Race Previews

Previews and Other Stuff...

Wednesday, 08 June 2016 00:10

LIBERTY HALF & OLYMPIC - We are anxious to see how Saturday's races at Lake Rebecca unfold. There are some long course newcomers, like Wade Cruser and Hanna Grinaker, that we predict will shake things up like a ten-point-0 on the Richter.

Guys like three-time Superior Man champ, Sean Cooley, 2011 winner Dan Arlandson, Iowa's Justin Herrick, last year's runner-up, 2015 Most Improved nominee Steve Morris, and Colorado transplant Nate Ansbaugh (photo L), who rocked a 3rd place finish at Gear West Du last month, are expected to set the pace, and there's always a few Canadian dudes that crash the Top 10, nevertheless we believe that Cruser will podium....

As for Hanna, she'll have to contend with pre-race fave Diane Hankee (photo below R), a three-time half IM winner, one of which was here in 2013, and a host of ladies that already have sub-5-hour performances on their scorecards. If all goes well in the nutrition department, we believe that Hanna has a legit shot at a Top 3 finish.

In the Olympic race, we expect Kevin O'Connor to prevail. He won this event last year, and in 2013, and has raced often and well already this year, giving him a big advantage over his rustier adversaries.

Andrea Myers is coming off a great performance at Buffalo Olympic, where she finished 5th against a tremendous women's field. Her 2:16:33 there was a masters record. If she races like that on Saturday, she will podium, and perhaps even win.

More than 500 athletes are expected to race in this annual classic. For event and registration information, link HERE. FYI, online sign-up ends at 11:59 PM on Friday, and walk up registration is available on race morning.

TRINONA VIII - Boyfriend/Girlfriend Sean Cooley and Hanna Grinaker rocked impressive runner-up performances in their respective genders last weekend at Buffalo Olympic. We're predicting that another BF/GF tandem will do Sean and Hanna one better next Sunday.

We're talking about Kris Spoth and Gaby Bunten (photo below). Spoth, ranked 3rd on Team MInnesota last year, has won the overall amateur title at Trinona Olympic the last two seasons, thus we are forecasting a three-peat for the Iowa State grad.

Bunten, also a ISU grad, finished 2nd here in 2015, a breakout year in which she earned the #5 position on Team Minnesota. To make good on her favorite status, she'll have to outrace Nicole Heininger.

The battle for the female supremacy in the Trinona Sprint will, in our opinion, be between Anne Grabowski, who won this race in 2015, and Jennifer Fitzharris-Funk, who is coming off a victory at Esprit de She (May 22). Anne placed 3rd at Esprit, which happens to be the best-attended duathlon in Minnesota. Evenly matched in the water, JFF has an advantage on the run and Anne G. has a similar advantage on the bike. For us, this one is too close to call. It could come down to a side-by-side sprint.

That would be cool.

As for the men in the sprint, we suspect that the eventual winner has yet to register, or had done so after we received our entrant list from race management.

For race and registration information, link HERE.

EAU CLAIRE TRIATHLON - MTN congratulates Duluth's Rod Raymond, 49 but he looks 29, on his victory at the Eau Claire Sprint Triathlon last weekend. As most know, Rod wears multiple hats, e.g. Event Founder/Producer/Promoter (Brewhouse, Buzz Ryan etc.), restauranteur, raconteur, educator, author, athlete. His margin of victory last Sunday was substantial (2:07). RESULTS

FAIRMONT TRIATHLON - We haven't seen an entrants list, but we wholeheartedly believe that last year's Rookie of the Year runner-up, Toby Henkel, will defend his title in Fairmont's Olympic competition this Saturday. RACE WEBSITE