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Maple Grove Tri Stuff....
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Saturday, 23 August 2014 13:17
5th Annual LIFE TIME TRI - MAPLE GROVE TRIATHLON - With almost 1600 entrants this was the largest multisport event staged on Minnesota soil this year. Great competition and cooperative weather resulted in fast, exciting racing. As he did in 2012, Iowa transplant KRIS SPOTH won the men's Olympic race, doing so in a personal best 1:57:59. CHRISTINA ROBERTS led from the get-go for the women. She turned in a PR - 2:11:25.
The Maple Grove Sprint was won convincingly by BRIAN SAMES (56:59) and CHERYL ZITUR (1:04:43).
SPOTH and DIANE HANKEE were crowned 2014 Life Time Minnesota Series champions.
Photos and lots more words will post on Tuesday. RESULTS
Drafting in Detroit...
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Saturday, 23 August 2014 00:10
By Heather Lendway (heatherlendway.com)
About a month ago, thinking forward to next year, I had emailed USA Triathlon to find out more about draft legal triathlons as a potential way to get into ITU racing. As a strong swimmer and biker, I may not be the ideal draft legal racing candidate but I didn’t want to write it off. I got a response that informed me there would be a draft legal race in Detroit in two weeks. I was competing at USAT Nationals in a week and planned to race the following Sunday at the YWCA women’s tri, both of which I still wanted to race.
Since I don’t own a draft legal bike, I sent an email to Kevin O’Conner and Hannah Sullivan at Gear West right away. Almost immediately I got a response that they could definitely help me get setup to race. Last minute planning is not my style but within 24 hours I was registered for the race, had a flight and hotel booked,...
Metric Tons of Love...
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Friday, 22 August 2014 00:10
YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri 2014 Race Recap...
By Nicole Cueno
Last Sunday, the Seventh Annual YWCA of Minneapolis brought at least 1,050 women, a metric ton of love, and more smiles than anyone could count, across their finish line at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis. The race, known both for fielding a strong open wave and catering to all level of female athlete, did not disappoint: records were broken by top competitors and hearts melted at the tear-jerking Friends and Family finishes.
Heather Lendway, continuing her streak of wins and smashing course records was the unsurprising winner in 1:03:16 on the sprint course (500y swim, 15.5 mi bike, 5k run). She lowered the previous record by an astonishing 4:09, set by Claire Bootsma in 2011, after not only winning USA Triathlon Nationals the previous weekend but after racing just the day before at the U25 Elite Development Draft Legal Race in Detroit, MI. Look for her race reports on both that race and the YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri later this week.
Lendway was followed by another Lendway. Lisa Lendway crossed the finish line in 1:10:52. For the special family awards at the YWCA of Minneapolis Women’s Tri, they made for unmatchable competition in the family Sister-Sister Awards. Gaby Bunten (1:11:04), Claire Bootsma (1:11:43…post and pre-overnight RN shifts), ...
The "Fun Size" Equalizer...
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Thursday, 21 August 2014 00:10
LIFE TIME TRI - MAPLE GROVE - According to Gaby Bunten's Facebook page, Kris Spoth (pronounced "Spoath") is like the best boyfriend ever.
We'll take her word for it because we've met him and he seems to be a great guy. Besides, we really like the shirt he's wearing in the photo (L).
And what are those long things sticking out of their tropical drinkie-poohs? Back scratchers?
We digress.
Kris is a two-time winner of the Maple Grove Triathlon's Collegiate competition. On one of those occasions (2012), he won the race outright. His 2:03:07 is the fastest amateur time at MGO.
Gaby (pronounced "Gabby") is also a past collegiate champ here.
Because the Maple Grove Olympic Triathlon is the third and final event in Life Time's Minnesota Series, we thought it would be totally cool to employ a Life Time-esque "Equalizer" to determine if the boyfriend outraced the girlfriend ...
Stuff From Last Weekend...
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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 00:10
ST. PAUL TRIATHLON - The husband/wife team of SCOTT and ANDREA MYERS shared the Winners Circle at the St. Paul Olympic Tri at Lake Phalen ast Sunday. Both won by commodious margins, Scotty by 4:59, Andi by 6:55. The event had 74 finishers. RESULTS
ST. PAUL SPRINT - This event was won by MARCUS DUVAL and CATHERINE LEE, whose husband Terry took care of their totally cute toddler named Elliot so she could race. That arrangement worked out well. Cathy knows a lot about food and food preparation. Marcus is a former star swimmer at Illinois Wesleyan University and he has spiky blond hair. Three hundred and seventeen athletes crossed the finish line. RESULTS
MINNESOTA SENIOR GAMES TRIATHLON - The St. Paul Triathlon hosted this event which we think is a National Championship event for 50-plussers, but we're not sure. Coming out on top of the 25-member field was Stillwater's MIKE LYNER, 60, who's from England and has a great accent. The women's winner was KATHRYN JENSEN, 50, who is a St. Paul Triathlon veteran with consistently great results. On Sunday she was 2nd overall. She sometimes winks at her friends when she comes out of the water (photo L). RESULTS ...
