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Brandon, Corey and Dillon...(And Peter, too)

Sunday, 12 November 2023 00:10

By Mav

Minnesota has a rich multisport tradition, boasting some of the nation’s top triathletes. In addition to those at the pointy end of the spear, there is tremendous depth in the caliber of racers. The MMH for Most Improved looks to highlight those athletes who regularly race fast and contend at events, but took their speed and dedication to a truly elite level this past season. Below, alphabetically, are the three men that Mav believes leaped from solid to elite in 2023:

Brandon Lee, 42, Hugo: Brandon, also a nominee for Master of the Year, was relatively new and unknown just two years ago. In 2022 he stepped up his game, and in 2023 he jumped up his game. Brandon raced every distance from sprint to full Ironman, and his results at every level contend against the state’s top guys.

Corey Nygaard, 24, Alexandria: Corey has posted solid results in the past, but this year he got significantly faster and began winning. He won at Alexandria in course record time, won at Green Lake Olympic by over 15 minutes in thanks to the fastest swim and bike splits, and placed second at Tinman Olympic. He also had a DNF at Buzz Ryan sprint because of a flat tire, but was closely chasing Andrew Manning....

Dillon Williams, 28, Minneapolis: Dillon has raced well since 2021, but started barking with the big dogs in 2023. He won at Turtleman Olympic, and he dipped under the 2:00 Olympic mark two times, placing 4th at Chisago and 7th at the hyper-competitive Maple Grove Olympic.

Goose's Comment: While I like Mav's picks, I truly believe that Peter Wikman deserves a nomination. There are a couple of categories that I believe should have four nominees, not three, and this is one of them.