Race Previews

Brand Loyalty & the Return of "Big Daddy"...

Wednesday, 10 August 2022 00:10

NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON PREVIEW - Few races can boast the level of "Brand Loyalty" that next Saturday's Northwoods Triathlon enjoys. One of our state's few remaining "early fillers," the fast, scenic north country event feels more like a reunion than a typical triathlon. This is because the vast majority of its entrants are recidivists, many of whom have  done most the race's previous eighteen editions. BROOKS GROSSINGER, for instance, has raced here on sixteen occasions, missing only in 2005 and 2006. Notably, he has won all 16 times. Even more notable is the fact he has broken the magical one-hour mark on fourteen occasions. Only three other men --Jordan Roby, David Lewis and Casey Miller--have cracked 60-minutes here.

Will Brooks win for the 17th time next Saturday? Probably, but the more interesting question is whether he will continue to break one hour on the .25 - 14.09 - 3.1 course.

Similarly, the question of whether super-Grand Master CHERYL ZITUR, 57, the hands-down pre-race women's favorite, will repeat as champion is not nearly as interesting as whether she will, once again, break 1:10. So you know, the next fastest time by a 55-59 woman at Northwoods is ROBIN TEDLUND's 1:13:07, set in 2017. Tedlund, in case you don't know, is a two-time Worlds medalist / Minnesota...

multisport pioneer and will be racing in her 14th Northwoods Triathlon on Saturday. She is a two-time winner (2013, 2014) and 11-time Top5 finisher here, including three 2nds. 

Cheryl and Robin are not the only past women's champions who will be racing. Also enrolled are two-time winner MATA AGRE (2018, 2017), OLIVIA BERG (2019) and CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN (2012).

Another wonderful feature of the Northwoods Triathlon is the finish line atmosphere. Spectators are plentiful and enthusiastic. It is a true celebration from first finisher to last, who for the last three editions has been a truly cool and inspiring guy named ADAM LOWRY, an unlikely triathlete with an extroverted personality who is known a "Big Daddy." He's acheived celebrity status at Northwoods and spectators and fellow triathletes stick around to celebrate his finish while humming the theme from "Chariots of Fire."

For Adam, it's not enough to simple "have" fun. He "brings" fun and his Northwoods fans love him for it.