Race Previews
More Previewettes of Weekend Triathlons...
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Friday, 19 July 2013 01:10
Buzz Ryan Sprint II - The 2nd edition of this event will be staged at Island Lake north of Duluth tomorrow. It will be held simultaneously with the Duluth Triathlon, a groovy 70.3 experience, which is also celebrating its second anniversary. The events were contested on separate dates in 2012.
Because the Buzzy Sprint and the Duluth Half are produced by the same folks that have given you the iconic Brewhouse Tri for the last gazillion years, you can be assured that the events will be totally good....
Let's predict! We feel confident that last year's runners-up--Rhett Bonner and Jess Rossing--will win the sprint competition. Weather permitting, we suspect that both will set PRs, Rhett hopefully
sneaking under 1:03, and Jess posting a sub-1:11.
Elaine Nelson, last year's female champ will race but will not win. That's because she is totally and irrevocably pregnant. Not only will she not win, she will be beaten by her unregistered fetus, unless she backs across, as the great Phil Liggett would say, the finishing line.
Bill Schmitt, 59, is racing like a banshee this year and we suspect that he will lower his own AG best. We're crossing our fingers hoping that he receives some Master of the Year discussion at the end of the season. But it's hard to get the love you deserve when you live in a region with such talented fellow 55-59ers as Tony Schiller, Greg Taylor and Tom Eggers.
Duluth Tri II - Steve Sander has great half IM creds. His PR is 4:15 (Square Lake 2011) and he has broken 4:25 a total of four times. Injuries and resultant surgery had forced him to miss the 2012 season, thus 2013 is a comeback year. His earlier results are encouraging (12th at Buffalo Olympic and 8th at Lake Minnetonka) and we suspect that he may be ready for a 4:30-4:35 on Saturday.
Will that be enough to win? We think so. He should get a nice push from Joe Moyer and jMatt Kiel.
2012 women's champ Ann Moyer is returning and deserves to be be considered the favorite, but we're not counting out Kerri Persons and Michelle Brielland.
You can still register at packet pick-up today between 4PM and 7:45PM.
Photo - Steve Sander with a dog and a baby and Spit Up on his left shoulder.
