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Long Distance AOY Nominees....
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Sunday, 29 October 2017 19:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - The LONG DISTANCE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD (LDAOY) was inaugurated in 2014. A coed category, nominees must have turned in a least TWO outstanding efforts during the season at races that are 70.3 or longer.
In '14, the winner was Matthew Payne, who won three long distance races: Liberty (4:02:46 - CR), Pigman (4:13) and Leadman Bend (OR) 125 (4:07:57 - CR).
In 2015, the LDAOY was won by Dani Vsetecka, who's long course resume featured wins @ Door Country Half IM and Pigman.
Last year, Diane Hankee won the award, albeit narrowly, over Erin Farrens. Diane raced in FIVE halves, winning one (LIberty) and podiuming at Muncie (2nd - 4:38:51) and Steelhead (3rd - 4:41).
Who will be the recipient of the 2017 LDAOY? Here are the nominees and their long course highlights:
- NATHAN ANSBAUGH, 30, Minneapolis
2nd @ LIberty Half
5th @ Superior Man - 4:15:17 ...
2017 Triathlete of the Year: Men...
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Wednesday, 25 October 2017 19:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - Here are the four official male nominees for 2017 TRIATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
- NATHAN ANSBAUGH, 30, Minneapolis (photo below)
Tri Highlights:
1st @ Lake Minnetonka Triathlon
1st @ Lake Waconia Triathlon
2nd @ Liberty Half IM
3rd @ Minneapolis Olympic
3rd @ Heart of the Lakes
5th @ Superior Man Half IM
- JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 37, Duluth (photo L)
Tri Highlights:
1st @ Brewhouse Olympic
2nd @ Liberty Olympic
2nd @ Lake Waconia....
2017 Triathlete of the Year: Women
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Tuesday, 24 October 2017 19:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - Here are the women who are the offical nominees for 2017 TRIATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
- GABY BUNTEN, 25, Forest Lake
Tri Highlights:
1st @ Life Time South Beach Olympic
1st amateur / 2nd overall @ Trinona Olympic
1st overall @ Minneapolis Triathlon - POY Nominee
5th overall @ USAT Olympic Nationals
- KORTNEY HAAG, 38, Maple Grove
Tri Highlights:
1st @ Liberty Half IM
1st @ Graniteman Clearwater Olympic - CR
1st @ Graniteman Big Lake Olympic - CR
2nd @ Chisago Half IM - 4:39:50
2nd @ Maple Grove Olympic ...
2017 Performance of the Year: Men...
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Monday, 23 October 2017 19:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - Yesterday we revealed the nominations for female PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR. Today we do likewise for the men. Once again, reducing the number of performances to just four wasn't easy.
Here are the POY nominations:
- SEAN COOLEY's win at Chisago Lakes Half IM - Sean's 4:06:52 was the fastest 70.3 time by an amateur Minnesota male in 2017.
- SEAN COOLEY's 2nd at Minneapolis (photo) - Cooley's 1:55:29 was the fastest Olympic distance performance by a Minnesota male last season. He finished 24-seconds behind Iowa's Evan Culbert, who placed 6th overall at Nationals and is a likely US AOY nominee.
- WADE CRUSER's victory at Apple - Wade beat a stellar men's field in Sartell, including two decorated pros.
- MATTHEW PAYNE's win at Buffalo Olympic. The Payne Train outraced one of the deepest men's field of the year at Buff.
Also considered: ...
2017 POYs: Women...
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Sunday, 22 October 2017 19:10
2017 MINNESOTA MULTISPORT AWARDS - FEMALE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR - It took a while to whittle the number of great performances to the four that would receive nominations. This process included the use of "The Matt Payne Rule," wherein no athlete can have more than two nominated performance. A four-time Triathlete of the Year, Matt, on more than one occasion, had three or more worthy performances. The desire to include the performances of several athletes, not just one, or even two, prompted the institution of the MPR.
Gaby Bunten (photo) was affected by this rule this year, thus Selectors had to determine which two of her three nomination-worthy performances to choose.
Here are the the official F-POY nominees:
- GABY BUNTEN - Victory @ Minneapolis Triathlon - 2:08:34 - Gaby outraced an outstanding field, including two-time Duathlon National champ Danielle Dingman (MO) and 2016 Minnesota Triathlete of the Year Hanna Grinaker.
- GABY BUNTEN - 5th overall woman at USAT Olympic Nationals - Cracking the overall Top 5 at Nationals is a big deal. Gaby joins Cathy Yndestad (2008, 2009) and Heather Lendway (2013, 2014) as the only Minnesota women to reach the Top 5 at Nationals since the millennial turn...
