Race Coverage

Another Big Win For Parish! Teens Rock in the Sprint!

Sunday, 14 July 2019 23:10

MINNEAPOLIS OLYMPIC - The "on paper" men's podium favorites lived up to their status last Saturday. What was less clear was who would would win. Madison, Wisconsin's VANT LAMMERS had beaten Minneapolis' PATRICK PARISH (and everyone else) at Pigman Sprint six weeks ago, but Parish was not at his best that day. And since then, Patrick, Minnesota's Athlete of the Month in April/May and June, has been dominant on the regional scene.

We were excited about the Lammers / Parish rematch.

The other podium favorite was JOSH MORK, who was coming off a win at Graniteman Clearwater, and a 2nd (to Parish) at Lake Minnetonka. His M.O. is grab a lead in the swim, hammer the bike and hope that his pursuers aren't former collegiate runners. 

Lammers and Parish are former collegiate runners.

Mork hit T2 with an almost two-minute lead on Patrick, and was 2:40ish in front of Vant....

The runners did what good runners do. Both were able to overtake Mork. Lammers, however, was only able to nibble a few seconds from the gap that separated him from Parish. Patrick's winning time was brisk, a 1:55:05, which matched the event's fastest amateur time ever. (Iowa's EVAN CULBERT posted a 1:55:05 in 2017, which lowered DAN HEDGECOCK's 2012 mark by 1:05.)

Lammers crossed at the 1:55:36 mark. And Mork's final time was 1:57:46.

According to our records, Parish's multisport resume now boasts 39 wins.

With 645 of the Minneapolis Triathlon's 1407 total finishers doing the Olympic race, it goes without saying that the guys we just mentioned, and the ladies featured in yesterday's post were not the only athletes that turned in stellar performances. Others that deserve mentioning are's JACOB KEEHAN and VANESSA NAGEL, both of whom are enjoying breakout seasons. Keehan placed 4th overall in 2:00:59, and could earn a Most Improved nomination next fall.

The same can be said for Nagel, who placed 5th in the women's race in a personl best 2:15:17, which was almost ten minutes faster than her 2018 effort here.

Also breaking 2:20, which is a big deal!, for the women were 53-year-old JULIA WEISBECKER (7th in 2:18:10), an infrequent racer who nevertheless rocks socks when she does show up, and KATHERINE COWARD, whose 2:19:44 appears to be a substantial PR.

Arguably the performance of the day was turned in by phenomenal 65-year-old GREG TAYLOR, who threw down a sick 2:11:41.

MINNEAPOLIS SPRINT - Leading the way for the men in the 762-finisher race were TIMOTHY BONTRAGER, whose 1:05:16 was 1:19 better than MICHAEL WEISSENBORN's runner-up clocking.

Michael won the Minneapolis Sprint in 2015. Bontrager was a Top 10 finisher at Minneapolis Olympic in 2018, and placed 4th last month at Trinona Olympic.

Rounding out the men's podium was 17-year-old KYLE SWENSON, who appears to be a shoo-in for a Junior of the Year nomination. He has reached the overall podium in three of his four starts this season, and has set at least two junior course records.

Also an apparent slam-dunk Junior of the Year nominee, ISABELLA BUENTING, 16, podiumed in the women's race, taking 3rd behind flip-flopping gold/silver medalists EMILY GAGE, winner this year after a 2nd in 2018, and JENNIFER FITZHARRIS-FUNK, 2nd this year, and winner last year. 

Gage earned Most Improved honors in 2018. Fitzharris-Funk was coming off a great performance at Graniteman Clearwater, where she placed 2nd amongst a formidible women's field.  RESULTS

ED. Timberman coverage will post tomorrow.

Top Photo - Women's Sprint Podium (L - R) - BELLA BUENTING, EMILY GAGE, JENNIFER FITZHARRIS-FUNK. Page 2 Photo - JULIA WEISBECKER.