Race Previews

Minnesotans Set to Excel in Northern Iowa Again...UPDATE!

Wednesday, 21 May 2025 00:10

TRI Clear Lake Preview - Historically, Minnesotans have excelled at this popular early season triathlon in northern Iowa, and several of them are returning. Let's start with the Sprint race:

MITCHELL CLAYTON, 29 - Mitch set the men's amateur sprint course record here in '24. He's coming off a very fast win at Tinman Olympic....

NOAH BILLINGS - A three-time winner here, he finished 2nd behind Clayton last year. UPDATE: Noah will be racing in the Olympic event on Saturday.

CORBIN DEICHMAN, 17 - 2024 Minnesota Junior of the Year, Corbin could rewrite Billings junior CR on May 24, which might land him a podium spot.

CHANTAL NACK, 28 - Chantal won here in 2023.

Olympic Race:

Des Moines pro TYSON WIELAND had won this race the last two years. JESS SMITH, a pro based in Clive, Iowa had won the last four editions of this race. We will not bet against Smith, though we believe that Wieland's winning streak will come to an end courtesy of Minneapolis pro TED TREISE (photo), who will be chasing TJ Tollakson's 2022 CR (1:50:55).

Minnesotan's contending for Top 5 spots:

NATHAN KIM - Three MMH nominations (Triathlete of the Year, Performance of the Year, Most Improved) is comng off a 1:53:26 second-place finish at St. Anthony's (St. Petersburg, FL). His close second at Maple Grove (1:52:50) was similarly impressive. We predict a Top 3 for Nathan.

PETER WIKMAN - Peter popped a sub-2-hour Olympic last year at Maple Grove. He'll need to do that if he hopes to secure a Top 5 at TRI Clear Lake.

MICAH WARNING - Micah placed 3rd (1st amateur) here in 2024.

Women:

ELENA JASPER - Yes, we think that Jess Smith will win, with Deephaven's Jasper taking 2nd and earning the women's amateur title.

UPDATE:  The swim was just cancelled!

More than 500 athletes will be racing at Clear Lake on the 24th. Will you be one of them? RACE WEBSITE