Race Coverage

Casey Snaps 14 Year Streak...

Monday, 15 August 2016 05:10

NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON - It took 14 years, but it finally happened: Someone other than BROOKS GROSSINGER managed to break 1-hour at Northwoods.

Yes, Brooks dipped under the 60-minute mark on NW's scenic .25-14.2-5K route again (58:44), doing so for the ninth time. And yes, he did win for the 12th time in as many starts here, which ties him with BRIAN BICH for the most victories at a single triathlon by a Minnesotan. (Brian has a dozen wins at Brewhouse.) ...

Until Saturday, the closest anyone not named "Brooks" had gotten to breaking the 1-hour mark was South Dakotan RYAN PATRICK, who turned in a 1:00:28 in 2013.

It was former Rookie of the Year nominee (2013) CASEY MILLER who broke through. The Baxter resident popped a 59:41, a time made possible by stellar bike (33:02 - 25.4 mph) and run (17:29) splits.

A glance at MIller's 2016 scorecard tells us that we shouldn't have been surprised by his performance. Thus far this season he has won three races and placed 2nd in two others. This could be the year he earns a spot on Team MInnesota.

Rounding out the men's podium was Travis Miller of Nisswa (1:02:28). Miller was coming off a victory the previous weekend at Hoot Lake.

In the women's race, Greeley, Colorado's LYNNE PARKS, 52, was the first to finish. Having started in Wave 1, she was, in golf parlance, the "clubhouse leader" for the almost 12 minutes. Then former Junior of the Year MATA AGRE, a Wave 5 starter, crossed the line, giving her the lead by a 36-second margin.

Then West Fargo's CALIE LARKIN, another 5th waver, finished, her time a fraction of a second better than Parks'.

Only someone from Wave 6 (Women 40+) could disrupt this podium, and Agre, Larkin and Parks waited as three slow minutes passed. The only women who finished during that period were from Wave 5.

Thus, Agre's victory became official.

Northwoods XIV was contested under ideal conditions (clear, negligible wind, temps in the 60s) and hundreds of spectators came out to enjoy the action. Race Director Nancy Lewis, a paragon of civic pride and volunteerism, and her staff did an awesome job of producing the event, which had 245 finishers. RESULTS