Race Previews
Brewhouse #37 Preview...
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Saturday, 27 July 2024 00:10
37th BREWHOUSE TRIATHLON PREVIEW - We are expecting an awesome event to unfold this weekend at Island Lake. Here are our picks to set the pace at BH XXXVII on Sunday:
Olympic Men -
JOSH BLANKENHEIM - Josh set the men's course record --1:57:15--on BH's original Island Lake course, and he's returning to the event for the first time since setting that mark in 2019. He's been Duluth's numero un male triathlete since the retirement of Brian Bich a decade ago and we expect him to prevail on Sunday. A win would be his third on this course. So you know, the amateur men's record here is Jason Crisp's 1:56:49. Weather permitting, we predict that Josh will pop a sub 1:55 this weekend.
JASON CRISP - Jason wasn't on the registration list that Matt shared with us, but we'd be surprised if he didn't race. He's got a pair of 2nd place finishes this season and we predict that he will place 3rd on Sunday. We think he'll give Blankenheim and Spencer Syvertson a good push.
SPENCER SYVERTSON - Spence has upped his game this year, as he clearly demonstrated when he gave Preston Youngdahl a scare at Lake Minnetonka. We think he will give Blankenheim a similar race on Sunday, and like Blank, turn in a time that's faster than the current CR....
20th Chisago Half Preview...Updated!
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Tuesday, 23 July 2024 00:10
CHISAGO LAKES HALF IRON PREVIEW - Here are MTN's podium picks for next Sunday's race. We base our selections on last week's entrants list. It is possible, perhaps likely, that other podium contenders have registered since then.
Men:
SEAN COOLEY - Sean has won six halves in his stellar career, one of them here. HIs time was 4:06:52 on a warm non-wetsuit morning. He's placed 2nd at Chisago twice and has broken 4:10 on this course three times. He finished in the Top 5 at Des Moines 70.3 earlier this season in 4:07:57. MTN therefore believes that Sean Cooley deserves to be recognized as the favorite to win on Sunday.
MARCUS DUVAL - Marcus does not have Sean's long distance resume yet, but he is scary fast, especially in the water and on the bike. He'll need a big lead entering T2 if he wants to win. We think there is a podium step with his name on it. UPDATE: Injured. Unable to race.
JOE ADRIEANS - Joe's popped a 4:13 here in the past and is coming off a Top 10 effort at Des Moines 70.3 (4:15:19). A Top 3 on Sunday would be his third, having also done so in 2022 and 2017...
UPDATE: The women's race just got more competitive, as ELENA JASPER will be doing the half instead of the Olympic. Elena's PR is 4:47 and she'll likely go faster than that on Sunday. There's definitely a podum step with her name on it.
Alexandria Preview....
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Friday, 19 July 2024 00:10
ALEXANDRIA TRIATHLON PREVIEW – The fourth edition of this great event is on the horizon. July 27, to be exact. This means that you have time to enter, if you haven't done so already. So you know, Minnesota has numerous outstanding tri venues, and Alexandria's is near the top of that list.
Let's talk about the competition. Weather permitting, we think it will take a course record to win the men's race. That's saying a lot since COREY NYGAARD's record 55:54, set in 2023, was a full two minute improvement on the prior CR.
Well, Corey's back and intent on defending his title. And a peek at his scorecard tells us that he's poised to do just that. Nominated for Minnesota;s Most Improved Triathlete last year, Nygaard has won four of his last six races, in addition to nuking his previous 70.3 PR....
39th T-Man Preview #1...
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Sunday, 07 July 2024 00:10
39th Timberman Triathlon Preview - The list we are using is from more than two weeks ago, and we expect to get an updated listing soon. Until then, here are some of the athletes we expect to excel on Saturday:
Olympic -
TOM BROWN, 65, Emily - Tim's a two-time Grand Master of the Year. His PR here is 2:26 (2022), a minute of Neil King's 65-69 record. Is he ready ready to do some rewriting? It's very possible. He's racing well this season.
SAMUEL HAUCK, 40, Eden Prairie - We're picking Sam to be the first master to cross the finish line this weekend....
2024 Clearwater Preview...
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Wednesday, 19 June 2024 00:10
GRANITEMAN CLEARWATER PREVIEW - The original Graniteman Triathlon was launched 21-years ago in a bucolic venue southwest of St. Cloud, where it lasted six years. Then in relocated to Warner Lake Park near Clearwater where it hopes to remain in perpetuity. It's cool venue with a terrific swim course that crosses Warner Lake. The bike portions on both the Sprint and Olympic races are significantly longer than standard, e.g. 14.3, not 12.4 in the Sprint, and 28:66, not 24.8 in the Olympic. Minnesotans love bike-heavy races.
Since the purpose of this post is to preview the competition, let's share what we think based on the list of those we know are racing. If additional competitive racers sign up after this posts, we will update.
Who's racing this Saturday? Here, in alpha order, are some of the people we expect to excel: ...
Lake Minnetonka Triathlon Turns 20!...
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Wednesday, 12 June 2024 00:10
LAKE MINNETONKA PREVIEW - The 20th anniversary edition of this iconic event has once again sold out. Unlike last year, it will award top performances in five-year age groups and use a single out-and-bake bike course as opposed to 2023's two-loops....
