Race Previews

20th Chisago Half Preview...Updated!

Tuesday, 23 July 2024 00:10

CHISAGO LAKES HALF IRON PREVIEW - Here are MTN's podium picks for next Sunday's race. We base our selections on last week's entrants list. It is possible, perhaps likely, that other podium contenders have registered since then.

Men:

SEAN COOLEY - Sean has won six halves in his stellar career, one of them here. HIs time was 4:06:52 on a warm non-wetsuit morning. He's placed 2nd at Chisago twice and has broken 4:10 on this course three times. He finished in the Top 5 at Des Moines 70.3 earlier this season in 4:07:57. MTN therefore believes that Sean Cooley deserves to be recognized as the favorite to win on Sunday.

MARCUS DUVAL - Marcus does not have Sean's long distance resume yet, but he is scary fast, especially in the water and on the bike. He'll need a big lead entering T2 if he wants to win. We think there is a podium step with his name on it. UPDATE: Injured. Unable to race.

JOE ADRIEANS - Joe's popped a 4:13 here in the past and is coming off a Top 10 effort at Des Moines 70.3 (4:15:19). A Top 3 on Sunday would be his third, having also done so in 2022 and 2017...

UPDATE: The women's race just got more competitive, as ELENA JASPER will be doing the half instead of the Olympic. Elena's PR is 4:47 and she'll likely go faster than that on Sunday. There's definitely a podum step with her name on it.

Other contenders? PETER WIKMAN is capable of stealing a medal. Peter's PR is 4:17. He'll have to better that if he wants to crack the Top 3. Darkhorses include speedy masters DAN ARLANDSON and BRANDON LEE.

UPDATE: Peter Wikman will be racing in the Olympic event.

Women:

PAIGE SCHULZ - A Bronze medalist here in 2021, Paige won Madison 70.3 last season is as coming off a 5th place finish at Des Moines last month. Her time there was 4:41:54. She's our pick to win.

BECKY YOUNGBERG (photo) - Becky owns Chisago's Masters record (4:37:04 - 2018) and at 49 is still capable of beatting 4:50. That would almost certainly put her on the podium next Sunday.

CAMI ECKHOFF and VANESSA NAGEL should battle for the final podium step. On paper they are evenly matched, with PRs hovering around the 4:50 mark. 

Our Chisago Olympic and Sprint previews will post later in the week.