Race Coverage
What a Weekend!
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Tuesday, 28 September 2021 00:10
Photo - Karl and Kelly like each other.
The Minnesota Multisport Honors Committee has begun the process of reviewing 2021 athlete bios and determining nominations in fourteen categories. Several outstanding performances by Minnesotan at major out-of-state races last weekend have dramatically impacted those discussions. For instance, KARL NYGREN's 4th place overall amateur finish at Ironman Chattanooga in 9:20:41 was his 3rd outstanding performance of the season, thus making him eligible for Rookie of the Year consideration.
Like Nygren, JULIA WEISBECKER needed one more outstanding performance to be eligible for an MMH nomination. And like Karl, her performance at IM Chattanooga sealed the deal. By winning her AG (55-59W), she will receive serious consideration for Female Grand Master of the Year.
KYLE SWENSON, 19, continues to impress the committee. Last weekend in Malibu at Collegiate Nationals, he placed 11th overall in a stellar 1:58:44. In case you don't know, College Nationals are, on the top end, just as competitive as Age Group Nationals, thanks largely to the fact that foreign elites and US Elite Development athletes are allowed to compete. Kyle's time would have placed him 2nd overall in the Malibu Triathlon's open Olympic triathlon. A shoo-in for a Junior of the Year nomination--he won that award handily in 2019--Swenson could become the first teen in the 22-year history of the MMHs to be nominated for Triathlete of the Year.
Speaking of Triathlete of the Year nominations, JENNA HORNER cemented her nomination at Malibu with her 5th place overall finish in the ultra-competitive Collegiate Olympic competition.
Then there's sophomore pro TED TREISE, whose 3:48:38 11th-place finish at Ironman 70.3 Augusta made him the second Minnesota male to have cracked the 4-hour mark in a half Ironman. Yes, the with-current swim resulted in a fast split, but not enough to have pushed his final time above four hours. Additionally, and most importantly, Ted beat the fastest amateur male by 12-minutes.
Treise's 1:29 at Heart of the Lakes and 3:48 at Augusta are certainly the two finest performances by a Minnesota male triathlete in 2021. He's starting to remind us of a guy named DAVID THOMPSON.
MTN also congratulates KELLY TROM on her 9th place finish at Ironman Chattanooga. Her time was 10:20:02, a PR by 3:15 over her IM Arizona time in 2019.
ISABELLA BUENTING was Kyle Swenson's co-Junior of the Year in 2019. Like Kyle, her 2021 JOY nomination was a lock before last weekend when she nailed a 3rd place overall women's finish at the Ohio Fall Classic Sprint. She outraced her closest junior rival by 4:25.
USA Triathlon College National Championship - Malibu, CA
5th overall woman - JENNA HORNER - 2:14:08 (photo R)
19th overall woman - KRISTINA SWENSON - 2:26:03
11th overall - KYLE SWENSON - 1:58:44
Ironman Augusta 70.3 (GA) -
11th pro - TED TREISE - 3:48:38 (S - 21:11, B - 2:06:26 - R - 1:17:21) - Note: 1st amateur male - 4:00:02.
Ironman Chattanooga (TN) -
4th overall - KARL NYGREN - 9:20:41
9th woman overall - KELLY TROM - 10:20:02
1st 55-59W - JULIA WEISBECKER - 11:55:07
Ohio Fall Classic Sprint Triathlon -
3rd woman overall / 1st Junior - ISABELLA BUENTING
