over the years, I’ve had many different partners with many different teams,” said Gonder, his current entry (Scrambled Legs) featuring the likes of Chantal Laakso (swim), Luukas Ovaska (bike) and Anthea Bradley (paddle). “It’s a lot of fun to mix it up. We’ve had people from different fitness circles or different social circles involved.”
Given his race experience, little surprise that Gunn had the foresight to understand how best to tackle the 8km trail trek he would make on a day when temperatures soared above the 30 degree level. “It was a situation where you had to pace yourself from the beginning,” he said. “And, of course, the hills are brutal so there was a little bit of a slow down there – and some hydration at the halfway mark.”
The fastest time of the day would come, quite impressively, from one of the solo entries as Dan Whalen captured his fourth straight Beaton in a time of 2:06.10, some 35 seconds ahead of Still Not Dead Yet!
Just a few minutes back again were Bursey’s & Kendyn (2:10.26), Quad Goals (2:10.33) and Kaeden Ward (solo – 2:11.04), with remaining category winners as follows:
Fours – Women – Quadzillas (2:25.40)Pairs – Coed – Two Peas (2:35.51)
Pairs – Men – The Mudskippers (2:39.19)
Pairs – Women – The Dales (2:41.56)
Such is the impressiveness of completing the entire event in the solo category that I always feel compelled to provide a full listing of those who both undertook the challenge - and prevailed:
Women - SoloSara McIlraith - 2:22.33
Margot West - 2:38.44
Sarah Booth - 2:52.01
Erin Kennedy - 2:57.34
Maija Nener - 3:03.2
Kristin Zazelenchuk - 3:13.32
Men - Solo
Dan Whalen - 2:06.56
Kaeden Ward - 2:11.04
Clinton Lahnalampi - 2:22.59
Eden Abols - 2:25.22
Colin Ward - 2:26.52
Julian Luoma - 2:27.07
James Mann - 2:31.37
Hudson Green - 2:38.26
Tyler Buckingham - 2:56.34
Dave Richardson - 2:57.06
