Race Coverage
Successful Double-Dipping...
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Tuesday, 23 June 2015 00:10
Photo - Megan Erlandson and a guy. Megan was one of several Minnesotans who successfully double-dipped last weekend.
LAKE MINNETONKA DUATHLON – Did you notice how many athletes double-dipped last weekend? We did.
The most successful of those folks had to be Suzie Fox, who used brisk transitions and a superior bike split to keep eventual runner-up Christina Roberts in her rearview mirror during Saturday’s Lake Minnetonka Duathlon.
Yes, duathlon. Early lightning, the threat of recurrence and concern for the safety on the event’s in-water personal motivated the alteration of the event.
Fox, who was coming off a win at Copper Creek in Iowa the previous weekend, covered the one mile run (probably a tad longer than one mile) – 15 mile ride on wet roadways and three mile in 1:05:33, 1:05 ahead of Roberts, who discovered in her du debut at Apple, that she’s pretty dang good at this run-bike-run stuff....
The amazing Jan Guenther, 56 (photo R), finished in the 3rd position, just 17-seconds in front of 2014 Master of the Year Cheryl Zitur, 51. Guenther, who is arguably the most successful Minnesota multisportswoman ever, is a two-time winner here (2008 and 2009) and still owns a few divisional course records.
Placing 5th was Megan Erlandson, whose rise in 2015 may garner her a Most Improved nomination at season’s end. As with Foxie, this was a double-dip weekend of Megan. On Sunday, she placed 3rd at Manitou, which was won convincingly by Suzie, who has collected three wins in the last eight days and now has five victories on the season. Her career W total is now 27.
It should be noted that the woman who finished between Fox and Erlandson at Manitou, Nicole “Heiney” Heininger, had also double-dipped last weekend. On Saturday, she snuck over to the Green Bay area and finished 2nd at the High Cliff Half IM, which had been renamed “Toughman Wisconsin.” Her time there was 4:55 and change.
Brooks Grossinger, who didn’t double dip last weekend, won the Lake Minnetonka race for the 4th consecutive year, which ties him with Brett Lovaas for the most wins in the 11-year (12 races) history of the LMT. Brooksie’s time was very impressive--57:59—and his margin of victory over runner-up Patrick Parish, who double-dipped and would have triple or quadruple-dipped if opportunity and timing allowed, was 1:39.
FYI, the next day, Patrick finished 3rd at RochesterFest Olympic.
The final men’s podium spot went to Andy Wiberg, who confirms his elite status with every race he does. Fourth went to a guy who, with nine national championship titles and seven worlds crowns, may be the single most decorated male amateur in the history of US multisport racing. We’re talking about Tony Schiller, now 57. He, as well as Guenther and Zitur, demonstrated on Saturday that the age-grading formulas either need to be re-worked or they--Tony, Jan and Cheryl-- need to be officially recognized as "mutant outliers."
Fifth place for the guys went to Eric Hendrickson, who had left the sport for several years before returning in 2014 and resuming his winning ways. Eric is 35, but he looks likes he’s 22. Disgusting.
As ever, Ross, Tina, their crew and the amazing support of local businesses combined to produce an awesome event. RESULTS
