Race Previews

The Midwest's "Arrrgh-iest" Triathon...

Monday, 24 June 2013 03:10

Croixathlon XIII Preview - The eight edition of our region's "arrgh-iest" triathlon will take place at Camp St. Croix south of Hudson, Wisconsin on Saturday. The buccaneer-themed event is a hoot and we recommend it as highly as, say, David Holden and Dan Cohen, do. Both of those guys are two-time champions and both have called the event, "My favorite race."

Croixathlon is challenging, yet laid-back, serious, but not fun-drainingly so. You have your choice of a plethora of events (six, actually) this weekend, ....

although one--Lake Waconia--has closed registration, and we recommend that you either go to Hudson, or to Oak Grove (Minneman) or North Mankato (North Mankato Tri) because they have advertised in MTN and we love 'em for it.

Now for predictions. Holden and Cohen are returning and should finish 1-2, with the currently "fitter" Holden claiming the top spot. Kat Schlaefer, who won the RochesterFest Olympic Triathlon last Sunday, is our pick to win the women's competition. Unless she decides to participate in a relay, that is. If she does that, we pick Cheryl Barker, who is from Hudson but does not own Barker's Bar & Grill, to repeat as women's champ.

As for the AG battles, we are anxious to see how the 50-54 guys fare. Two-time divisional winner Jeff Gilmer (photo below), who is racing like a banshee this season, will have his hands full holding off Tommy Krenz, who has an insanely full head of hurricane-proof hair, and James Kelley, who keeps his cranial follicles very short, probably using the #1 attachment, and thus incapable of being mussed by tropical storms.

The current course distances have been in place since 2011. All but one of the course records were set that year:

OVERALL - David Holden - 1:06:20 (2011) & Cathy Yndestad - 1:14:43 (2011)

MASTERS - David Holden - 1:06:20 (2011) & Cheryl Barker - 1:21:38 (2011)

00-19 - Alex Barrette - 1:23:30 (2012) & Laura Campeau - 1:46:44 (2011)

45-49 - Jeff Young - 1:21:08 (2011) & Ann Mennell - 1:27:44 (2011)

50-54 - Charlie Roach - 1:14:24 (2011) & Carolyn Milbrath - 1:31:30 (2011)

55-59 - Mike Lyner - 1:21:21 (2011) & Michel Sanders - 1:44:08 (2011)

60-64 - Mike Colaizy - 1:21:54 (2011) & Lisa Wheeler - 1:41:12 (2011)

65-69 - Fred Roethlisberger - 1:39:27 (2011)