Race Coverage

The Hartland Express....

Tuesday, 20 June 2017 23:10

Photo - Ironman / farmer / philanthropist Jeff Dahle.

ROCHESTERFEST COVERAGE - As JEFF DAHLE, 54, from Morristown, approached the finish line at Sunday's RochesterFest Olympic Triathlon, the announcer referred to him as "Minnesota's fastest farmer triathlete."

The announcer was wrong, and Dahle let him know it via a Facebook message, saying in effect that MITCH BREKKE is actually the fastest triathlete/farmer. Dahle referred to Brekke as "The Hartland Express."

As luck would have it, The Hartland Express WON this year's RochesterFest Olympic, the third win of his young multisport career. His margin of victory was substantial, too: 4:35.

As for Dahle, he still deserved rockstar treatment, and not only for being, perhaps, the 2nd fastest famer/triathlete in Minnesota, but for being the most generous one. Last Sunday he brough a bag of Fun Size candy bars that took two hands to lift. Anyone on the venue, participants, volunteers, spectators, vendors, you name it, who desired a Twix or a Snickers or a Milky Way could have as many as they wanted....

Do you know Jeff? He's a wonderful guy.

The Hartland Express was joined in the winner's circle by LORETTA WOLLIN-CRAKER, a very nice lady whose husband Duane looks a lot like actor Dennis Quaid.

In the companion Sprint event, KEVIN O'CONNOR outraced the field, becoming the first athlete in RF's ten-year history to have won both the Olympic and Sprint tris. His time was 50:46, the second fastest clocking ever here, and one which crushed the masters record.

For O'Connor, the win was his 18th since the 2013 season. By contrast, his co-winner at RFS was NICOLE KILGO, whose victory, like Wollin-Craker's, was the first of her mutisport career.

The race, produced by Final Stretch, featured "The Rookie Triathlete Experience," and approximately thirty first-timers participated. As in 2016, the program was very successful, and should be a model for other events to emulate.   RESULTS

Final Stretch's next multisport race is the Lake Waconia Triathlon, which will be previewed for the second time on this site on Thursday. It's an awesome event with a storied history. And you can still get in. RACE WEBSITE