Race Coverage
Andy & Kristina...
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Tuesday, 06 June 2017 19:10
ATTENTION: In case you haven't heard, the LAKE MINNETONKA TRIATHLON on June 17 is FULL. Athletes from 13 states and China will be competing. Though you cannot get in as a participant, we invite you to participate as a volunteer or spectator.
WAIT! You can get in. We forgot to mention that Ross is offering 10 Charity Slots, so you can get in if you act right now!
BUFFALO SPRINT - Two-time Buffalo Sprint champ CHERYL ZITUR was determined to collect her 3rd win here, but a flat in T1 required too much time to repair. Gamely, she pushed on to an 8th place finish, which was remarkable under the circumstances.
Zitur's misfortune opened the door for other athletes to vie for the Top Spots. The competition was fierce, resulting in a contest where an unprecedented eight women were able to crack the 1:10 mark. This fact is all the more remarkable when one considers that, in general, the times posted in the simultaneously contested Olympic race were slower than usual, as many wilted in the heat and wind.
Leading the way for the women was 2016 Junior of the Year runner-up KRISTINA SWENSON (photo).The 20-year-old Iowa State Cylone strung together satisfying split en route to a 1:05:42, the 2nd fastest women's time in the three-year history of this race....
This was Swenson's second career multisport win.
A pair of elite masters--JODY QUESNELL,49, and LAURA SWARTZ, 50,--claimed the silver and bronze positions, and did so with brisk clockings. Jody is a former Timberman Sprint and Heart of the Lakes Short Course champion. Swartz is a two-time Buffalo Sprint winner, doing so in 2015 and 2008.
Despite the difficult conditions, seven men managed to crack the one hour mark. Only two guys had done that in the first two years that this course was in play.
ANDY WIBERG successfully defended his 2016 title, doing so in a course record 56:44. His closest challenger was JOSH MORK, who's 57:15 put him on the Most Improved radar. CHRIS TATTON, 40, placed 3rd and crushed the event's masters record in the process.
Speaking of records, seven divisional marks were rewritten, some by humongous margins:
- 00-19W - TAYLOR LUNDQUIST - 1:10:49 (Old Mark: 1:14:27)
- 40-44M - CHRIS TATTON - 57:22 (Old Mark - 1:03:44)
- 50-54M - ROB MADWICK - 1:01:30 (Old Mark - 1:04:28
- 55-59M - CRAIG PETERSON - 1:04:18 (Old Mark - 1:07:38)
- 60-64M - LEN KLUN - 1:07:44 (Old Mark - 1:08:08) - FYI - Len was celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary on race day!
- 65-69M - NEIL KING - 1:08:35 (Old Mark - 1:20:24)
- 70-74M - ROBERT KRANZ - 1:32:33 (Old Mark - None)
