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Payne-Fully Obvious...
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Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:10
Minnesota Multisport Awards - Just as it was obvious to the Selectors that Heather Lendway would win the Performance of the Year award, it was similarly so for Matt Payne. It was "Payne-Fully" obvious that he would win the men's POY.
Matt held serve at every distance except IM this year. But then, he has yet to do an IM. His 1:55 CR at Buffalo was the fastest Olympic effort by a Minnesota amateur this season. (FYI, Ryan Bailey popped a 1:54:57 at Life Time - Oceanside, which was contested well after the MMA winners were determined and will, for award purposes, apply to his 2015 resume.) Payne's nominated 4:02 at Liberty trumped every other 70.3 effort by amateurs from our state. His amateur wins at Oakdale and Du Nationals were the best run-bike-run performances, and his sprint efforts at Lake Waconia and Sprint Nationals were unrivaled by his Minnesota peers.
Which of his nominated performances--CR at Liberty or win at Best of the US--was the studliest, then? ...
Heather's Greatest Performance?
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Monday, 10 November 2014 00:10
(Great YndeCam photo - Heather Lendway way off-the-front at Life Time Tri - Minneapolis.)
Minnesota Multisport Awards - This is one of two final posts explaining how the Committee determined award winners. Here are some of the arguments behind their selection of Female Performance of the Year: Heather Lendway's Course Record win at Life Time Tri - Minneapolis.
Though DANI FISCHER's victories at Best of the US (largest BOUS margin of victory to date: 4:07) and Long Distance Nationals (4:23:37 - fastest 70.3 time of the year in the US by an amateur woman), were epic, with a capital "E," it was obvious to the Selectors early on that one of HEATHER LENDWAY's nominated performances would win the POY Award. She is simply a cut-or-two (or three) above the rest of her peers, the most pro-ready amateur in the US. Not only that, she is argubly the fastest amateur female that America has ever produced.
From the standpoint of "speed," the Committee agreed that HL's 1:04 at Lake Minnetonka may have been her finest effort. (A strong argument can also be made for her outright win in 1:25, which was not nominated, at Square Lake.)
On the other hand, her dominating effort at Life Time - Minneapolis was perceived as being both fast and internationally significant, even more than her victories at Milwaukee Nationals (the most competitive US...
2014 TEAM MINNESOTA: WOMEN...
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Sunday, 09 November 2014 00:10
2014 TEAM MINNESOTA - WOMEN - As we did with the men on Friday, here are the women who made this year's Team Minnesota. Included are last year's rankings, in parentheses, and their 2014 ranking points and totals.
1. HEATHER LENDWAY (2) - 1+1+1+1+1+1+ = 6
2. DANI FISCHER (Not Eligible) - 2+2+2+2+2+2 = 12
3. CATHY YNDESTAD (3) - 3+3+3+3+4+3 = 19
4. SUZIE FOX (5) - 4+4+5+4+5+3 = 25
5. ELAINE NELSON (Did not race in 2013) - 7+7+4+5+4+5 = 32
6. KORTNEY HAAG (10) - 6+6+6+6+6+6 = 36
7. DIANE HANKEE (4) - 5+5+7+7=7+7 = 38 ...
2014 TEAM MINNESOTA: MEN...
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Friday, 07 November 2014 00:10
Photo - L - R - Kevin O'Connor, Kris Spoth, Sean Cooley, Brooks Grossinger, Marcus Stromberg, Matthew Payne.
2014 TEAM MINNESOTA - MEN: Here are the men that made Team MInnesota this year. Next to each athete's name is the ranking position of each of the six MMA Selectors and their total points. Their 2013 rank is in parenthese.
1. MATTHEW PAYNE (3) - 1+1+1+1+1+1= 6
2. MARCUS STROMBERG (7) - 2+2+2+2+2+2= 12
3. BROOKS GROSSINGER (10) - 3+3+3+3+3+3 = 18 ...
Ryan Nips Brooks For MI....
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Thursday, 06 November 2014 00:10
Minnesota Multisport Awards – Men’s MOST IMPROVED was one of the more hotly debated categories. In the end, Ryan Bailey won the award, though by the narrowest margin over Brooks Grossinger.
Here is a cursory explanation of how this award was determined:
CHAP ACHEN – Achen’s improvement was definitely nomination-worthy, but the Selectors ranked him generally in the 12th-15th range, though one supporter had him in the 10th spot. That the 45-year-old was never tested head-to-head with the other MOY nominees, nor did he beat any eventual Team MN athletes along the way hurt his chances to win this award.
NATE HOFFMAN – When figuring out this category the Selectors look at a nominee’s movement within or toward Team Minnesota. A few Committee members ranked Nate 10th, the rest ranked him #11. A star duathlete, had his tri performances—5th at Buffalo Olympic, 10 minutes behind the winner; 10th at Heart of the Lakes, nine minutes...
