Race Coverage

DEVON GOT 'ER DONE...

Monday, 07 June 2010 06:00

(Photo: Incognito MJETs. Devon shaved his Hitler 'stache before the race. Lauren did not.)

St. Paul's Devon Palmer (photo) collected his 7th career multisport win on Sunday at the 18th annual Pigman Sprint Triathlon. The bright and amiable first-year pro who has cool hair, the bushy kind that never needs to be combed, was the first of six Minnesota men to crack the overall Top 8. The others were 6 or 7 time Pigman Sprint winner Kevin O'Connor (2nd), eight-time PS champ Brian Bich (4th), 20-year old Kyle Serreyn (6th), John Heinlein III (7th) and three-time Minnesota Junior of the Year Michael Williams (8th).

A great swim followed by his signature supersonic bike split--1:19 faster than O'Connor's 2nd fastest split--delivered Palmer to T2 with a nearly insurmountable lead. Kevin was able to make up 54 seconds on the run (and a faster transition). Still Devon won by a thick margin of 56 seconds....

Though Minnesota's women were not as well represented as in past years, Rochester's Joanna Hall (7th) and 2nd-year triathlete Lauren Rantala, 20 (8th) turned in solid efforts against a field that included two-time USAT AG National Champion Jennifer Garrison (2nd place), Iowa's top girl Tami Richie (4th), former Iowan who placed 2nd here in '09, Jenny Powell, and PS winner Emily Shoopman, who was also the amateur champion (5th woman overall) at Rev3-Knoxville last month. RESULTS