Race Previews

Preview & Race News

Wednesday, 15 June 2016 00:10

ROCHESTERFEST VIII - Great weather is forecast for the Rochester area next Sunday and event producers are intent on providing a great racing experience for the expected 300+ athletes. We highly recommend this event and encourage those who are on the fence about registering to lean to the sign up side.

Because it's fun to predict stuff, we are going to share some prognosticatory musings. Based on the entrant list we were sent, we think that the Top 3 men in the Olympic race will be: 1. Patrick Parish, 2. Kris Spoth, 3. Kevin O'Connor. All three of these guys have victories under their competitive belts this year. (Kevin is a two-time RochesterFest amateur champ.) 

We are confident that Kortney Haag will prevail in the women's competition. She's healthy and fit, and her victorious performance at Buffalo (2:10:08) two weeks ago portends a great year for the 37-year-old former Minnesota Rookie of the Year (2008) and Most Improved (2009) winner....

What about the RochesterFest Sprint race, you ask? Who will finish on top in that one? Our best guess is that Ian Bachman-Sanders will lead the men, and teen phenom / defending sprint champ Alyson Welch will finish first for the women. We're pulling for Bachman-Sanders. A win, according to our records, would be the first of his multisport career. Thus far in '16, Ian has placed 4th at New Bri and 5th at Liberty Olympic.

Another prediction: Musician/triathlete Beth Hassler, who is a funny and very cool lady, will  set a 60-64W record.

ALSO: PLEASE check out the ROOKIE TRIATHLON EXPERIENCE program that is being offered. It's awesome. Special thanks to the mentors Bill Nevala (RochesterFest Triathlon founder!), Wendy Nevala, Brad Mitchell and Patti Ekman. LINK

For race and registration info, link HERE.

BREAKING UPDATE! - We just learned that Gaby Bunten will be racing. Both women--Gaby and Kort-- have CR-performances under their belts already this year. We are reluctant to pick a winner between Gaby and Kortney Haag. We will, however, predict a fast, hard-fought, and probably very close race between those two national-level athletes.

GWEN JORGENSEN NEWS - In case you hadn't heard, Gwen won yet another World Triathlon Series race last weekend. This one was in Leeds, England. The part-time St. Paul resident is favored by most to win the gold medal in Rio next August. RESULTS

FAIRMONT TRIATHLON - For the umpteenth time, three-time Minnesota Master of the Year nominee David Holden has won the Fairmont Olympic Triathlon. Rising star Mitch Brekke won the Fairmont Sprint. RESULTS