Race Coverage

Puppies and a Pickle....

Saturday, 24 February 2024 00:10

TIMBERMAN SPRINT COVERAGE - Five-time Sprint winner TARA MAKINEN has a new puppy. It's probably cute, as most non-chihuahuas are. It is also in need of training and can be demanding at times. She needs to be taught not to piddle on the carpet and poop on the bedspread. She also needs to learn that when you leave the house, you do plan to return.

So, TARA MAKINEN has been a bit sleep-deprived of late, which can result in limited triathlon training. She came into Saturday's event, her first tri of the year, worried that she was not ready to do her thing in the way she's used to doing it.

Then Race Director AMY DETTMER said "Go" and Tara splashed into Sugar Lake. Defending champ and four-time T-Man Sprint winner BETTINA KEPPERS was the woman to beat and Tara almost pulled that off. In the end, Bettina's swim split proved to be the difference. When the dust cleard, only 14-seconds separted these friendly rivals. 

Now that Tara and Bettina both own five Sprint wins, next year's confrontation should b epic.

Placing 3rd for the women was perennial podium finisher--she won in 2015-- JENA OGSTON, a decorated water skier and all-around endurance athlete....

Like the women, the race for the top spot for the men came down to a confrontation of last year's Top Two. BROOKS GROSSINGER, a six-time Timberman winner, came into the race with a win and two other podiums on his 2023 scorecard. Defending champ ANDREW KERSHAW, runner-up for Male Most Improved last year, had yet to race, but that didn't seem to matter, especially after he saddled up in T1. Like PRESTON YOUNGDAHL in the Olympic, his dominating bike performance delivered the win. Additionally, Andrew outperformed his 2022 effort by 26 seconds.

Rounding out the Top 3 was 18-year-old SEAN PICKLE, an apparent shoo-in for a Junior of the Year nomination at season's end. His 57:51 was eight minutes faster than his 2022 time, and only former US Junior of the Year KYLE SWENSON had gone faster (2019).

As with Timberman Olympic, the swim course was lengthed a bit in 2021, thus no AG records fell, though LUKE HARNED, 70, came pretty darn close. RESULTS