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Noah & Grace...
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Thursday, 15 September 2022 00:10
NOAH BILLINGS is only 16 but he has won six regional adult triathlons in the last two seasons. In six regional races, i.e. non out-of-state draft legal events, in 2022, Billings has three outright wins and four Junior course records...
Katie's Day...
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Tuesday, 13 September 2022 00:10
SQUARE LAKE 70.3 - Fast times, much less personal bests, are hard to come by at Square Lake. The bike and run courses are arguably the most challenging in our region. (We are not including "Extreme" off road long distance tris.) The current routes have been in place since 2018 and only five men had broken 4:25, and five women have bettered 5-hours.
Last Sunday, though, two of the top three women set career PRs, and two of the Top 3 men did likewise.
In our preview, we picked KRIS SPOTH and KATIE DEREGNIER as favorites, Kris because of past credentials; Katie because she was ready to, as they say, bust out.
Well, Spoth used a strong bike split followed by the fastest run of the morning to post a winning 4:17:25, the second fastest time here ever, and one that had to be as, or more, satisfying as his 4:13 personal best set in Racine back in 2015.
Since 2013, Kris has recorded at least twelve multisport victories....
Paige Prevailed...
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Sunday, 11 September 2022 00:10
IRONMAN MADISON 7O.3 - A pair of former Minnesota Rookie of the Year recipients finished 1-2 yesterday at Madison 70.3.
2019 ROY PAIGE SCHULZ relied on her signature strong running to overtake 2013 ROY NICOLE HEININGER, who relocated to Wisconsin a few years back. Nicole posted superior swim and bike splits, but it wasn't quite enough. In the end, Schulz's performance proved to be 16-seconds faster than Heininger's. Additionally, her 4:48:43 was a PR for this race. Her prior best was 4:52:03 in 2019, when she placed 5th.
Just missing a podium spot, but garnering the women's Masters title was KORTNEY HAAG, 42. Her 4th place time was 4:52:32, placing her 3:22 iahead of her nearest masters competition.
Almost cracking the women's Top 10 was 45-49 women's winner CATHERINE LEE, 48. Her time was 5:02:54 on Madison's challenging course, which was 11-minute faster than her nearest divisional rival.
One other Minnesota woman managed to dominate her AG. We're talking about JAN GUENTHER, 63, a two-time overall women's amateur winner at Ironman Wisconsin (2002, 2010). Jan's 5:19:54 was more than 25-minute quicker than her age's group's runner-up....
"Your Body Can do a Lot More Than You Think it Can"...
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Saturday, 10 September 2022 00:10
By Evan Michealson (saukrapidsherald.com)
Amy Woolsey was looking for a new challenge when she participated in the Chain of Lakes Sprint Triathlon in Alexandria in 2002. When she completed the race, she not only discovered an additional way of testing herself, but also a sense of purpose....
Should Be Interesting...
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Wednesday, 07 September 2022 00:10
2022 SQUARE LAKE PREVIEW - The 20th Square Lake 70.3 is happening this Saturday, and will be followed on Sunday by the 21st Square Lake Sprint. Judi allowed us to peak at the current entrant lists, i.e. as of Monday, and we immediately became excited. The 70.3 promises to be a very interesting event, especially at the front of the race, while the Age Group competition in the Sprint could produce some records.
Concerning the athletes that will compete for the overall wins and podium spots in the Sprint, we suspect that late registrants will fill most, perhaps all, of those positions. We wouldn't be surprised if 2021 women's winner DIANE HANKEE decided to race, or CHERYL ZITUR, who was victorious there in 2020. Regional elites like MICHAEL WEISSENBORN, ELENA HENGEL, ANDREW KERSHAW, GRACE BUSCH, Fargo's BRANDON LEE, BRIAN TINAJERO etc. could decide to race.
We don't expect JOSH MORK's stellar 4:11:39 (2019) course best to be seriously challenged. (Square Lake bike and run courses are arguably the most challenging in the region.) But we wouldn't be surprised if at least one athlete managed to post a faster time than JESSOP KEENE's 4:22:21 (2018), which currently stands as the second fastest men's result at SL Half. On paper, the guy with the best chance of doing that is former ISU star KRIS SPOTH. Kris' personal best at the half IM distance is 4:13:53, and he popped a 4:18 earlier this season at Door County in a Top 5 performance....
