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Shelper & Keppers...

Monday, 08 July 2019 23:10

TIMBERMAN SPRINT - This race, like Timberman Olympic, has an extremely loyal following. As we study the bios of th 2019 entrants, we see that so many of them have done this event five-or-more times. As a result, we expect a gaggle of recidivists to claim the overall and age group podiums.

The battle for the men's victory should be between seven-time T-Man Sprint winner ADAM HIMES, and reigning champ / course record holder JOHN SHELP. The 2018 race was Shelper's  first sprint effort here, though he came into the race with an impressive Timberman Olympic resume, which boasted six Top 5 finishes, including 2nd places in 2011 and 2010. His career tri record is more extensive than Himes'.

Advantage on Saturday goes to Shelp.

The women's race features lots of usual suspects. TARA MAKINEN is one of them. She won this race four times, and podiumed on three other occasions.

Another returnee is JENA OGSTON, who won here in 2015, and has six other Top 3 finishes....

Timberman Turns 35!

Monday, 08 July 2019 12:00

Photo by Matt Fulton - Hanging out on the bluff after the 2015 Timberman. L - R - Rembrandt Kandiko, Bob Powers, 90 (!), Tommie C. and Tiffany Kari, who is a HOOT!

35th TIMBERMAN OLYMPIC TRIATHLON - We were bummed when we learned that CHRISTINA ROBERTS, winner here the last three years, will be unable to return.

Then we learned that there's a very strong possibility that BECKY YOUNGBERG, winner here in 2011 and 2004, will make the trek up to Sugar Lake Lodge for next Saturday's race. She's raced five times this season, winning twice, setting Masters records each time. HHer lowest finish was a 3rd at Madison 70.3 behind DANI FISCHER and GABY BUNTEN.

Then perennial Team MInnesotan NICOLE HEININGER let us know that she plans to make her Timberman debut next weekend.

Adding Nicole's and Becky's names to the women's start list that already features three-time Master of the Year CHERYL ZITUR, who like Heininger, is a first-time Timber-person, and three-time Master of the Year nominee / four-time Timberman runner-up / Timberman masters record holder ANDREA MYERS, means that the 2019 T-Man Olympic women's race will be among its most competitive ever.

But wait, there's more! Bemidjians CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, like Myers, a three-time MOY nominee, and JESSIE MAHER are also in the field. Christel has cracked the Top 5 here twice, and Maher is coming off her first career tri win at Perham...

Parish & Youngberg are June Athletes of the Month...

Saturday, 06 July 2019 23:10

JUNE 2019 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH - PART I - To be eligible, athletes must have turned in at least two outstanding performances during the month in question.

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH & MASTER OF THE MONTH

BECKY YOUNGBERG, 44, Eden Prairie

June Highlights:

1st @ Gear West Duathlon

2nd @ Buffalo Olympic - MR

2nd @ Ironman 70.3 Madison - MR

2nd @ Lake Minnetonka Triathlon -MR

AOY Honorable Mention: HANNA GRINAKER (1st @ Buffalo Olympic - CR, 1st @ High Cliff Aquabike), CHRISTINA ROBERTS (1st @ Lake Minnetonka Triathlon, 3rd @ Buffalo Olympic). MOM HM: SARA RONDORF (1st overall @ New Bri, 1st overall @ Graniteman Clearwater Sprint)....

Branden & Jessie....

Thursday, 04 July 2019 23:10

PERHAM TRIATHLON - The 16th edition of this event happened last Saturday. Ninety-nine athletes crossed the finish line.

The men's race featured the return of Fargo's BRANDEN SCHEEL, who is living and training in Tucson these days. As expected he won the race, his third consecutive W here. Also predictable was his substantial margin of victory: 4:50.

While Scheel's win was forgone, the women's race was won by a true darkhorse, an athlete who had yet to win a race. Her name is JESSIE MAHER (photo). She's a 35-year-old Bemidjian, who trains with three-time MInnesota Master of the Year nominee, and no stranger to winners circles, CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN.  

Jessie's previous best placing was a 5th here in 2018. Her time was 1:23:51.

She kicked off the 2019 season with a surprising 8th place finish against a very deep women's field at Lake Minnetonka. It was obvious that she'd gone to the next level. But was she ready to win? ...

Three-Peat For Storhaug...

Wednesday, 03 July 2019 23:10

Ed. MTN loves to post newspaper coverage of Minnesota triathlons. Here is the St. Cloud Times (sctimes.com) Graniteman Clearwater story that posted on their site last Monday. It's good tuff!

By Tom Elliott (sctimes.com)

CLEARWATER — It's safe to say Brian Storhaug really likes the Graniteman Clearwater Triathlon.

He REALLY LIKES it.

"I do," he said.
Storhaug won the men's sprint division for the third straight year Saturday at Lake Warner County Park.

He completed the .44-mile swim, 14.33-mile bike and 3.1-mile road race with a time of one hour, eight minutes and 22 seconds....