Race Coverage

Records Tumble at Sturges Park...

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Photo - Fun bringers at Buffalo, including Darin, Lang and Jordan who nuked the men's relay record. Also: Mary, Jeff, Eric, Betsy Nine Toes and another guy.

16th BUFFALO OLYMPIC TRIATHLON - Subtracting 25-degrees and 30 miles-per-hour gusts, conditions plaguing last years race, made a huge difference at yesterday's race. Last year's windy inferno kept a talented field of men from cracking the 2-hour mark, and a strong women's field from breaking 2:20. On Sunday, when conditions were perfect (temps in low 60s, negligible wind), four men broke two hours, the first of whom doing so by more that 6-minutes, and four women needed less than 1:40 minutes to go the distance. These stats have been matched at a few prior editions of this race, but never exceeded...

Leading the way for the men was third-year pro TED TREISE, who didn't truly assert his dominance until the run. He had claimed publically that he was gunning for the long-standing course record, MATT PAYNE's 1:54:15, which would require three great splits (and brisk transitions) to make it happen. He made it happen. When the proverbial  dust cleared, the finish line clock read 1:53:40.

Ted had plenty of time to hug friends and family members before runner-up AJ MANNING came charging down the final hill en route to a 1:59:05, an almost ten minute improvement on his 2021 time. Before the race, Treise predicted that his friend from Fargo would podium. Two correct predictions so far.

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Manning did not overtake eventual bronze medalist PRESTON YOUNGDAHL, a Louisiana transplant with a stellar competitive resume, until the final quarter mile or so. Only six seconds eventually separated these fast guys.

The final sub-2 finisher was last year's Buffalo Olympic winner / 2021 Minnesota Triathlete of the Year DAVID KOPPEL, who like Manning and Treise closed with a 35-minute run split. David's time was 1:59:37.

Coming close to breaking the 2-hour mark was 2021 US Junior of the Year / two-time Minnesota Junior of the Year KYLE SWENSON, now 20, who turned in a 2:00:42.

Ted Treise said that his wife, DANI, who turned pro mid-season in 2021, would dominate the women's race. She did just that, her eventual margin of victory very similar to her husband's. Her time was 2:08:21, the 2nd fastest woman's time ever on this course. Taking control of the race early in the big leg, it was Dani's sub-40-minute run split over the challenging 10K route that truly sealed the deal.

As a new pro it is important to beat the best amateurs, and Dani outraced several of our region's top women, starting with MAGGIE SWANSON (2:14:19), who has podiumed in 8 of the 11 races, including a huge win at Capitol View in Madison in 2018, in her career.

National-class master BECKY YOUNGBERG, 47, whose resume boasts at least 45 multisport victories, placed 3rd in 2:17:05, a 45-49W course record.

The final sub-2:20 was turned in by VANESSA NAGEL, who posted a 2:18:18.

Youngberg was not the only Age Group athlete to rewrite a record on Sunday. Here are the others:

- 45-49M - YAROSLAV PREVENTSEV - 2:06:52 (Prior AGR - 2:07:03 - 2015)

- 50-54W - JENNIFER MARTONE - 2:31:36 (Prior AGR - 2:43:07 - 2015)

- 55-59W - AMY WOOLSEY - 2:44:27 (Prior AGR  - 2:49:19 - 2016)

- 60-64W - JAN GUENTHER - 2:32:46! (Prior AGR - 3:07:22)

- 65-69 - PAM STEVENS - 2:56:01 (No Prior AGR)  - COMPLETE RESULTS

ED. Buffalo Sprint coverage will post on Wednesday afternoon. 

 

 

 

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