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Masters Women Rule! ...

Wednesday, 02 October 2019 23:10

2019 was the "Year of the Masters Women."

Several of our state's most accomplished female multisport athletes "aged-up" in 2019, most notably CATHY YNDESTAD, KORTNEY HAAG and ELAINE NELSON. And several other 40-plussers had stellar seasons, as well. Between them, 12 Minnesota female Masters had amassed 25 wins in 2019.

And there are others, like ANDREA MYERS, 42, JULIA WESIBECKER, 52, CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, 53, and AMY WOOLSEY, 53, who didn't post outright wins, but performed brilliantly in 2019 nonetheless.

Put into perspective, no more than two Minnesota Masters women had ever earned berths on Team Minnesota in any given year. This year, however, it is reasonable to assume that 4-6 over-age-40 women will make the team.

Cool, huh!

Here are the Minnesota Masters women who won races this year:

JACQUELYN BACIGALUPI, 42, Baxter - 1st @ Lakes Country

SARA CARLSON, 41, Brainerd - 1st @ Young Life Olympic

JENNIFER FITZHARRIS-FUNK, 44, Minneapolis (photo L) - 1st @ YWCA Women's Triathlon, plus 4 other podium finishes....

KORTNEY HAAG, 40, Maple Grove - 1st @ Chisago (4:32:52!), 1st @ Graniteman Big Lake Olympic (Course Record), plus 2 other podiums.

DIANE HANKEE, 42, Lake Elmo - 1st @ Florida Challenge Half IM, 1st @ Shell Lake, 1st @ Chisago Sprint, 1st @ Fall Classic Du, plus 4 other podiums.

SARAH HUNTER, 45, Hopkins - 1st @ Square Lake Sprint

JOELEN KOHLMAN-PETRICK, 40, Fergus Falls - 1st @ Hoot Lake, plus one other podium

ELAINE NELSON, 40, Duluth - 1st @ Buzz Ryan Sprint, 1st @ Brewhouse Olympic

SARA RONDORF, 41, Andover - 1st @ New Bri, 1st @ Graniteman Clearwater Sprint

CATHY YNDESTAD, 40, Mendota Heights (photo R) - 1st @ Cactus Sprint (AZ), 1st @ Graniteman Clearwater Olympic (Course Record), 1st @ Minneapolis Triathlon (Course record)

BECKY YOUNGBERG, 44, Eden Prairie - 1st @ Apple Duathlon, 1st @ Gear West Duathlon, 1st @ Timberman Olympic, 1st @ Maple Grove Olympic, 1st @ Square Lake Half IM (Course Record), plus 3 other podums and two national AG titles.

CHERYL ZITUR, 54, Corcoran - 1st @ Buffalo Sprint, 1st @ Maple Grove Sprint, plus two other podiums.