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2024 July Triathletes of the Month...
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Saturday, 29 March 2025 00:10
Who were the most successful Minnesota Triathletes in July? Needing at least two outstanding performances to qualify, except for "Performance of the Month," here are the July 2024 AOMs.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH - Men
SPENCER SYVERTSON, 28, Alexandria (photo L) - New Race Record at Allexandria Sprint
Josh Blankenheim's win at Buzz Ryan was also considered, as was UM student, Nathan KIm's huge win at Chisago 70.3. Kim claims Middleton, Wisconsin as his home, thus we were unable to determine his eligibility. If Nathan were recognized as a Minnesota athlete, he would have been honored here.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH - Women
CARYN HERRICK WIKMAN, 34, St. Louis Park - Win @ Chisago Olympic - 2:10:45
A 2:10 is an awesome time for an elite amateur, but what makes Caryn's effort more remarkable
Is that she finished less than 9-minutes behind the elite male winner, and not the ususal dozen or more...
Kim & Jasper...
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Wednesday, 26 March 2025 00:10
CHISAGO LAKES 70.3 COVERAGE - In the days leading up to this year's races, ELENA JASPER decided not to race in the Olympic event, and instead tackle the 70.3...
Caryn & Jack, Cheryl and Nick...
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Sunday, 23 March 2025 00:10
CHISAGO LAKES OLYMPIC COVERAGE - There were plenty of awesome performances in Sunday's Chisago Lakes Olympic Triathlon. The race is young, only three years old, and many of the AG records are a bit soft, so it wasn't earth-shattering that eleven of the sixteen non-open class (00-19, 40 & over) age groups saw record times despite the heat and wind. Some of those performances were truly special, like JULIA WESIBECKER's 55-59 effort that landed her in 4th place overall in the women's race, or THOMAS WOODS' 50-54M performance, which landed him in 8th place overall. Woods is a highly decorated elite master from Nebraska....
Locals Impress at Alexandria...
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Thursday, 20 March 2025 00:10
ALEXANDRIA TRIATHLON COVERAGE - Unless the internet was mistaken, conditions facing the triathlons were not ideal. It was a pretty. day to look at, but temps had already reached eighty and wind gusted at twenty-plus miles-per-hour. Conservative pacing with lots of internal and external hydration seemed to be called for. Forget about PRs and course records.
Some athletes ignored that memo. SPENCER SYVERTSON turned in what was probably his finest performance ever in June at the Lake Minnetonka Triathlon, where he placed a close 2nd behind the seemingly unbeatable Preston Youngdahl. He demonstrated a new level of speed and tenacity on that day. His performance at Alex last Saturday was arguably superior to his LMT effort. He not only won the race handily, he nuked the men's race record. (Note: New 5K run course.) Outstanding splits in each discipline kept him in front of 2023 champ, and eventual runner-up COREY NYGAARD, who like Spencer, should recive Most Improved Triathlete nominations at season's end. It would be cool to have two Alexandria residents on the list of MI nominees....
Josh's Bike & Tiff's Fast Feet...
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Monday, 17 March 2025 00:10
11th Buzz Ryan Triathlon Coverage - One notable record was rewritten this morning at the 11th Buzz Ryan Sprint. JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 44, lived up to his favored status with a win and a Masters Record, 48:44, which shaved 1:50 off Todd Struckman's MR, set in 2018. Enhancing Josh's mark is the fact that according to published splits, the swim course was a bit long.
CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, 59, who set an AG record at Timberman Sprint last weekend, turned in a performance that likely would have bettered the AGR she set here in 2022 if today's swim had been the advertised length. Nevertheless, Christel finished a satisfying 3rd overall in the women's race.
Blankenheim's margin of victory over runner-up JASON CRISP, who placed 2nd at Timberman Olympic eight days ago, was just over a minute. Past Buzz champ MITCHELL CLAYTON took 3rd, 24-seconds after Crisp....
