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I’m going to break it down in the same order Trinews presented. 

 

Gaby‘s victory at Minneapolis

     This was my pick for EMMA bingo. Why? I’m not sure. Just sounded right that night.  So, what happened there? 

She finished 2:08:34, fastest female OLY time of 2017.  How does her time stack up against the best on the course?

1. 2:06:21 - Heather Lendway - 2014

2. 2:08:07 - Alissa Doehla - 2016

3. 2:08:34 Gaby Bunten - 2017

4. 2:09:31 Danielle Dingman- 2017

I’d say pretty good. Third best amateur time. Very impressive. ...

 

Also, at this race she beat Danielle Dingman.  If you don’t know who Danielle is, here is a bit to chew on.  She was an All American runner at Baylor, 2008 Olympic trials qualifier,  cycled professionally for a minute, and in 2017 started multisport and crushed every event she raced.  One of my favorite results of hers is from her last race of 2017, 70.3 Cozumel.  There she was the first amateur female, which placed sixth among the Pro female race.  The best part is that her bike split was faster than all of the Pro females by three minutes, faster than four of the Pro men, and faster than all but four of the AG men.  She has taken her Pro card for 2018.  

That is who Gaby held off to win Minneapolis and set the third fastest time in course history. 

 

That almost seems like a no brainer for POY, but let’s analyze it even further.  Gaby out swam Danielle by 8:37.   Which is exactly what I think should happen when you have a super strong swimmer like Gaby racing against a first year swimmer like Danielle.  Now, I think there are two other factors that helped Gaby hold Danielle off. First, Gaby has raced Minneapolis multiple times giving her an advantage in knowing the course. Second, I think that the bike course isn’t difficult enough for Danielle to use her weapon.  Mix in a couple one minute climbs and I think a different race unfolds. 

 

 Thst victory was super impressive and more than worthy of the POY nomination, but after digging into it I’m not quite sure that beating Danielle there was enough to earn the POY victory. Also, I think Gaby is going to own Minneapolis for as long as she’s racing and it’s only a matter of time until she has the course record. 

 

Gaby’s fifth overall at OLY Nationals 

 

   Fifth is very impressive, but who beat her? 

 

1.  Kirsten Sass,  if you don’t know who she is then you’ve been living on the moon.  I’m pretty sure that she has had to put an addition on her house  for all of the USAT awards she has claimed over her amateur career. 

2. Jacqueline Godbe, A month after nationals she went to the ITU World Championships and won her age group. At the 2016 OLY Nationals she took fourth overall and that same year my girlfriend and I stayed at the same Airbnb as her and her boyfriend.  Very nice folks. 

3. Danielle Dingman, see above. 

4. Adrienne Leblanc, she was third overall in 2016.

 

Those are some very fast ladies, and great company for Gaby to be in the conversation with. 

 

I am personally more impressed with this performance than with Minneapolis.  Everyone and their mother’s, father’s, third cousin’s uncle, knew that Gaby was going to smash the non wetsuit swim, and get a big juicy lead. What impressed me is that in order for her to crack the top five, she would need  a very solid bike/ run split on a course that the other top women would have an advantage on being stronger bike/ runners then Gaby.  

 

Let’s not forget the last little nugget. Gaby is only the third Minnesota female to crack the top 5 at nationals...... EVER! 

 

Christina Roberts victory at Superior Man

 

     She clocked a 4:37:04, fastest female 70.3 of 2017, and 3rd fastest In course history. 

 

4:25:06 - Nicole Walker- 2016 

4:36:24 - Kortney Haag - 2016

4:37:04 - Christina Roberts - 2017

 

With that time she also moved up to the number five spot on the list of ‘fastest Minnesota amateur female 70.3 times In the last three years’.  The only names ahead of her are Dani Fischer, Kortney Haag (x2), and Dani Vsetecka. 

 

Wow, impressive, and mix in the fact that she won by a silly margin of 27:33, I certainly understand how her performance got nominated.  

 

Dani Vsetecka victory at Madison 70.3

 

     The official POY winner. I find this one the most interesting.  What I know about this race, is that it was hot, windy, the bike course a had more turns than a maze and all the participates climbed enough hills to equal that of Mount Everest.  What’s my point, you ask? Well, with all of those factors I throw times out of the window.  If you want to finish the fastest in those conditions, you have to be willing to suffer the most.  That’s exactly what I think Dani did that day.  I think that’s why she beat the three former pros and only trailed the lead male by 16:26. 

 

So incredibly impressive. 

 

Now that I’ve gone through an analyzed those performance, here is what I think should have happened.  I think that Gaby’s performance at OLY Nationals should have won female POY.   This wasn’t an easy decision for me.  Dani’s performance at Madison was so impressive.  I just can’t get past Gaby being the third Minnesota women ever to place in the top 5 overall at Nationals.  It’s Cathy Yndestad, Heather Lendway, and Gaby Bunten.  I wish that my name could get mention in the same sentence as those two.  I just think that that accomplishment is too rare to over look.  

 

So that’s it, there it is, that’s all I’ve got.   

 

Seriously though, congratulations to all three of these ladies for outstanding seasons and such stellar performances.  Minnesota has so many talented ladies who kick so much ass. 

 

ED. Good stuff! MTN invites this kind of commentary. Let us know if you agree or disagree with the Committee's selections. We'll be happy to post your words. FYI - Wade has been invited to join the MMA Committee in 2018, where he would weigh in on the categories that don't include him as a potential nominee. We await his answer.