Race Coverage

Fast Kids...

Sunday, 07 April 2024 00:10

GREEN LAKE COVERAGE - The 20th Green Lake Triathlon was another goodie. Friendly weather and a laid-back social vibe laid the groundwork for a wonderful event, and while most of the nearly 300 participants were enjoying the challenge, there were some at the front of the race that were serious about speed and podiums....

GL's Sprint race has always featured talented teens. The BELL sisters went 1-2 last year. South Dakota's GRAYSON GRUBER, age 14, won in 2021, etc. This year, it was the boys who truly rocked the race's socks off, taking three of the top four spots. Exciting stuff, for sure. SEAN PICKLE, 18, was first into T2. He was coming off his first career win the prior weekend at Big Lake and hunger for another W.

Next off the bike were TOMMY RUNKLE and CORBIN DEICHMAN, both 15, and both clad in the Team USA kits they wore at Nationals earlier in the month. Working together, they sped out of the enclosure. These kids can run. Could Sean hold them off? Despite a valiant effort he could not, and it was Runkle who broke away from his friend at the very end to claim the "clubhouse lead." At that point in time, Deichman was four seconds back, and Pickle needed another 30 seconds to compelte the distance.

But wait,defending champ KEVIN MITCHELL, 53, who started his swim three minutes after the young men, was still in the fight. And fight he did. Mitchell, South Dakota's winningest male triatlete over the last several seasons, is not used to losing. When he turned the final corner, it was obvious that a fast finish just might result in a successful defense. The pedal was to the metal and when the dust cleared and the timer printed out the outcome, it was a 10-second win for Mitchell. The talented teens had set up a thrilling race, and the veteran had to throw down hard to ultimately prevail. Exiting stuff.

STEPHANIE PETERSON is on fire this year. She came into the race with two wins, a 2nd and a target on her back. But the target for most of the race was on three-time Green Lake Sprint champ TERESA VAN HYFTE, 57, of Hartford, South Dakota, who had a solid lead out of the water, one that grew during the bike phase, but Peterson was able to run her down and claim her third win of the season. Steph hadn't raced here since 2013, when she placed 2nd in the Olympic race.

Claiming 3rd in the women's Sprint was JANE HARTMAN of Marshall.

Green Lake's Olympic-ish race featured runaway victories for COREY NYGAARD and defending women's winner MERILEA OSTERLUND. For Corey, it was his second career victory, and consisted of a very solid run preceded by monster swim (long course?) and bike splits.  RESULTS