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Triathlete of the Year - The Men...

Tuesday, 29 September 2015 06:10

Minnesota Multisport Awards – Typically we post the official nominees for Triathlete of the Year after all the other nominees in other categories have been announced. This year, though, we are publishing the male TOY nominees early.

Why?

Because it was the second easiest category, after the Rookies, to figure out. Across the board, this year’s nominees are harder to determine than ever and the MMA Selectors have been arguing for weeks and still aren’t ready to announce the nominees in most categories.

As for the male TOY category, three candidates were no-brainers, but the fourth required much debate, and not every selector agrees with the final pick....

Only triathlon performances were evaluated. Duathlon success was not considered. Here are the nominees and their tri-highlights for the 2015 season:

SEAN COOLEY, 30, Minneapolis (photo L)

1^st @ Brewhouse

1^st @ Young Life Olympic

2^nd @ Toughman Minnesota (Half IM)

5^th @ Life Time Tri - Minneapolis

8^th @ Ironman Wisconsin – IM Debut – 9:38:09

KEVIN O’CONNOR, 44, Medina (photo R)

1^st amateur / 3^rd overall @ Pigman Sprint

1^st @ Liberty Olympic

1^st amateur / 2^nd overall @ RochesterFest Olympic – 1:59:22 (Masters Record)

1^st @ Waseca Sprint

1^st @ St. Croix Valley Valley Sprint

1^st @ Fall Classic Duathlon

1^st @ One Last Tri Sprint

2^nd @ Toughman Sprint

2^nd AG @ Age Group Nationals

2^nd AG @ Age Group Sprint Nationals

3^rd @ Heart of the Lakes

4^th @ Capitol City Triathlon

MATTHEW PAYNE, 38, Columbia Heights (Photo top L)

1^st @ Capitol City Triathlon

1^st @ Lake Waconia Triathlon

1^st @ Life Time Tri - Minneapolis

1^st @ Heart of the Lakes

1^st @ Superior Man Half IM – CR

2^nd AG – 12^th overall @ Age Group Nationals – 1:56:08

2^nd AG – 19^th overall-- @ Chicago World Championship

5^th overall – 1^st AG @ Sprint Nationals

KRIS SPOTH, 28, White Bear Lake

1^st @ Trinona Olympic

1^st @ Maple Grove Olympic

2^nd @ Des Moines Triathlon

2^nd amateur @ Pigman Half

2^nd amateur / 4^th overall @ RochesterFest Olympic

4^th @ Life Time Tri – Minneapolis

15^th @ Nationals – 1:56:45

Also receiving serious consideration: DEVON PALMER, JOSH BLANKENHEIM, BROOKS GROSSINGER, BENNETT ISABELLA and NICK NYGAARD.

ALSO: Have you voted for TRIATHLETES CHOICE RACE OF THE YEAR yet? If not, here's a LINK to the Voting Page. And if you haven't gotten your tickets for TRI-NIGHT '15 on November 14 at Gear West Bike & Triathlon, here's the LINK. (You can also use the Ad Buttons on the right side of this page.)