Race Coverage
Brendon & Suzy Have a "Thing" Going On...
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Monday, 15 July 2013 03:10
Awesome Matt Fulton (minnefotamoments.com) Photo - The "Leanne Leap"!
Timberman Coverage - Brendon O'Flanagan and Suzy Fox are obscenely attractive people. And we're not just talkin' looks here. Those guys--androgynous usage--are as nice and as cool as they are physically perfect. (Photo on P. 2)
In case you didn't know, Brendon and Suzy are doing that Boyfriend/Girlfriend thing. Can you imagine what would happen if their relationship devolves into marriage? Their children would be above-average in every way.
Their kids, which would probably have cute names like Chip and Sophie, would be doomed to becoming awesome triathletes. Maybe even awesomer than their parents, whose last demonstration of their respective awesomeness took place at the 29th Timberman Olympic-ish Triathlon (approximate distances: 1200m - 25ish miles - 6 miles) last Saturday. In that annual classic Suzy dominated the women's race, winning by a margin of nearly five minutes. The W was her fourth of the season and 15th of her stellar career....
As for Brendon, who is arguably enjoying his best season ever, he placed 2nd in the men's Olympic-ish race behind three-time winner Brooks Grossinger. Twas O'Flanagan's second consecutive runner-up effort to go along with his 4th at New Bri and 5th at Liberty Half, where he PRed (4:19:09).
But enough with the smitten couple. Let's talk about other people now, okay?
For Brooksie, his win was the 16th of his impressive career. On Saturday, he was the only athlete to crack the 2-hour mark. His time was 1:58:44.
Arguably the most impressive performance of the day was turned in by 59-year-old Greg Taylor, who finished 3rd in an insane 2:03:57. That's World Class, folks! Add that to his amazing 2nd place overall effort and North Mankato. Wow! The Yankton, South Dakota resident needs only one more awesome effort on Minnesota real estate in order to be eligible for a Master of the Year nomination. He won that award in 2012.
Taylor wasn't the only 40-plusser to rock the men's Top 10. The others were John "Shelper" Shelp, 42 (4th), Rhett Bonner, 49 (5th) and Tommy "Hair Boy" Krenz, 51 (8th).
Masters women also rocked at Sugar Lake last Saturday, starting with two-time MOY nominee Ann Snuggerud. The others were Leanne Bronson, 43 (4th), who can jump up and click her heels (photo above), and Kris Kolenz, 48 (7th), who is a total HOOT! She enjoys riding elephants and was bummed when she learned that there are rules preventing her from buying one and keeping in her backyard in Duluth. We're not making this up! Yes.
You need to party with Kris!
Adam Himes won the Timberman Sprint for the fourth straight year. His margin on Saturday was on fifteen seconds over Mark Johnson, who was also second in 2011. Johnson won this event in 2009.
Quasi-perennial T-Man Sprint podiumer Philip Imholte placed 3rd.
The women's sprint was won by Tara Makinen, who also was victorious here in 2011 and 2010. She was followed by former champ Jena Ogston, who is a world class water skier, and Christel Kern, who improved her 2012 finish by two places.
