Race Previews
Off The Front...
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Monday, 07 July 2014 08:00
Photo - Great artsy-fartsy YndeCam shot of Matt Payne winning the Best of the US Championship.)
13th Annual MINNEAPOLIS TRIATHLON - Elite Amateur Men - Two of the early frontrunners for 2014 USAT Athlete of the Year nominations are 22-year-old Steve Mantell of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Matthew Payne of Columbia Heights, Minnesota. Though Payne is undefeated in six starts thus far, Mantell probably has the AOY edge at the moment because he has excelled in major "national" events.
Check out Steve's sterling 2014 resume:
- 1st amateur @ Boulder 70.3 - 3:58
- 1st amateur @ Escape From Alcatraz (5th overall)
- 1st amateur @ Havasu Triathlon
- 1st amateur / 3rd overall @ USAT Collegiate Nationals (Olympic)
- 3rd overall @ USAT Collegiate Sprint Nationals....
If Matt beats him on Saturday, he (Matt) will be perceived by many as The Frontrunner.
At Nationals last year, Mantell (photo R) finished 2nd overall. Payne placed a disappointing 16th. That was the only time these guys "faced" each other, though neither were aware of the other or how their respective races were unfolding. They launched in different waves and finished at different times during the day.
Can Payne beat the Coloradan on Saturday?
We think so. He has course familiarity on his side, which gives him a "muscle memory" advantage. In his last two starts at Lake Nokomis, Matt finished 2nd (2012) and 4th (2010). The four guys that beat him now have pro licenses.
It also needs to be mentioned that Payne is faster than ever this year. He certainly proved that at Best of the US, where her outraced 2013 Athlete of the Year Dan Stubleski.
The M-Payne - S-Mandell battle will be epic. It should get gruesome out there.
Weather permitting, we predict a course record (sub - 1:56:10) for the Elite Amateur men on Saturday.
