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2023 Women's Team MN Candidates...

Tuesday, 09 January 2024 00:10

By Goose

Here are the fourteen women being considered for 2023 Team Minnesota berths.  Mav will select the Top 10. Note that some of the names are preceded by asterisks (*). These are women considered to be "slam-dunk" selections.

CAMI ECKHOFF, 35 (photo L) - Two wins and a 6th at Steelhead 70.3 were highlights.

EMILY GAGE, 36 (page 2 photo) - Like Eckhoff, she is a former Most Improved winner. Her two local wins were impressive, but her long course times may not be enough to round out her resume.

DIANE HANKEE, 46 - A win, a 2nd and a 4th were solid enough to earn her a berth.

* ELENA HENGEL , 27 - A fast win, three  2nds behind Heather Lendway and a successful long course debut at Madison 70.3 make Elena a slam-dunk Top 3-5 on 2023 Team Minnesota.

* CARYN HERRICK, 33 - Tree big wins, including Chisago and Trinona, and fast 2nds at Door County and Madison 70.3 are why she's #2 on our Team roster.

KADIE HOKANSON, 42 - Her two wins and a 2nd don't tell us much. We'd love to see her race against Team MInnesota-quality competition...

KATIE KADERA, 35 - 2023 Most Improved, Katie has a win, a 2nd and a 3rd, which should be enough to land her a spot.

BETTINA KEPPERS, 40 - 2023 Master of the Year, Bettina won all three Minnesota races she did.

* HEATHER LENDWAY, 39 - Five wins, all by impressive margins, and a 7th at Nationals against the fastest women's amateur field ever assembled, land her in our #1 spot.

ANDREA MYERS, 47 - Six-time Master of the Year nominee, Andrea had one win a 2nd in her off-road tri debut and a 3rd at Clearwater Olympic in '23.

* VANESSA NAGEL, 36 - 2023 has been a season of ups and downs for Vanessa. The downs were a 6th at Lake Minntonka (first race back after injury) and a 3rd at Hopkins, where on paper, she should placed 2nd at least three minutes. The ups, though, more than made up for thosoe performances. Her highlights featured a win at Turtleman Olympic (2:09:20), a 3rd against the deepest women's field in a Minnesota tri at Maple Grove, and a 7th overall female at Pontevedra Worlds. I recommend a Top 4-6 placement for Ms. Nagel.

STEPHANIE PETERSON, 46 - She won all three of the Minnesota multis she entered, and placed 2nd at HyVee Sprint in South Dakota. A breakoaut year, though she never faced Team MInnesota quality competition.

BETTE ROWLEY, 38 - Four starts, four podiums. She's flirted with earning a spot on the Team in year's past. Is this the year she makes it?

* CHERYL ZITUR, 58 - Three wins and a pair of 2nds against in-state competition. She's an outlier. She deserves a spsot on 2023 Team MInnesota.

NOTE: A trio of elite amateurs from Duluth--POY winner Shyanne McGregor, Elaine Nelson and Tiffany Kari Cizmas-- only raced twice in 2023. Also ineligible was Chrstina Roberts, who would have landed a spot if Tri West had accurate results.