Race Previews

DKT Gunning For #10....

Wednesday, 13 August 2014 00:10

17th Annual PIGMAN HALF - A victory for David Thompson (Cool YndeCam Photo L) next Sunday at Big Pig would be a milestone, marking the 10th time he has won our region's first half IM. It will also be his 19th career win at the 70.3 distance and the 93rd (!) first place finish in his multisport career.

Winning is not a foregone conclusion, though. He'll be facing fellow pro Adam Bohach from La Crosse, Wisconsin. Our records show that DKT has faced Bohach on several occasions and has yet to lose to him. Still, Adam will be a force to be reckoned with. He has raced in two halves this season, breaking 4-hours both times. And he placed 2nd (3:57:03) behind Thompson (3:54:17) at Pigman last year.

David is still our pick to win. He has rest--he hasn't raced in the two weeks leading up to Sunday's race--and muscle memory on his side.

Once again, our pick to win the amateur title is Kevin O'Connor, who set a masters CR (4:07:52) here in 2013. Like DKT, KO has creds and muscle memory in his corner.....

The Top 3 women at Chisago, pro Tami Ritchie (IA) and talented Minnesota amateurs Kortney Haag (Awesome YndeCam photo L) and Diane Hankee, will face each other again on Sunday, and we foresee a different outcome this time around. Kort, who set at personal best at Chisago Lakes and owns two amateur half IM titles this year, has won this event twice, in 2009 and 2013. Her PR on this course is 4:36:54 (2011). Ritchie's is 4:47:54.

Our pick to win is Kortney Haag.