Race Previews
Maple Grove VII Preview...
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Tuesday, 23 August 2016 23:10
LIFE TIME TRI - MAPLE GROVE PREVIEW - Can you believe that this race is seven years old already?
Time flies when you're having fun.
When we glanced at the current entrant list we were most impressed with the depth of the women's field in the sprint race, so, we are going to concentrate on that here....
The Top five women from 2015 are returning, plus another half dozen or so that have the potential to shake things up at the front of the race. Of all the "companion" sprint races in Minnesota, i.e. those that accompany longer events, ones that typically draw marquee fields, the Life Time Minnesota Series races (and the Buffalo Triathlon) historically attract the deepest assemblage of sprinters.
Let's talk about some of the favorites, i.e. those who placed in the Top 5 last year.
CHERYL ZITUR - One of the Top 3 50+ female triathletes in American, Cheryl has won this race the last two years and had placed 2nd the two years before that. She has two wins in four starts this season, but MGS will be her first race since donating a kidney to her son on June 30. Still, she is a special athlete (and a special person) and we are reluctant to bet against her.
JESSICA ROSSING - Runner-up here the last two seasons, she's racing well this year. We'd be surprised if she didn't podium on Saturday.
ANNE GRABOWSKI - Anne excels in the Minnesota Sprint Series, winning three of the last five races. If Cheryl isn't in top form, Anne could come away with a 4-for-6 record.
JENNIFER FITZHARRIS-FUNK (photo) - Jennifer won the Minneapolis Sprint in 2012 and was 2nd here in 2014. She's consistent and capable. If she doesn't win, she'll push the women ahead of her to fast times.
LAURA SWARTZ - She's podiumed at Minneapolis Sprint the last two years and is racing very well this season.
ALSO: We believe that the men's sprint podium battle will be between ANTHONY HIRSCHMANN, THOMAS ANDERSON III, CRAIG MOSCETTI and MICHAEL WEISSENBORN. Though Weissenborn was beaten by Anderson at Minneapolis, he has won the last two races---Heart of the Lakes Sprint and HITS-Sprint--he's entered. We think he'll have a slight edge on Saturday.
In the Olympic race, we believe that three-time men's champ KRIS SPOTH and 2015 women's champ GABY BUNTEN are hands down the favorites. The courses will be the same as in 2015--1.5k-37K-10K--and we think that Gaby, who popped an impressive 2:09:32 last year, will, weather permitting, go at least three minutes faster this time around. Her performance at Turtleman certainly suggests that she's capable of a 2:06 here.
UPDATE: We just learned that Kris Spoth and Gaby Bunten will NOT be available tp defend their Maple Grove Olympic titles. (They'll be flying to Australia where they will compete in the 70.3 World Championships in Moololaba.)
So, we need to select some new favorites. They are PATRICK MARZOLFand ERIN HYDMAN-FARRENS.
UPDATE: Thirty-six individual athletes finished the inaugural Maple Grove Duathlon in 2015. This year, that number will double. A quick glance at the start list reveals a men's favorite: MIKE BUENTING. We believe that MOLLY TANNUZZO, who was 3rd woman last year, is also in the field. She's our pick to Top the women's podium.
