FEATURES
Tim, Luke & Chuck are 2024 GMOY Nominees...
-
Tuesday, 15 October 2024 00:10
By Garfunkel
The Minnesota Multisport Honors Committee has been hard at work identifying and name-dropping athletes who stood out in 2024. Now, the time has come for Simon and me to deliberate and officially nominate 3 athletes per award category. Below, in alphabetical order, and the 3 men aged 60+ who are up for this year’s Grand Master of the Year title:
Tim Brown, 66, Emily
Tim won this honor in 2020 and 2023. This season he rocked a 5th overall at Apple Duathlon, and set age group records at Clearwater olympic and Chisago half. The Committee loves when athletes show race diversity (i.e., racing a duathlon, an olympic distance, and a half distance in the same year), like Tim did this season. He raced consistently at a national-class level.
Luke Harned, 71, Mahtomedi
Luke raced prolifically this season with 7 (!) sprint distance finishes. He set age group records at Timberman and Big Lake sprints. A perennial nominee in this category.
Possible POY Nominations...
-
Saturday, 12 October 2024 00:10
By Simon
Garfunkel and I will select what we agree to be the three most outstanding overall performances for both the men and women. They will be our official 2024 POY nominatees. Here are the performances that we are considering:
Men:
SEAN COOLEY, 39, Stillwater
- CR win @ Square Lake 70.3 - 4:10:57
- 5th @ Ironman 70.3 Des Moines - 4:07:57 (Fastest half IM time of the season by a MN triathlete)
MARCUS DUVAL, 33, Minneapolis
- Dominant win at Manitou International (1:59:46 - 1 mi. - 27 - 10k)...
More Names - Possible Male AOY Nominees...
-
Thursday, 10 October 2024 00:10
By Simon
Which three men listed here will lock up Athlete of the Year nominations?
JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 44 Duluth - With three wins and a 2nd in four starts, Josh proved he deserves consideration here.
TIM BONTRAGER, 31, Minneapolis - Two wins and a 2nd this season. Will it be enough?
SEAN COOLEY, 39, Stillwater - A 4:10 win at uber-challenging Square Lake, a 4:14 2nd at hot, windy Chisago and a 4:07 5th at Des Moines 70.3 could be enough for the former AOY to receive a nomination.
SAM HAUCK, 40, Eden. Prairie - Two big wins--Pigman Olympic and Timberman International--and a fast 7th (1:59) at Maple Grove. Enough for a second look?...
More Name-Dropping - Possible AOY Nominees...
-
Monday, 07 October 2024 00:10
By Simon
Later this month, Garfunkel and I will be selecting three male and three female nominees in several categories for this year's Minnesota Multisport Honors. Today, I'm looking at the list of women who deserve to be considered for Athlete of the Year nominations. Know that to be considered an athletes must have turned in at least three outstanding performances. Know also that some athletes have yet to complete their seasons, thus our list might require updating.
Here, in alpha order, are the current considerees for Female AOY nominations:
KATIE DEREGNIER, 36, Farmington - Katie's highlights include two wins--Trinona Olympic and Big Lake Olympic--and a pair of 2nds--TriByKnight (IA) and Chisago Olympic.
CAMI ECKHOFF, 38, Detroit Lakes - Two fast wins--1:05 at Northwoods and 1:00:54 at Young Life Sprint--plus impressive 2nds at Chisago 70.3 and Clearwater Olympic are Cami's 2024 highlights. Her improvement from year-to-year has been fun to watch...
More Name-Dropping - Male Masters...
-
Saturday, 05 October 2024 00:10
By Garfunkel
In 2024, several men aged 40-59 (the “masters” category) rocked and will undoubtedly leap onto, or remain on, Team Minnesota. Before announcing Team MN and narrowing the field down to 3 official nominees for male Master of the Year, here are the highlights of the guys who caught our eye this year.
Dan Arlandson, 47, Burnsville:
Dan races exclusively 70.3s, and we’d love to see him hop into some competitive local short course races like Buffalo or Maple Grove. Nonetheless, he excels in the half distance, breaking 4:30 on 3 occasions this season.
Josh Blankenheim, 43, Duluth:
Josh has been the Northland’s numero uno for a while now, and this year he continued to show why. Three wins, 2 masters records, and a second behind Spencer Syvertson at Brewhouse olympic (who he edged-out a few weeks later at Lakes Country sprint)....
