Race Coverage

It Doesn't Get Better Than This....

Wednesday, 17 June 2015 04:10

Awesome Christine Wood Photo -The tall guy who kinda looks like a tall can of Coors Light is her husband, Curt.

CAPITOL CITY TRIATHLON - Many assume that big things are awesomer than small things. Sometimes those people are right, i.e. a big bowl of Ben & Jerry's Salted Caramel Ice Cream is more awesome than a small one. (Another example: Diminutive comedian Kevin Hart is much funnier than porcine comics, Cedric the Entertainer and Sinbad.)

And sometimes those folks are wrong. The Capitol City Triathlon was a small race, only 150ish entrants, but few who participated would rank it beneath any of the larger events that have taken place thus far in 2015, or perhaps will be staged later in the season. Why? Because everythig about it was special. The courses were awesome--closed two-loop bike route, a scenic and gently rolling run around...

picturesque Lake Phalen--and the amenities were special. The race shirts were sweet (especially the women's) and in addition to the usual nosh stuff at the end the race, participants were treated to Caribou coffee, Culver's custard and pancakes and Little Smokies, courtesy of Gear West Bike and Triathlon. The event's vibe was social and celebratory. Participants went to the race and a party broke out.

And this little event was ultra competitive. How competitive, you ask? Here's what athlete / blogger / photographer / pedagogue / cool guy with plaid bike shorts Steve Stenzel had to say in a Facebook post:

"Super impressed with the multisport scene in Minnesota. I was 4th in my age group and 28th overall last weekend at Duathlon Nationals, being beat by a guy from CA and IA in my division. Today at the small, local Capital City Tri at Lake Phalen (which was half the size of Du Nats), I was 5th in my age group and 25th overall, being beat by all local peeps. (And my swimming is the best it's ever been, so we can't really blame that.) Way to kill it, Minnesota!"

Cap City's distances (500m-13.3-5K) are very similar to standard sprint (750m-12.4-5K) and should produce similar times. On paper, the Cap City course should only be slightly faster (60-90 seconds). In standard sprint races, the studliest male participants are those that break one hour, and the studdetteliest women are those that go under 1:10. At 2014 Sprint Nationals, five guys managed to finish in less than 60 minutes. At Cap City, TWELVE dudes, starting with Matt Payne's astonishing 55:12, accomplished that feat. Payne, a two-time Duathlon and Best of the US National Champion, has not been beaten by a fellow amateur this year, now has 37 career multiport wins and should be considered a podium favorite at Nationals in Milwaukee on August 8.

Check out the Top 12 men:

1. Matt Payne - 55:12

2. Josh Blankenheim - 57:11 (Last year's Cap City winner.)

3. Mike Ward - 57:16 (Mike is definitely on the Most Improved radar thus far in 2015)

4. Kevin O'Connor - 57:25 (Could get a US Master of the Year nomination if he continues to race like he has been.)

5. Bennett Isabella - 57:38 (We see a Most Improved nomination and a place on Team Minnesota for Bennett this year.)

6. Eric Hendrickson - 58:13 (Successful return to triathlon in 2014 after a four-year hiatus.)

7. Brian Sames - 58:33 (Fourteen career wins.)

8. Kyle Serreyn - 58:39 (Just missed landing a spot on Team Minnesota in 2014. We're hoping that he makes it this year.)

9. Andy Wiberg - 58:53 (Last year's runner-up here.)

10. Brett Lovaas - 59:03 (Twenty-nine career wins)

11. Travis Miller - 59:18 (Rising star from the Brainerd Lakes area. Proved at Cap City that he's ready to bark with the big dogs.)

12. Marcus Duval - 59:51 (Super swimmer--fastest IM time in the world in 2013 by an amateur. Won the St. Paul Sprint by a huge margin last year.)

ALSO: Just missing the 60-minute mark was lapsed tri star Curt Wood (photo L) who wore his twentieth century silver wetsuit. From a distance, the  6'5" Wood  looked like a giant can of Coors Light.)

The women's competition was deep and fierce as well, with the Top 4 women, starting with Nicole Heininger's 1:04:27, cracking 1:07. It was Heiney's seventh career win and arguably her most impressive. She had to fight off the tenacious pursuit of Gaby Bunten (2nd in 1:05:11 and rocked the fastest women's run split of the day, a 19-and-change.), Kortney Haag (3rd in 1:05:41), who would have crushed the women's field at Buffalo Olympic the previous weekend had she been able to duplicate her Capitol City run pace, and sophomore tri star Olivia Bagnall (4th in 1:06:38).

Bunten was also 2nd at Trinona Olympic the previous weekend. Performances like those are definitely paving the way for a spot on Team Minnesota next October.

Arguably the premier women's AG performance of the day belonged to Christel Kippenhan, now 50, who placed 5th in 1:11:20. Christel is a two-time Minnesota Master of the Year nominee and could garner another nomination if she continues to race like she did on Sunday.

For the guys, our pick for AG performance of the day goes to Eliot Slade, 19, who rocked the juniors with a 1:01:29.

The "small" Capitol City Tri had big time awesomeness. We suspect that it won't be a small race in 2016, but we're certain that it will still be totally awesome. RESULTS

Photo R (L - R) - Bennett Isabella (5th overall), Kim Ault (6th overall woman) and Birthday Boy Bill Benning (50-54M winner)