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Big Bike Splits...
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Tuesday, 01 July 2014 06:10
Nicole Heininger (photo) proved on Sunday that a big bike split can trump the fast swim/run combination.
On paper, Nicole Heininger and Christina Roberts were the likely picks to finish 1-2 in the women's race at Lake Waconia. The wild card was Heidi Keller-Miler, now 49, who won this race in 2012.
HKM, though, hasn't finished a tri since September of 2012. Injuries and the demands of life have kept her on the sidelines since then. The fact that she was unable to finish at Trinona three weeks ago also clouded the issue. Was she ready to return to racing, and to reassert herself as one of our region's premier masters triathletes.
The answer to that question is "Yes." Her swim an bike splits on Sunday were solid, and though her run wasn't her best, her ultimate 3rd place finish had to be encouraging. It was great to see her back on the scene. We hope that she races often enough to garner a Master of the Year nomination, an award she's won on multiple occasions, and a spot on Team Minnesota.
Heininger was a surprise runner-up at LWT in 2013. Launching from a later AG wave, it was not discovered until the awards presentation that she actually had the 2nd fasterest women's time. That result earned her a BOUS invitation and helped her earn the Rookie of the Year trophy....
Treehugger Named Athlete of the Month......
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Tuesday, 01 July 2014 02:10
(Photo - Tree-hugging Deb Roberts is June AG AOM.)
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH - Who were Minnesota's most successful amateur multisport athletes during the month of June? According to the Minnesota Multisport Awards (MMA) Committee, the clear choices for "overall" AOM's were Heather Lendway and Matthew Payne. The MMA Selectors named Chap Achen, 45, and Deb Roberts, 61, as the Age Group AOMs. Here are their June resumes:
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH - Heather Lendway, 30, St. Paul, 30, St. Paul
1st @ Pigman Sprint - Course Record
1st @ Trinona Olympic - Course Record
1st @ Lake Minnetonka - Course Record (A likely Performance of the Year contender.)
MALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH - Matthew Payne, 36, Columbia Heights
1st @ Buffalo Olympic - Amateur Course Record...
21st Century Champions...
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Monday, 30 June 2014 00:10
Our records show that the following Minnesota male athletes have won at least ten multis since the millennial turn. Yes, we can be off by one or two here and there.
1. DAVID THOMPSON (St. Paul - photo L) - 89
2. BRIAN BICH (Duluth - photo below) - 44
3. MATTHEW PAYNE (Columbia Heights) - 29 (Since 2007)
4. PATRICK PARISH (Bloomington) - 28 (Since 2008)
5. BRETT LOVAAS (Minnetonka) - 28
6. DAN HEDGECOCK (St. Paul) - 24 (Since 2010)
7. BROOKS GROSSINGER (Mayer) - 20
8. KEVIN O'CONNOR (Medina) - 15
9. DEVON PALMER (Minneapolis) - 15....
Saturday Capsules...& Sunday Highlights...
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Sunday, 29 June 2014 00:10
(Photo from 2012 NMT - Future Anthem singer /veteran triathlete Denny Ellingson, Mike Borneke between smiles, the ever-exuberant Carol Marston and another guy.)
16th NORTH MANKATO DUATHLON - Dave "Hercules" Lyon, who's wife Veronica is a HOOT!, and Kristin Gustafson, who won Superior Man last year and has a great tan, led the way for their respective genders in breezy, steamy North Mankato yesterday morning. Lyon prevailed despite suffering from what he called a "groing thing." Herc also won here in 2013.
Todd Landgraff, who won this race in 2011 and 2009 and missed all of last season in order to change poopy diapers, placed 2nd, 41 ticks after Lyon. 2013 women's champ Jenna Rinehart, who is a pro mountain biker, finished 18 seconds after Gustafson. Thirdsies went to Mike Cahill and Veronica Bond.
The event, which was totally good, drew approximately 200 race day entrants. Perennial division...
Happy Birthday Bob!...UPDATED..
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Saturday, 28 June 2014 06:10
By Tom Couillard
Triathlete Bob Powers ages up to the 90-94 age group today … his 90th birthday, June 28, 2014. Bob is a … Marine through and through (combat vet of WW II and Korea with three Purple Hearts and the Navy Cross), patriot, family man, proud St. Thomas alum, Beartowner, friend to all, all-around good guy, and recovering from a broken hip. Happy birthday and get well! (Photo from 2006.)
- MTN congratulates Suzie Fox on her dominating victory at the uber-challenging Quartermax Tri in Missouri this morning. Suzy cracked the overall Top 10 and bettered her closest challenger--Stephanie Lundeby of Alexandria, VA - by 11:55! RESULTS
JORGENSON MAKES HISTORY!
Gwen Jorgensen (St. Paul, MN - USA) ran herself into the history books on Saturday as the first women to claim six World Triathlon Series titles clinching victory...
