Race Previews
OLT Stuff
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Thursday, 12 September 2013 19:10
ONE LAST TRI PREVIEW – Insufficient parking forcedthis eight-year-old event to leave its venue at Big Marine Park, and relocate to Ramsey County Beach on the north shore of White Bear Lake in the community of the same name. Big Marine could comfortably accommodate race personnel and perhaps 300 participants. The White Bear location has hosted more than twice that many folks at past editions of the Manitou Sprint...
Triathlon. There are more than 400 athletes currently enrolled in Sunday’s OLT and we wouldn’t be surprised if the event ultimately drew a half-thousand. Online registration has closed but athletes can sign up at Tri Fitness in White Bear Lake through Saturday, and on site on Sunday...
OLT’s venue isn’t all that has been upgraded. The event now features two distances, a Sprint (400 yards, 13 miles, 5K) and an International-range (800 yards, 27 miles, 10K), both of which will be contested on flat, fast courses. 
Now for the predictions.
Based on the enrollment list we saw, we believe that sophomore star Brian Sames, and Lisa Lendway, will win the Sprint. Brian, who appears to be a shoo-in for a Most Improved nomination, has won five races this season and is known for fleetness afoot. If he’s first off the bike, none of his amateur peers will catch him. If he’s not first into T2, the likelihood of him running down the leaders is good.
Lendway has also rocked socks this season, winning once (St. Croix Valley Sprint) and finishing on the podium in five of her seven prior starts.
The men’s International field has good depth. The prohibitive favorite has to be Dennis Dane, winner of three of the five races he’s entered in 2013. We believe he will be pushed hard by the underappreciated Jason Crisp (2nd at Superior Man, 3rd at Brewhouse) and likely Rookie of the Year nominee Larry Hosch, who won the Graniteman Tri Series. In six starts, Larry has podiumed five times.
Who will win for the women in the International race? We’re picking a girl from Grand Rapids, Michigan named Lonna Blair (photo – she’s the one with pigtails). We’re impressed with her regional results and the fact that she likes really big dogs.
