FEATURES
Gaby and Josh are Athletes of the Month...
-
Sunday, 01 September 2019 23:10
AUGUST 2019 ATHLETS OF THE MONTH - To be eligible, athletes must turn in at least two outstanding performances during the prior month, in this case, August 2019.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH - GABY BUNTEN, 27, North Oaks
Gaby excelled on the national and international stages in August. Here are her highlights:
- 5th overall woman @ USAT Sprint Nationals
- 5th overall woman @ USAT Olympic Nationals
- 11th overall woman / 2nd US @ Lausanne (CHE) World Age Group Championships.
HM - BECKY YOUNGBERG, 44, Eden Prairie (See "Female Master of the Month" for resume.)
MALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH - JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 39, Duluth
Selecting triathlete / shark wrestler Josh B was an easy choice for us. Here are Josh's August highlights:
- 1st @ Brewhouse Olympic - 1:57:15 (Course Record - Take that, Wade Cruser!)
- 1st @ Lakes Country Triathlon - 57:49
JUNIOR OF THE MONTH - GIRLS - TAYLOR LUNDQUIST, 19, Maple Grove
A three-time JOY nominee, an award she won in 2017, Taylor rocked two great performances in August on back-to-back days:
- 1st overall woman @ Graniteman Big Lake Sprint
- 1st Junior / 4th overall @ Brewhouse Sprint
HM- SIMONE LUNDQUIST, 16, Maple Grove (1st overall female @ Young Life Sprint, 2nd overall / 2nd Junior @ Graniteman Big Lake Sprint, 2nd overall / 1st Junior @ Lakes Country, 2nd Junior / 8th overall @ Brewhouse Sprint.) A strong case could be made for Simone to be August JOM. In the end, though, her sister beat her twice, thus Taylor got the nod.
JUNIOR OF THE MONTH - BOYS - CARSON DEICHMAN, 16, Mankato
The brother of two-time JOY nominee, Carson truly came into his own this season. He was especially impressive in August:
- 1st Junior / 2nd overall @ Green Lake Sprint
- 1st Junior 3rd overall @ Lakes Country
- 1st Junior / 6th overall @ Hopkins Royal (AG Record)
FEMALE MASTER OF THE MONTH - BECKY YOUNGBERG, 44, Eden Prairie
Duh! Becky has won two AOMs and MOMs already this season. She is simply one of our country's premier Masters triathletes.
- 1st AG @ Sprint Nationals / 15th overall
- 1st AG @ Olympic Nationals / 17th overall
- 1st overall woman @ Maple Grove Olympic - 2:06:06 (Margin of victory: 4:20!)
HM - CHERYL ZITUR, 54, Corcoran (1st overall woman @ Maple Grove Sprint, 3rd / 1st 50+ @ YWCA Women's Triathlon); KORTNEY HAAG, 40, Maple Grove (1st overall @ Graniteman Big Lake Olympic - CR, 2nd overall woman / 2nd Master @ Maple Grove Olympic)
MALE MASTER OF THE MONTH - BROOKS GROSSINGER, 42, Mayer
This was a tight race between Brooksie and Thunder Bay's Kris Nisula, who has raced in Minnesota three times this season, twice in August.
- 1st overall @ Northwoods Triathlon
- 1st Master / 2nd overall @ Xterra Sleeping Giant.
HM - KRIS NISULA, Thunder Bay, ONT (1st overall @ Brewhouse Sprint, 3rd overall / 2nd Master @ Superior Man, 3rd overall / 2nd Master @ Xterra Sleeping Giant)
GRAND MASTER OF THE MONTH (Coed) - LEN KLUN, 65, Maple Plain
Len raced twice in Auugust, setting AG records both times.
- 1st AG @ Graniteman Big Lake Sprint - AGR (Margin of victory 9:31)
- 1st AG @ Green Lake Sprint - AGR - (Fastest male over 50)
