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Masters of Their Domain...

Wednesday, 04 January 2012 02:00

(Photos - Masters pioneer Tony Schiller looking cool in a cowboy hat, and new master Julie Hull, who should totally rock socks in 2012.)

As the median age of triathletes rise, it should come as no surprise that masters athletes occasionally win races.

Here in Minnesota, though, 40-plussers actually win often enough that the word "occasionally" has no place in the conversation.

How often, you ask?

Well, in 2011, 32 over-40s won 44 of the 84 outdoor tris and dus. Interestingly, several of these folks--Taggart Downare, Jen Neuman, Angie Hop, Angie Schmidt, Gillian Auslander, Tracy Serreyn and a few others--did not start winning races until they became fortysomethings. That is just plain cool....

This trend suggests that experience and intelligence play major roles in a successful amateur tri career.

World class masters, Tony Schiller, now 54, Brian Bich, now 45, Heidi Keller-Miler, now 47, and our state's winningest 40+ athlete, Jan Guenther, now 53, have led the way for Minnesota masters. Check out their post-39 scorecards, as well as those of other Minnesotans who have won five or more races since turning 40:

- Jan Guenther, 53, Mound - 35 wins (photo below L)

- Brian Bich, 45, Duluth - 18+ wins (photo R)

- Tony Schiller, 54, Eden Prairie - 12 wins since 2000

- Heidi Keller-Miler, 47, Chaska - 10 wins (photo L with a kid named Austin)

- Melinda Silbernick, 56, Maple Grove - 7+ wins

- Rod Raymond, 46, Duluth - 6+ wins

- Mary Beth Tuttle, 47, Pine Springs - 6+ wins

- Taggart Downare, 42, Sartell - 6 wins

- David Holden, 43, North Hudson, WI - 5 wins

- Robin Tedlund, 51, Duluth - 5+ wins

- Pam Stevens, 58, Sartell - 5+ wins

Several talented athletes, mostly on the women's side, will be turning 40 in 2012, including Cindy Blackstock, Veronica Bond, Jena Ogston and Jill Ellenbecker. Perhaps the most notable ager-uppers will be perennial Team Minnesota member, Julie Hull, and former pro, John Shelp. And who knows, maybe Becky Burdick will make a tri comeback, now that she's decaded-up.