Race Coverage
Great Racing in Muskie Town...
-
Sunday, 12 August 2018 23:10
NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON - Despite a tinge and scent of Canadian smoke in the air, conditions for Saturday's Northwoods Triathlon, the 16th edition, couldn't have been better. Temps and dew point were not issues, and wind was almost non-existent. It was a PR day, for sure, and many did just that.
BROOKS GROSSINGER (photo) came into the race with 13 Northwoods wins on his resume. Would he make it 14?
Standing in his way was JORDAN ROBY, who had beaten Brooks in two of their last three meetings. Grossinger is an established star. Roby is a rising one. The stage was set for a great battle.
And that's exactly what we got.
These guys stayed in visual acontact contact with each other from shoreline to finish line. As expected they went off the front ahead of the rest of a field that would boast 354 eventual finishers, including the last guy. His name is ADAM LOWREY. Adam, a 365-point friend of verteran Northwoodser ERIC YOUNG, was on hand to watch his friend crack the overall Top 5 in 2017. So inspired was he, that he dedicated hmself to doing the event in 2018. Down to 320, Adam perservered, and an enthusiastic crowd lined the final yards, cheering and offering high fives.
This was, for us, the highest highlight in a day that had no shortage of things to get excitied about....
Back to the battle for 1st and 2nd. Approaching the finish line, the men came into view together, not side-by-side, but close. Brooks had a slight lead, and with a hundred meters to go, found a gear that Roby couldn't match. Grossinger's winning time was 57:35, three seconds faster than his 2nd fastest time here, and only 29-seconds off the course record he set in 2014.
Wearing his signature smile, Roby finished in 37:43, the fastest time ever by a first-time Northwoods participant. The previous fastest first time effort was CASEY MILLER's 59:41, posted in 2016.
Rounding out the men's podium was Nevis' own DAVID LEWIS, 44, a two-time runner-up here. He PRed Big Time, popping a 59:57, crushing his previous best by 1:05.
It was the first time in race history that three men covered the .25 - 14 - 5K route in under one hour.
Perhaps as significant as the speed up front, was the speed demonstrated by newbie THOMAS DATWYLER, whose first tri produced a 4th place overall finish. Jordan, a good friend of Tom's, needs to make sure that his bud races in at least two more multis this season. If he continues to race well, a Rookie of the Year nomination may come his way.
MATA AGRE had taken the women's title her in each of the last two years. On paper, she was the woman to beat. Her winning time in 2016 was 1:14:28. She was four seconds faster than that last year. On Saturday, however, thanks to dramatically improved swim and bike splits, the 23-year-old all-around endurance athlete blasted her way to a 1:10:17. Her closest challenger was OLIVIA BERG, whose time was 1:11:21. An infrequest triathlon racer, Olivia's effort appeared to be a breakout performance.
Northwoods regular NARISSA MARZOLF filled out the women's podium, her 1:12:51 a personal best here by a margin of 2:41.
The following AGers set divisional records.
- 40-44M - BROOKS GROSSINGER - 57:35 (Old Mark - 58:43)
- 55-59W - ROBIN TEDLUND - 1:13:07 (Old Mark - 1:21:36 - FYI - Robin now owns four AG records here)
- 65-69M - JOHN MAHOWALD - 1:19:07 (Old Mark - 1:25:06)
- 70-74M - DANNY KAGOL - 1:28:40 (Old Mark - 1:29:10)
- 80-84M - EDWARD BOLTON - 1:49:53 (No prior record)
