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Team Minnesota Stuff...

Wednesday, 06 July 2016 23:10

At Lake Waconia a guy said, "Team Minnesota is always the same people. There doesn't seem to be much turnover."

Maturely, we replied, "Is too!

The guy retorted, "Is not!"

This argument went on for another minute before we simply agreed to disagree. We continue to respect each other and remain friends.

Nice allegory, huh?

So we went back to our orifice, which is how we affectionately refer to our office, and did some research. We hope that the guy will read this post. Most of it, anyway.

Let's start with the women. In 2015, the top 3 women--Heather Lendway, Dani Fischer and Cathy Yndestad-- from 2014 were ineligible for inclusion. Heather...

got her pro license, as did Dani, who then moved to Indianapolis. Cathy moved to a place called "Zug," which is in downtown Europe. Those women were replaced in '15 by Lisa Lendway (3rd), Gaby Bunten (5th) and Sheena Dauer (9th). Thus, the turnover rate was 30%. Semi-substantial.

As for the guys, four guys from 2014 were replaced in 2015. 40%. That's almost half.

There will be noticeable turnover this year, too, especially for the guys. It looks like at least four athletes will be replaced.

Here's how that breaks down: Bennett Isabella, #5 in 2015, is just too busy to race this year. He's opening a second dentistry office and his wife had a baby. Legit stuff. Nick Nygaard (7th in 2015) has a stress fracture, thus it's doubtful that if he races again this season, that his volume, and perhaps even his performance quality, will be sufficient to recieve a berth. Brian Sames (9th in 2015) moved to Illinois, and Devon Palmer (#10 in '15) has yet to do a multi this year. (Devon, get back in the game, okay? You're peers miss you.)

Next, two guys that appeared to be obvious heir apparents for berths, Mike Ward and Larry Hosch, will have questionable eligibility. Ward appears to be concentrating on ultrarunning this season, and he is having great success, and Hosch has been injured, but hopes to regain his form by August. Will it be too late by then? Will their racing volume (at an elite level) be sufficient at season's end?

For the women, though, only one 2015 member is ineligible to repeat. Elaine Nelson (#6 last year) is preggers.

Also, Nicole Heininger has moved to sultry Houston, the one in Texas. She has raced twice this year on Minnesota soil--2nd at Trinona, 5th @ Lake Waconia--and if she races well here at least two more times, she will be eligible for Team MInnesota consideration.

There are lots of great athletes waiting in the wings for spots on the teams. For the guys, there's Wade Cruser, Steve Morris, Jorday Roby, Corey Towle (photo R), Nathan Ansbaugh and Steve Sander, plus a few others.

For the women, it appears that Rookie of the Year frontrunner Hanna Grinaker is a shoo-in for a spot, which means that great athletes like Kelly Trom (top photo), Erin Farrens, Nicole Cueno, Jenn Scudiero and Angela Kidd, have their work cut out. We suspect that one or two of these women will race well enough to displace a Team '15 member.

Our point is this: Here in Minnesota, the talent just keeps coming. And that us a big part of what makes the multisport scene here so dang special.