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Thursday, 30 September 2010 05:10

2010 Minnesota Multisport Awards - It's a goshdarn shame. Only four women can be nominated for Master of the Year.

There are more than thirty 40-54 girls who have enjoyed successful 2010 multisport seasons. Whittling that group down to four finalists will not be an easy task for the MMA Selection Committee. The quadrumvirate that survives the cut will have to have done much more than simply win some divisional titles. They will have won races outright or made...

frequent trips to the overall women's podium or, at the very least, Top 5. And they will have displayed national, if not world, level talent all season long. Wins against negligible competition don't count unless the finish times were jaw-dropping.

The competitive resumes of the following girls, in alpha order, will be scrutinized by the MMA Selectors: Gillian Auslander, Karen Bebchuk, Wendy Bengston, Diane Birkeland, Kari Campbell, Kristina Carson, Marjie Carr-Oxley, Lee Franz, Beck Guck, Sheila Gemar, Jan Guenther, Tina Hjeltman, Jamie Heying, Kathryn Jensen, Dawn Keller, Christel Kippenhan, Amy Klosterman, Julia Lyng, Sarah Mercer, Suzann Mouw, Suzie Olsen, Vicki Ostendorf, Jody Quesnell, Merilee Sander, Cindy Schlafmann, Angie Schmidt, Caroline Skaar-Page, Ann Snuggerud, Laura Swartz, Robin Tedlund, Kristen Weaver, Julia Weisbecker, Susan Woods and Pam Zachman. Yes, there may be others.

We'd be lying if we didn't admit that the names of certain athletes rise like cream to the top this list. They're seasons have been stellar; with performances impossible to overlook. We'll list them below under the headings of "Usual Suspects," i.e. those who have won the MOY before or have received multiple nominations; and "Upstarts," i.e. those who may earn nominations for the very first time.

And there are a few decorated girls who are conspicuous by their absence, thanks to injury or adjusted priorities. We'll call them the "MIAs."

USUAL SUSPECTS: Jan Guenther, 51, Mound. Robin Tedlund, 51, Duluth

UPSTARTS: Wendy Bengston, 44, Chippewa Falls, WI. Sarah Mercer, 42, Golden Valley.