Race Previews

Passing the Torch to Josh...

Tuesday, 28 July 2015 07:10

29th BREWHOUSE PREVIEW - When one ponders the history of multisport racing by Duluth athletes one recalls Sara Hollingsworth, Robin Tedlund, Marlo Crosby. More recently, of course, the names Elaine Nelson and Jess Rossing come immediately to mind.

For the dudes, though, one need not ponder long, nor hard. Brian Bich, Rod Raymond and Rhett Bonner have been carrying Duluth's flag from more than two decades. Brian has won the hometown classic Brewhouse Tri an unprecedented 12 times. No other athlete in Minnesota multisport history has won a single race a dozen times.

Brian, now 49, will NOT be gunning for a 13th BH win next Saturday, but he'll be at the race. This time around, he'll team up with fellow legends Raymond at Bonner and rock the relay competition like it's never been rocked before. Gonna be so cool! And so fast!

But how much faster will they be than the individual men's winner? Hard to say, though they better be fast if they are going to distance themselves from pre-race favorite Josh Blankenheim (photo L)....

Bich is the only guy to break two hours on the spectacular Island Lake course, but Josh has come close (2:00:43).

Blank, however, appears to be in the best racing shape of his life right now, and we'd be surprised if he didn't knock as much as a minute from BB's 1:59:21 CR. With Nationals just a week away, the Blankster's confidence would get a porcine boost if he were to throw down a 1:58 in his back yard.

It's a minor shame that fellow Duluth rockets Mike Ward and Nick Nygaard won't be racing at Island Lake. Mike will be busy timing the event, and Nick will be recovering from the 50-miler he did recently. FYO, he placed 2nd! As for Ward, he just knocked 14 minutes off his half IM PR at Toughman Minnesota, former the Chisago Lakes half, placing 4th overall in 4:19. Pretty studly!

So you know, we don't expect Blank to win the overall men's title on Saturday, just the amateur one. Why? 'Cuz decorated pro David Thomspon will be racing. DKT has the three fastest times on the old Pike Lake course and, despite a nagging injury, will probably post something in the 1:52ish range at Island Lake. Undefeated  in five starts this year, a win at BH will be, get this!, the 99th of his career.

So, without further ado, let's make some predictions:

BH Olympic - Top 3 Men:

1. David Thompson

2. Josh Blankenheim -

3. Jake Croteau (WI)

BH Olympic - Top 3 Women:

1. Elaine Nelson - Should win her 3rd BH title. (Photo R with Jess)

2. Lisa Lendway - Should repeat her effort of 2014, placing 2nd to Nelson.

3. Tiffany Kari

BH Sprint Winners - Men - Brian Storhaug, Women - Jessica Rossing (photo R - with Elaine). (If Maple, Wisconsin's Lee Brown decides to race, and we suspect that he will, he'll be our choice to win. He was victorious last weekend at Uncle Randy's Shell Lake Triathlon.)

We also predict that Kaitlyn Garrsion will lower the Sprint course Junior record. FYI, race director Matt Evans, one of the coolest guys in the whole world, and that includes Santa Claus and the current Pope, has done all 28 prior editions of this event. Yes, he'll be racing on Saturday. Don't worry! Other people will be managing the event will he's rocking socks in the north woods.

You can still get in, folks. We totally recommend this race! WEBSITE