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Who's Who Revealed...

Thursday, 20 November 2014 06:10

THEN & NOW - PIc #9 was of America's premier amateur triathlete, HEATHER LENDWAY. A two-time National champion and reigning World champ, in 2014 HL won twelve races, tying Cathy Yndestad's state record. Since taking up the sport, Lendway has won 22 of the 26th triathlons she has raced in. She is expected to get her pro license soon....

PIc #6 is of Minnesota's #2 ranked woman in 2014, DANI FISCHER. The former Rochester and Wausau, Wisconsin resident who has recently relocated to Indianapolis--we're gonna miss her, Big Time--Dani is a shoo-in to receive a USAT AOY HM alongside assumed AOY recipient Lendway. Fischer won seven of the 12 multis she did in '14 and podiumed at Nationals and Worlds. Her debut effort at 70.3 yielded a National Long Course title in the fastest women's amateur time of the year at the distance.

Ms. Versatility, Dani is favored to take home the USAT Duathlete of the Year award.

Thanks to her signature dimples, Dani's childhood photo was one of two pics that most of those who did "Who's Who" guessing got correct.

Pic #2 was of 3rd ranked CATHY YNDESTAD, Minnesota's all-time most decorated female triathlete. CY has won 71 multis in her 12-year career, six of which were recorded in 2014. The 2009 US AOY, who has been nominated for that award on four occasions, capped her season with a PR - 10:05:52 at Ironman Arizona, a performance that, because it occurred after the MMAs, will be eligible for Performance of the Year consideration in 2015.

Pic #8 of 4th-ranked SUZIE FOX was taken almost thirty years ago. Now, as then, she is an ardent dog lover, though one of her current FIVE dogs (Miles) looks like he belongs to a species other than Caninus Domesticus. Just sayin'.

Suzie has amassed 22 wins in her young career, five of them happening in 2014. Suzie did two Ironman races this year--Los Cabos and IMOO--and was signed up for a third (Cozumel), but fatigue and a recently diagnosed stress fracture put the kibosh on her plans.

Pic #10 was of 5th ranked ELAINE NELSON. An elite nordic skier, Nelson's multisport career started in 2011.She was absent in 2013 because she was preggers, which made her bellybutton poke out. To date, she's raced in 14 tris and dus and has won 10 of them. Se won four of the six races she did in 2014.

If you haven't met Elaine, we recommend that you introduce yourself the next time you see her. She's an awesome person. And like Suzie Fox, Nelson is totally into dogs.

"Then and Now" photos of other five members of Team Minnesota, plus Ruth Brennan Morrey, will post on Sunday.