Race Coverage
Dani, Dani, Hanna....
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Sunday, 11 June 2017 23:10
Photo - Two Danis & a Hanna.
IRONMAN 70.3 WISCONSIN - On May 30 we predicted that Minnesota athletes, especially women, would rock socks at Wisconsin 70.3 in Madison. We are happy to report that we were right!
Though we know little about course difficulty and weather conditions for yesterday's race, we are thrilled with the results data. Minnesota women (including honorary Minnesotan Dani Fischer) swept the podium and claimed five of the Top 8 spots.
1. DANI VSETECKA (31, Rochester - photo) - 4:45:48 - Dani is undefeated in three starts this season. This was her third half IM victory.
2. DANI FISCHER (29, Indianapolis - Honorary Minnesotan - grew up in Rochester) - 4:45:57
3. HANNA GRINAKER (28, St. Paul) - 4:46:44 - This is Hanna's 2nd podium finish in three half IM starts....
Right Sometimes. Wrong Sometimes...
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Thursday, 08 June 2017 19:10
On Monday, May 29, we made some predictions regarding the Pigman Sprint on June 4. Were we right about anything? Let's find out.
- PREDICTION #1 - Heather Lendway (photo below) would win, lower her women's course record and win the The Equalizer bonus.
- WHAT HAPPENED - Heather did win (career W #29), but did not lower the CR or take home the bonus. It was a very hot day, thus not a lot of records went down, EXCEPT the men's mark. Jake Rhyner somehow managed to shoot down DKT's race best, actually breaking 1-hour for the first time in race history. Rhyner's herculean effort rightfully effort earned him the bonus.
- PREDICTION #2 - We predicted that Kris Spoth (photo) and Missouri's Kevin Denny would be the Top Two finishers, in either order, in the amateur race. ...
Andy & Kristina...
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Tuesday, 06 June 2017 19:10
ATTENTION: In case you haven't heard, the LAKE MINNETONKA TRIATHLON on June 17 is FULL. Athletes from 13 states and China will be competing. Though you cannot get in as a participant, we invite you to participate as a volunteer or spectator.
WAIT! You can get in. We forgot to mention that Ross is offering 10 Charity Slots, so you can get in if you act right now!
BUFFALO SPRINT - Two-time Buffalo Sprint champ CHERYL ZITUR was determined to collect her 3rd win here, but a flat in T1 required too much time to repair. Gamely, she pushed on to an 8th place finish, which was remarkable under the circumstances.
Zitur's misfortune opened the door for other athletes to vie for the Top Spots. The competition was fierce, resulting in a contest where an unprecedented eight women were able to crack the 1:10 mark. This fact is all the more remarkable when one considers that, in general, the times posted in the simultaneously contested Olympic race were slower than usual, as many wilted in the heat and wind.
Leading the way for the women was 2016 Junior of the Year runner-up KRISTINA SWENSON (photo).The 20-year-old Iowa State Cylone strung together satisfying split en route to a 1:05:42, the 2nd fastest women's time in the three-year history of this race....
Humble and Brave....
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Monday, 05 June 2017 19:10
BUFFALO COVERAGE - ELAINE NELSON is a good person, one who is defined by such virtues as humility and fair-mindedness.
After Elaine crossed the finish line at Buffalo Olympic last Sunday, she immediately let us know that her victory may have been aided by the misfortune of the two athletes who were ahead of her. In third place coming out of T2, it appeared that CHRISTINA ROBERTS and MAGGIE WEISS were destined to claim the Top Two spots. Nelson did not know until late in the run that those two women would succumb to their own aggressiveness.
During the event, the air was very hot, and the sun and wind were relentless. It was a wonderful day to watch a race, especially at a venue as gorgeous as Buffalo's, but racing in those conditions was a different matter. A somewhat conservative racing strategy was called for,....
Records Fall at New Bri...
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Saturday, 03 June 2017 23:10
ED. Just got back from Buffalo. Awesome event! Too pooped to write today. Will post Buffalo coverage on Tuesday and Pigman on Wednesday.
Buffalo- RESULTS - Pigman - RESULTS
NEW BRI TRI - BRIAN SAMES and NICOLE HEINiNGER (photo) demonstrated mid-season fitness yesterday at the 11th edition of the New Nri Tri. Not only did they score wins for their respective genders, they both set course records.
Heiney was especially impressive. In fact, her effort may have been one of her top two or three performances ever. In a race that had only seen one sub-1:10 in its history, that being Hanna Grinaker's 1:07:34 set in 2016, Nicole appeared determined to change that from the get-go. A brisk swim, followed by her signature monster bike, delivered her to T2 in 2nd place overall. Ahead of her was Sames by a slender margin of 1:33.
As Brian charged on to a time of 1:00:13, a twenty second improvement on Devon Palmer's 2015 amateur men's course best, Heiney carried a strong pace the rest of the way. Her finish time was 1:06:06, which took a voracious bite out of Grinaker's prior CR, and landed her in 4th place overall. Not only that, her margin of victory over the second place woman was the largest in event history.
Racing conditions were favorable (clear, high 70s, breezy) and it is likely that a few divisional records were reset.
Here are yesterday's Top 5 men and women, with notes: ...
Agreeing With Thomas....
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Saturday, 27 May 2017 09:10
Photo (L-R) - Hanna, Diane and Dani.
APPLE DUATHLON - WADE CRUSER became the first St. Cloud area athlete since the mid-90s to win the Apple Duathlon, which is arguably our country's most competitive run-bike-run, with the possible exception of Du Nationals. 2016 Du Master of the Year THOMAS WOODS used the expression "pointy end" to convey that at the front of the race the fields at Apple are superior to Nationals.
It's hard to disagree with Tom.
What it took for Cruser to win yesterday were the fastest men's splits in all three segments, which resulted in a 1:21:48, the 4th fastest amateur men's time in the fourteen years that the current course had been utilized....
