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An Annual Classic...
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Thursday, 27 June 2013 03:10
Lake Waconia XXIV - The most competitive of the five tris that will be staged in Minnesota (and Hudson, WI) this weekend will be the Lake Waconia Triathlon. Races don't have to have crazy-good fields to be excellent, of course, but those that do invariably have an extra layer of excitement.
The LWT has been Minnesota's qualifying event for the Best of the US National Championship since the BOUS Series began in 2005. Though this has doubtlessly contributed to LWT's impressive field quality, one need only look at the fields that were assembled prior to ought-5 to see that this race has always appealed to fast folks.
Who'll will be racing on Sunday? Here are some of the fast guys and gals that will be there.
- David Thompson - DKT hasn't raced here since 2004, his first season as a pro. He won that year. (He placed 3rd in his only other LWT appearance in 2001.) He has not raced on the current .5-20-4 course, which has been in place...
V3 Minneman Stuff...
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Wednesday, 26 June 2013 03:10
Minneman IX - The 9th annual Minneman Sprint and 2nd annual Minneman Olympic, hereafter known as the V3 Minneman, are set for this Saturday at Lake George in Oak Grove. The tri venue is one of the region's best and the courses are flat, fast and scenic. The sprint is as fine an introductory experience as any in the region.
Let's do some predictions. Understanding that the weekend is engorged with races--Minneman, Average Jo, Croixathlon, Lake Waconia and North Mankato--which spreads the talent around like cream cheese on a bagel, and that the registration list we saw was partial and that some late sign-ups will likely finish well, we will say that we have a special level of excitement for
Virgins Rule...
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Wednesday, 26 June 2013 01:10
By Chris Crocker (President and unelected despot of the Greater Mankato Multisport Club)
The Inaugural St James Triathlon was a resounding success on what began as a stormy Sunday morning. This was a new race this year in what is becoming a burgeoning Triathlon community in Southern Minnesota. St James is just the latest town to add a triathlon to their summer events, and join the ranks of Mankato, Waseca, Fairmont, Albert Lea, Jackson, St Peter, and Rochester as great racing options south of the Twin Cities.
St James was well organized, and had enviable door prizes to include bikes, an iPod and other great prizes! The pool swim made the race a great way to break into the sport for tri virgins and nervous open water swimmers; which
Bourne-Again Triathlete...
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Monday, 24 June 2013 04:20
RochesterFest VI - Do you remember the beginning of "The Bourne Supremacy" where Matt Damon as Jason Bourne was running on the beach in western India? He was going balls-out, world-record pace and wasn't even breathing. His mouth didn't move at all. He wasn't puffing, much less panting.
How can he do that?
Well, apparently it can be done 'cuz that "fast-yet-non-breathing" style is how Kat Schlaefer runs (photo L - nice "Gunshow"). It's amazing. And despite being, as they say in Bournesque espionage-istic jargon, "off the grid" in 2011, Ms. Schaleger's O2-less running has helped propel her to victory in six of her last 12 multisport starts, the most recent of which was on Sunday at the 6th annual RochesterFest Olympic....
Breakouts & Runaways...
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Monday, 24 June 2013 03:20
(Photo - Rookie triathlete Larry Hosch.)
Graniteman-St. Cloud - David Phillips, a Maple Grove-based New Zealander, who has a cool accent and calls some of his friends,"mates," came into Sunday's soggy, windy, rain-delayed Graniteman-St. Cloud Triathlon knowing that he was destined to win races. How soon he would chalk up that first W was the question. He'd already come within one place of the top spot at Buffalo Sprint on June 2, and at Du at the Dam and Maple Grove Sprint in 2012.
Was Sunday going to be the breakout day? Or would he have to wait?
Thanks largely to a big-time bike split, Sunday was the day. David
