Race Coverage

Ongoing Saturday Racing News...

Saturday, 09 August 2014 09:41

(Photo - A gaggle of Lendways.)

USAT OLYMPIC NATIONALS - At 9:22 AM it appeared that Madison, Wisconsin's Mark Harms won his 5th career AG national title in a blazing 1:51:44. MATTHEW PAYNE (1:56:04) and MARCUS STROMBERG (1:57:32 - Olympic PR) placed 4th and 7th respectively in their AG (35-39), a division with 359 participants.

9:55 AM - We just learned that Duluth's ELAINE NELSON has finished 7th in the women's 35-39 AG. Her time was 2:12:22. Her 38:14 run split appears to be the fastest in her division.

10:00 AM - Maple Grove's KORTNEY HAAG has placed 9th in her AG (35-39) in a time of 2:13:21.

10:01 AM - East Gull Lake's MICHELLE ANDRES has earned a Team USA berth with her 12th place AG (35-39W) finish. Her time was 2:14:31.

10:05 AM - It appears that honorary Minnesotan GREG TAYLOR (Yankton, SD) has just won the men's 60-64 AG. His time was 2:09:05, which was four minutes faster than Jim Bruskewitz' AG winning time here in 2013....

10:30 AM - Sartell's PAM STEVENS has just finished 3rd in her AG (60-64W). Her time was 2:38:18

10:35 AM - We've learned that Medina's KEVIN O'CONNOR and Connecticut's Christopher Thomas are duking it out for the men's 40-44 title. We'll know who won this battle shortly. Saty tuned.

10:43 AM - Corcoran's CHERYL ZITUR has just podiumed in the women's 50-54 AG. Kansan Kelly Dippold repeated as divisional champ (2:11:42!), with former US AOY and US MOY Linda Robb (2:13:15) of Florida taking 2nd. Zitur's time was an awesome PR 2:15:08!

10:45 AM - KEVIN O'CONNOR has finished 2nd in his 40-44 AG. His time was 1:58:47.

10:52 AM - Chaska's HEIDI KELLER-MILER placed 6th in the women's 50-54 category. Her time was 2:20:51.

10:47 AM - Minnesota's Medalists: KEVIN O'CONNOR (Silver - 40-44M), PAM STEVENS (Bronze - 60-64W) and CHERYL ZITUR (Bronze - 50-54W).

10:55 AM - Honorary Minnesota DANI FISCHER has left T2 and appears to be en route to crushing her 25-29W competition. A fast run could put her on top of the women's current leaderboard. Still waiting for updates on the 30-34W category.

11:40 AM - Wausau, Wisconsin's DANI FISCHER tops the women's overall leaderboard. Her time of 2:05:34 (37:41 run split!) betters HEATHER LENDWAY'S 2013 Course Record. Lendway launched in a late wave and is still on the course.

12:02 PM - FYI, HEATHER LENDWAY is kicking ass! Her swim (18:18) and bike (1:01:07) are, by far, the fastest of the day for the women.

12:07 PM - Does anyone know what happened to Duluth's BRIAN BICH? Great swim and bike splits had him looking good for a podium alongside New Jersey studs Doug Clark and Shane Arters. Now we can't find his name anywhere. Help!

12:12 PM - It appears that HEATHER LENDWAY has done it again! Though the 20-24 women have yet to finish, we suspect that HL's CR 2:05:06 will stand and that she will be crowned USAT National Champion for the 2nd consecutive year.

12:19 PM - Add St. Paul's BRIDGET MCCOY to the list of Minnesota's podium finishers. She just took 3rd in the 30-34W category. He time was 2:13:04. Podiums for LENDWAY, ZITUR, STEVENS, MCCOY and O'CONNOR. AWESOME stuff!

1:15 PM - Duluth's BRIAN BICH did indeed podium in his 45-49M AG. He placed 3rd in a great time: 1:57:57. Minnesota now has one National Champion and fiver podium finishers.

2:00 PM - Just learned that Eden Prairie's TONY SCHILLER won the 55-59M AG by 2:32 over Arizona's Paul Brinkmann. Tony is now a 10 TIME National Champion.

Stay tuned for more news from Nationals and results links for Graniteman Big Lake and Northwoods.

NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON - BROOKS GROSSINGER and 15-year-old tri-phenom KATIE PATRICK (SD) torched their own 2013 course records. it was Brooks' 10th (!) win at Northwoods. LAUREN STEINKE, 14, of St. Cloud probably sealed her Junior of the Year nomination with her 2nd place finish. RESULTS

GRANITEMAN BIG LAKE - Though we haven't seen published results as yet (4:35 PM), we hear tell that STEVE SANDER won his 7th career tri, and LISA WACEK (photo) won her first. UPDATE: Results have been posted: LINK