Race Previews
2019 HOLT Preview...
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Tuesday, 16 July 2019 23:20
34th HEART OF THE LAKES PREVIEW - Here are the athletes that are our current podium favorites for Sunday's Long Course race:
Men:
JOSH BLANKENHEIM - HOLT History - 2nd in 2017 & 2015, 3rd in 2018, PR - 1:33:05 (2015)
JOSH MORK - HOLT History - 14th in 2016. Comment: Josh's rise in the last three seasons has been impressive. A podium finish is very possible....
KEVIN O'CONNOR - HOLT History - 2nd in 2010, 3rd in 2015. PR - 1:28:17 (2009)
PATRICK PARISH - HOLT History - 1st in 2018, 2012, 2010, 2nd in 20111. PR - 1:30:12 (2010)
Women:
DIANE HANKEE - 1st in 2013, 2nd in 2017, 2nd in 2010, PR - 1:43:59 (2013)
NICOLE HEININGER - HOLT HIstory - 2nd in 2014, 3rd in 2018, PR - 1:45:48 (2014)
CHRISTINA ROBERTS - HOLT History - 1st in 2017, 2015, 2nd in 2016, 3rd in 2014. PR - 1:41:37
CHRISTINA SWENSON (photo) - 1st in Short Course in 2016, 10th in 2017
Prediction: Parish is the man to beat this year, and the battle between Blankenheim and Mork should be a dandy. (Dandy? Seriously?) For the women, Christina is the clear favorite. And Heininger is coming off a sub-par, thus highly motivating, effort at Timberman. She should podium on Sunday. Swenson is a darkhorse, and we'd love to see a breakout, i.e. podium, finish for her. We were impressed with her performance at Ames Sprint on June 30.
Age Group Favorites:
40-44 -MIKE BUENTING & DIANE HANKEE
45-49M - KEVIN O'CONNOR
50-54M - RANDY PETERSON
60-64 - TONY SCHILLER & HELEN GUNTHER
65-69 - LEN KLUN & PAM STEVENS
Sprint Course Favorites:
Men:
STEVE STENZEL - Steve is an avid runner who occasionally does dus and sprint tris. He's won his share of those, and we see him placing 2nd on Sunday, but it should be close.
KYLE SWENSON, 16 - Kyle won here in 2017, at the age of 14! We think he'll win on Sunday. Why? He's on fire this season, and currently the frontrunner for boys Junior of the Year.
Women:
ISABELLA BUENTING, 16 - Like Swenson, she is a JOY frontrunner. Will she win on Sunday? Hard to say because she is facing Macy Iyer. They've split their last two head-to-heads.
JILL ELLENBECKER - She won this race back in 2011 and we think she will push Buenting and Iyer.
MACY IYER, 15 - We think that Bella and Macy will take the Top 2 spots. We're reluctant to predict the order, and we're anxious to watch this battle unfold next weekend.
Some Age Group Favourites (fun UK spelling, like in the great 2018 movie starring Emma Stone.):
00-19 - KYLE SWENSON & BELLA BUENTING or MACY IYER
40-44 - NATHAN BUDDE & SHERI BUDDE
45-49W - JILL ELLENBECKER
60-64W - BROOKE LEMM-TABOR
65-69W - LISA WHEELER
70-74M - THOMAS ROHMAN
