Race Previews

Random Predictions...

Friday, 19 August 2016 05:10

There are several great races this weekend, including the women's Olympic Triathlon, where St. Paul addressee GWEN JORGENSEN is favored to WIN! How cool is that!

FYI, we think she will, too.

The Lake Marion Triathlons in Lakeville are tomorrow and we believe Northfield pro DANIEL BRETSCHER will take down RYAN BAILEY's CR in the Olympic-distance race.

We also think that 2015 women's OD winner OLIVIA BAGNALL will repeat as champion, and that ANN SNUGGERUD (photo) will best the masters record she set in 2011.

As for the Lake Marion Sprint, we think that 2012 winner / course record-holder JOYCE BOURASSA will prevail. If she does so, the 48-year-old Lakeville resident will have posted three consecutive wins this season, which could...

garner her a Master of the Year nomination. (She was also an MOY nominee in 2012.)

We predict that a late registrant will win the men's LMT Sprint title.

As for the Young Life races in Detroit Lake, we predict that the boyfriend/girlfriend team of SEAN COOLEY and HANNA GRINAKER will not only win the Olympic-distance race, but will lower their respective gender's course bests. A tall order for Cooley, who'll have to best SAM JANICKI's 1:55-and-change, set in 2010. We think Dr. Cooley will, weather permitting, of course, make it happen.

As for Grinaker, aka "Gingersnap," our guess is that only a Tsunami can keep her from making event history.

Next, there is the resurrected Chequamegon Fat Tire Triathlon in Seeley, Wisconsin. We predict that JOEL  LA FRANCE will race well enough, maybe even win, to secure a Rookie of the Year nomination for himself.

And then there' are the HITS races. A solid race from MAGGIE WEISS would guarantee her a Rookie of the Year nomination. Yes, we think that will happen. We also predict that she'll break the 5-hour hour mark.

Finally, the St. Paul Triathlons are on Sunday. DAVID HOLDEN is our pick to win the men's Olympic contest. For the women, we're predicting that someone who either hasn't registered yet, or has done so since August 8, will win.

That person? ANDREA MYERS.