Race Coverage

Nebraska Road Trip...

Saturday, 14 July 2018 23:10

Over the rocks and through the seaweed to transition one we flow. Minnesota knows the way, we’re ready to slay, a race we must undergo…

By Josh Reece

The University of Minnesota Collegiate Club Triathlon Team competed in Nebraska over the course of this weekend, in and around Werner Park in Omaha. With a unique dual-transition course setup, the Gophers battled through mounds of rocks and seaweed in the lake, climbed rolling hills and sand mounds on the bike route, and navigated challenging trails on the run. Despite the extreme conditions of the course, Minnesota came out on top of the Midwest conference colleges.

Gopher athletes swept the floor in the collegiate race with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishes in the individual Olympic men’s race alongside 1st and 2nd on the women’s side. Nikolas Pardoe took first for collegiate men, Andy Hardt took second, Joshua Reece took third, and Garrett Williams took fourth. Mélanie Mahoney took first for collegiate women and Julia Riedl wasn’t far behind in second place! Michelle Ring and Elizabeth van Laarhoven were fourth and fifth to round out the scoring for the Gophers....

Alongside team wins, Minnesota will spotlight several athletes who performed above and beyond expectations in their own regards. Joshua Reece was most improved for his performances across the board, with huge gains and fast splits to be boasted in just a month since his last race. Julia Riedl had a well-rounded race and, alongside Reece, achieved her first podium finish. Sophie Rabino took a first-place overall finish in the Aquabike event. Byron Smith, Iowa State alum and Minnesota team adviser, took 2nd place overall in the Olympic team relay.

A very special shoutout to Isaac Muscanto, second place in the Sprint race – it was his birthday on race day!

Despite the course challenges, Omaha was an overall fantastic race for the Minnesota Gophers.