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Christel's Challenge...

Tuesday, 20 November 2012 01:10

(Photo - The back of Christel's head.)

After the MMA Presentation at Gear West Bike & Triathlon on November 10, MOY nominee Christel Kippenhan suggested that a Masters Team Minnesota be created so that she could take home a commemorative poster like those on regular TM did.

What a cool idea! So, for giggles, two members of the MMA Selection Committee got together, drank Dunn Bros. coffee, and created a women's Masters Team Minnesota, albeit without a poster because posters cost money. The process was much harder than determining the overall TM roster. Eligible athletes needed to turn in at least three outstanding performances in 2012. The official MOY nominees, of course, filled the Top Four spots.

MASTERS TEAM MINNESOTA - 2012 WOMEN

1. HEIDI KELLER-MILER, 47, Chaska (2012 MN Master of the Year, arguably the fastest 45-49W in the US in sprint and Olympic-distance races.) ....

2. ANN SNUGGERUD, 46, Chaska (Consistently excelled against deep fields, which gave her a slight edge over long course devotee Angie Schmidt.)

3. ANGIE SCHMIDT, 42, St. Paul (Awesome long course resume, places #2 and #3 are virtually interchangeable.) Susan

4. CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, 47, Bemidji (Also nominated for MOY in 2009, Christel's resume was highlighted by north country wins at Lakes Country and Northwoods.)

5. VERONICA BOND, 40, Rochester (Almost received a MOY nomination. Like Christel, she won two races--Green Lake Olympic and St. Croix Valley Sprint--in 2012.)

6. JAMIE HEYING, 41, Buffalo (2012 was arguably her most successful year ever. Masters records at Buffalo Sprint and Graniteman-Big Lake were highlights.)

7. JAN GUENTHER, 53, Mound (Only raced three times. Had Jan, an eight-time MOY winner, raced one more time, she undoubtedly would have been nominated in this category.)

8. TINA HJELTMAN, 41, Cambridge (A dedicated duathlete with consistently stellar results.)

9. SUSAN WILLIAMS, 40, MINNEAPOLIS (Like Jan, she only raced three times, albeit against the best fields.) (Photo - Susan with a Peruvian thing. What-the-hell is that?)

10. LEANNE BRONSON, 41, Superior, WI (Determining the last two spots on this list was crazy, with at least seven women in contention. Top 5 efforts at Brewhouse and Timberman ultimately gave a narrow advantage to Bronson.)

Also considered: Julia Lyng, Joyce Bourassa, Gillian Auslander, Laura Swartz, Sue Rubens, Jen Neuman, Jeno Ogston, Leslie Englert, Angie Hop, Christine Mitchell, Tracy Serreyn, Juli Currie.

Note: Julie Hull and Cindy Blackstock were ineligible because they didn't turn 40 until the season was well underway, and neither had raced three or more times since their respective birthdays.

Next Week - MASTERS TEAM MINNESOTA - 2012 MEN