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3rd Annual Chisago Olympic & Sprint - Preview...With Updates...

Thursday, 25 July 2024 00:10

Photo - We couldn't resist posting this photo of Stephanie  Peterson hangin' with Paul Bunyan. Who knew Paul was into corndogs? 

CHISAGO LAKES OLYMPIC & SPRINT PREVIEW - Below are MTN's podium picks for next Sunday's Olympic and Sprint races:

Olympic Men: 

TIM BONTRAGER - Tim is our clear choice to win this event next Sunday. Hs podium performances at Trinona, Door Country , Pleasant Prairie and Maple Grove were fast,  and the guys that outraced him, all national class athletes, did so by small margins. We think Tim will rewrite the men's course record.

TEVIN NEEGARD - Off the radar last year, he's one of the faves this season to win the Most Improved Triathlete honor.

NOAH BILLINGS - Noah should finish no lower than 3rd, and could land in 2nd. He is the reigning Junior National chmpion and has already won three races this year....

PETER WIKMAN - In three Olympic starts in 2023, Peter recorded a win and two seconds. A podium on Sunday is very possible.

Olympic Women:

ELENA JASPER - Elena is our pick to win, though it will be hard-fought. The women's course best is very soft. We are confident that Elena will torch it. Her season this far features. two wins, a 70.3 PR and a 3rd behind former pro (Heather Lendway) and aspiring pro (Rachel Werking).

UPDATE: Elena has tranferred to the Half. 

CARYN WIKMAN - We are anxious to see Caryn race against Elena. Normally we would favor Caryn, but she has yet to race in a multi this season, whereas Jasper has four starts, two of which she won. Caryn will be gunning for her 2nd Chisago victory. She won the half last year.

UPDATE: Caryn is our pick to win.

KATIE DEREGNIER - A clear choice for 3rd. Her season thus far features a  convincing victory at Trinona and a close 21nd at TriByKnight (IA)

Sprint Women:

Based on the list we saw, and 2024 results, we believe that the race for the Top Step will be between DIANE HANKEE and CHERYL ZITUR. Both have recorded a win already this season, Hankee most recently at Turtleman Sprint. The same two athletes finished 1-2 last year with Zitur. winning by a 31 second margin.

Competing for the bronze medal position, in our opinion, will be 2023 Most Improved nominee KATIE KADERA, who was 3rd here last season, and 2023 Master of the Year and Most Improved nominee STEPHANIE PETERSON. We are leaning ever-so-slightly toward Peterson, who has win and a 2nd this seaon, in this matchup. 

As for the men, we suspect that one or two podium finishers will be later sign-ups. Last year's runner-up, NATHAN STRUDLE is returning, and lapsed triathlete / 2017 2nd place finisher here NICK KLONNE is enrolled. Klonne was Minnesota's Junior of the Year in 2015.