Race Coverage

Hip-Hop Hats, Flappy Inflatables & the "I Made It" Lady....

Saturday, 08 September 2018 23:10

SQUARE LAKE 70.3 - JESSIE STEVENS called it "the most fun I've ever had at a race."

She was talking about yesterday's Square Lake 70.3, its 18th edition, and her epic womano-a-womano battle with eventual winner JAN GUENTHER (photo).

Clad in bright yellow socks and a slightly oversized Ricky Fowler (golf reference) hip-hop hat, she was making a strong sartorial statement as well as a strong athletic one, as she dogged Guenther from beach to finish line. Having not raced in these scenic, rolling environs since her victorious effort here in 2003, Guenther relied on long-stored muscle memory to keep herself at the front of the women's race. And it wasn't until the later miles of the relentlessly hilly run course,that she managed to establish a comfortable gap.

The 59-year-old Guenther, still a world class amateur endurance athlete, was exhausted and sore when she crossed the finish line in 5:12:48. Stevens was smiling ear-to-ear when she arrived 2:25 later, rightfully proud of her performance.

Claiming the final step of the women's podium was KELLI MORETTER-BUE, whose 2018 tri resume features a 2nd (Waseca), third (Square Lake) and an eighth (Maple Grove Olympic)....

Unsurpringly, REED STEELE was the first guy to emerge from the crystalline waters of Square Lake, lured to shore by one of those flappy inflatables, the kind you see at used car lots. He would hold his position through the first lap of the bike, but would be overtaken by Madison, Wisconsin's BEN LINDELL, who placed 4th at Superior Man in 2016 in 4:14, and two-time Square Lake winner (2015, 2012) DAN ARLANDSON.

Steele  is an accomplished runner but he would not be able to hold on to the final podium spot. He would be overtaken by JESSOP KEENE, a former collegiate track and cross country star at UW-Stout. Not satisfied with 3rd place, Keene then picked off Arlandson, then Lindell. Jessop's winning time was 4:22:21. Ben arrived 1:02 later.

Yesterday was a great day for a great challenge, and many of the finishers echoed the sentiment interally, if not the actual words, of the sweet older lady who stood up in the shallows after her 1.2 mile swim and exclaim joyfully, "I made it!"  RESULTS

ED. The event distributes awards to 10-year age groups. MTN archives results for 5-year groups. Here is a screen shot of our overall Top 10 and AG winners.