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Controversial Category...

Thursday, 14 November 2013 09:10

(Photo - Two-time Minnesota Duathlete of the Year, Suzie Fox.)

Duathlete of the Year - Selecting Athletes and performances of the year is an inherently controversial enterprise. The category generating the most controversy this year was Duathlete of the Year.

It started when the selection committee initially named only three nominees. It was felt at that time that the guys vying for the fourth nonimation--Mike Buenting and Dan Arlandson--were so evenly matched as to nullify each other. It was also hoped that a fourth nominee would emerge from USAT Duathlon Nationals, which took place almost three weeks ago. That didn't happen. Neither Mike nor Dan raced in Tucson.

Some may have been stunned by the announcement that Suzie Fox had won the award, believing that Jenn Scudiero was more deserving. After all, Scudiero had raced in eleven duathlons in 2013 and won seven of them. She won Duathlon Nationals, for cripesakes! Right?

How can a national champion, who incidently, is the frontrunner for the US Duathlete of the Year award, NOT be named her state's premier run-bike-runner? Moreover, how can a person with seven wins, lose to a person who had only three?

The majority of the Selection Committee believed that Fox's perfect three-wins-in-three-starts trumped Scudiero's resume because Suzie handily beat Jenn (photo R) in all three of those victories. In fact, she beat Scudiero by an average of two-minutes and 43 seconds per confrontation. Scudiero's success outside on Minnesota only served to highlight the fact that Suzie Fox was almost certianly the fastest female amateur duathlete in the US this year. (FYI - like Scudiero, Fox is in the running for USAT DOY.)

Of all the criteria used by the MMA Selectors, head-to-head results carry the most weight. Still, at least one Selector championed Scudiero, who became the first Dedicated Duathlete, i.e. she is not also a triathlete, to earn a spot on Team Minnesota.

The MTN Guys love duathlon. Always have. And we're stoked that Minnesota is  home to two 2013 National champs (Scudiero and Patrick Parish), the likely 2013 Elite Duathlete of the Year (Ruth Brennan Morrey), the likely 2013 Grand Master of the Year (Pam Stevens) and the very real possibility that either Jenn or Suzie will win the US amateur DOY title.

It's truly been a super year for run-bike-running in The Gopher State.

ED. - Jenn's Du Nationals race report will post tomorrow.