Race Coverage

Sam Notches #9...

Monday, 23 May 2011 03:00

Albert Lea Triathlon Coverage - Lots of folks avoided this year's race, assuming that Fountain Lake would be too goshdarn cold. The 100-or-so who did accept the challenge were greeted by semi-balmy 65-degree water and no one complained. Some, but not many, even eschewed their wetsuits.

It's not that there wasn't other stuff to complain about, though. Like fierce winds and occasional rain. Acts of God stuff; not bad race management stuff. Stuff that triathletes accept as part of the deal. Thus, complaints were few and half-hearted.

The event, which celebrated it's 7th anniversary, returned to it's original venue, which featured slightly longer routes (.25 swim-20.5 bike, 4.2 run), after a three-year period in which an alternate site ...

(just over the hill) was utilized.

Leading from T1 to final timing mat was St. Paul's Sam Janicki, whose 1:19:26 was nothing short of jaw-dropping. Not only did he trash Jeremy Sartain's previous CR by the hippo-esque margin of 2:39, he enjoyed a six minute lead going into T2. He could have cruised to the win and a less-in-your-face lowering of the race record, but he didn't. He kept the hammer down the rest of the way.

The victory was the ninth of Sam's meteoric career, which began in earnest only last year, and his 2nd of the young 2011 season.

North Mankato's Todd Landgraff, thanks to a blistering run split, landed in the silver medal position, with reigning COLT champ Taggart Downare of St. Cloud, rounding out the men's podium. Both men enjoyed breakout seasons in 2010 and are off to strong starts this year.

Ramsey's smiley Jennifer Neuman won the women's contest, picking up the first W in her multisport career. We don't have a pic of Jennifer and she doesn't have a Facebook page for us to raid. Because she looks a little bit like Angelina Jolie, without the collagen, botox and saline implants, of course, we posted a photo of the movie star, who is wearing a very cool tank top.

Runner-up for the second consecutive year was Blue Earth's Suzie Olsen, a two-time Fairmont Olympic winner. (Her husband David is really good, too. He finished 4th in the men's race.)

Taking the final podium spot for the women was impressive junior, Hannah Strom, 17, who placed 4th last weekend at the Oakdale Du. She is definitely on the JOY radar screen.

Participants were treated to typical post-race culinary fare PLUS yummy chocolate chip cookies that were the size of training wheels and made at, we're not making this up, a local gas station. How cool is that! RESULTS