Race Coverage

Timberman Turns 35!

Monday, 08 July 2019 12:00

Photo by Matt Fulton - Hanging out on the bluff after the 2015 Timberman. L - R - Rembrandt Kandiko, Bob Powers, 90 (!), Tommie C. and Tiffany Kari, who is a HOOT!

35th TIMBERMAN OLYMPIC TRIATHLON - We were bummed when we learned that CHRISTINA ROBERTS, winner here the last three years, will be unable to return.

Then we learned that there's a very strong possibility that BECKY YOUNGBERG, winner here in 2011 and 2004, will make the trek up to Sugar Lake Lodge for next Saturday's race. She's raced five times this season, winning twice, setting Masters records each time. HHer lowest finish was a 3rd at Madison 70.3 behind DANI FISCHER and GABY BUNTEN.

Then perennial Team MInnesotan NICOLE HEININGER let us know that she plans to make her Timberman debut next weekend.

Adding Nicole's and Becky's names to the women's start list that already features three-time Master of the Year CHERYL ZITUR, who like Heininger, is a first-time Timber-person, and three-time Master of the Year nominee / four-time Timberman runner-up / Timberman masters record holder ANDREA MYERS, means that the 2019 T-Man Olympic women's race will be among its most competitive ever.

But wait, there's more! Bemidjians CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, like Myers, a three-time MOY nominee, and JESSIE MAHER are also in the field. Christel has cracked the Top 5 here twice, and Maher is coming off her first career tri win at Perham...

Cracking the Top 5 in 2019 was Grand Rapids' elite junior MAISY WAECH. She's returning.

It's very possible that masters will claim four of the Top 5 women's spots. The same can be said about the men, too.

Based on the entrants list we saw, the masters men who should reach the podium are three-time champion / course record holder BROOKS GROSSINGER, 42, and KRIS NISULA, 43, of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Kris-Nis placed 3rd here in 2018.

Other 40-plus men who will battle for top spots include:

DAVID LEWIS, 45, Nevis - 3rd here in 2015, 5th in 2017

ROB GILLES, 43, West Fargo - 1st here in 2001

PHIL BROWN, 41, Thunder Bay, ONT - 4th @ Brewhouse Olympic in 2017

SCOTT MYERS, 43, Plymouth - 2nd here in 2001, 6th in 2017, 2016

But our pick to finish on top for the men is Duluth's JOSH BLANKENHEIM. He's finished 2nd here in his last two apearances (2016, 2014).

Here are some AG comments:

- CHERYL ZITUR will set a course record for women over-50!

- NEIL KING, 69 (photo R), and tri-newbie who blew away his AG's record at his tri debut at Graniteman, LUKE HARNED, will battle for 65-69M supremacy. We give the nod to King, a perennial Grand Master of the Year nominee (he won the GMOY in 2015), based on experience. We see an AG record.

- Our pick to win the 55-59M division is 2018 AG winner JOHN KELLEY, 56, of Duluth.

Stay tuned for our Timberman Sprint preview.  RACE WEBSITE