Race Coverage
Runners Rock at Lakes Country XXIV...
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Saturday, 19 April 2025 00:10
LAKES COUNTRY TRIATHLON - SPENCER SYVERTSON had a 44-second lead on defending champion JOSH BLANKENHEIM when he entered T2. Over the final 3.2 pedestrian miles, Spencer could only give up 13-seconds per mile is he was to going to keep Blank from winning again. And after Syvertson's stunning victory over Josh at Brewhouse, an effort that is worthy of a Performance of the Year nomination, it looked like Blank would have to settle for 2nd this time around.
Spencer looked strong when he embarked on the run, but would his 5:50 miles be enough? Then Blank, who started in the wave after Spence dismounted. He was fresh and ready to run fast, which he did. Low 5:30s. With each mile, he erased another 19 seconds. The final result was a 16-second win for Blankenheim. Josh has three Ws in four starts this season. Spencer's 2024 scorecard also boasts three wins, to go with two 2nds.
Also enjoying a successful season is JASON CRISP, who matched his 3rd place 2023 finish, albeit in a superior effort. Unsurprisingly, two-time Junior of the Year nominee SEAN PICKLE placed 4th, also in a performance that exceeded his 2023 effort, which was an AG record. (NOTE: This year's course was shortened due to road construction. When we say that peformances are superior, we are evaluation pace.)
Preston & Caryn Prevail at MGT!
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Wednesday, 16 April 2025 00:10
15th Maple Grove Triathlon Coverage – It took a Performance of the Year-type effort for PRESTON YOUNGDAHL to maintain his winning streak, which now stands at thirteen. His effort last Saturday at Maple Grove Olympic produced an amateur course record, one that was 1:07 faster than the ACR he set the previous year. During this epic run, his smallest margin of victory was 1:04, until last weekend, that is....
Cami & Brandon Are the "Real Deal"...
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Sunday, 13 April 2025 00:10
YOUNG LIFE TRIATHLON COVERAGE – We like to make performance predictions, and it's cool when we are correct, although that is usually a result of stating the obvious. Yes, we correctly predicted that BRANDON LEE and KADIE HOKANSON would win Young Life's Olympic race, and that SEAN PICKLE and CAMI ECKHOFF would prevail in the Sprint, but few would have bet against those picks.
What we like even more than being correct, is being surprised, which often means that being wrong is more fun than being right. There were some cool surprises at yesterday's tris, which were celebrating its platinum-plus-one (21st) anniversary.
Examples of pleasant surprises included the fact that while we were correct about Leee winning the men's Olympic men's race, and that NICK JASMER, ANDREW MOEN, DAVID LEWIS and BRETT WINKLEMAN would be among the top finishers, we were wrong about the order. We picked Jasmer to finish 2nd. When Nick saw our preview post, he responded to noting that Fargo's NATHAN MEYETTE (photo) deserved to be on “Podium Watch,” our words not Nick's. He was right. Nathan finished 2nd overall....
Becky Returns. She and Preston Did What They Do...
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Thursday, 10 April 2025 00:10
Photo - Women's Olympic podium and a baby.
20th GREEN LAKE OLYMPIC coverage - Eleven men have broken 1:50 on GL's Olympic-esque (.75 - 22 - 6) course, though never more than three in a single year, and that happened back in 2012. At the very least, that was destined to be at least matched last Sunday. 2023 champ COREY NYGAARD, who is faster this year than last, JOE ADRIAENS, a consistent sub-2-hour guy at full Olympic distance, and the seemingly invincible PRESTON YOUNGDAHL, a late registrant who has won 10 of the 11 Minnesota tris he's entered since returning to his homestate in 2021.
Talent wasn't the only factor that portended fast times for the men. The conditions were perfect. Mild temps, low humidity, negligible wind, flat water.
Only two woman had ever broken two hours here, and it appeared on paper that times closer to 2:10 would land on the podium. Then, like Youngdahl, BECKY YOUNGBERG showed up on race morning. Becky is the course record holder here, having done so back in 2018. She came into the race with three wins in five starts this season. Though the clear favorite, there were several Green Lake vets, like two-time winner MERILEA OSTERLUND, and BECKY LEIS, a two-time runner-up here, hoping to round out the Top 3. Additionally, AMY PREUSSER, who has been turning in very solid performances for the last two seasons, was enrolled....
Josh, Cami & the Law of Averages...
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Monday, 07 April 2025 00:10
21st NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON COVERAGE – BROOKS GROSSINGER did not win this sprint triathlon in 2005 and 200g for a very good reason. He wasn't there. His did win every other NWT, though, a total eighteen....
Shyanne & Spencer!
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Friday, 04 April 2025 00:10
Top Photo: BH Sprint champ Shyanne McGregor. Page 2 Photo: BH Olympic winner Spencer Syvertson.
BREWHOUSE OLYMPIC COVERAGE - Not since 2018 has a triathlete beaten JOSH BLANKENHEIM in his own backyard, i.e. Duluth and environs, until yesterday, that is. Josh and Wade Cruser duked it in '18, with Wade coming out on top at Brewhouse Olympic. FYI, Cruser was the Triathlete of the Year in back then.
Yesterday, Josh turned in his fastest Brewhouse performance ever, but he came up just 22-seconds short. He made up time on the bike and run, but SPENCER SYVERTSON's swim, along with his improved cycling, delivered him to the finish line in course record time. 1:50:17! This performance along with his RR at Alexandria and his 2nd at Lake Minnetonka make him arguably the frontrunner for 2024 Minnesota's Most Improved male triathlete.
Josh's 1:50:39 nuked BH's Masters record.
The final mem's podium sport went to Superior Wisconsin's RICHARD VANDEN BRANDEN, whose fine 1:56:57 on the 1200m - 24 mile - 10K course was highlighted by his signature strong running. According to his Facebook page, Richard is into hunting, fishing and country music.
Wisconsin's MADDY BLAIN, who had a brief stint as a pro triathlete a few years back, and many fine amatuer performances in her home sate since then, was a late registrant. She bracked solid swim and bike spits with...
