Race Coverage

Let's Make it a Party!

Sunday, 09 September 2018 23:20

SQUARE LAKE SPRINT COVERAGE & ONE LAST TRI PREVIEW - In our Square Lake preview we made some 70.3 predictions but said little in that regard about the sprint, except that we would keep our eye on Duluth's SHYANNE MCGREGOR, because a great performance could round out a resume that could earn her a Rookie of the Year nomination. The reason we didn't make more predictions is, like with the St. Paul Triathlon, we believed that late registrants would lead the way.

Man, were we right. (We were also right about Shyanne, too. She finished 4th in the women's competition, and a ROY nomination seems likely.)

Late registering elites ANDY WIBERG, 40, and DIANE HANKEE, 41, led the way for their respective genders, both recording substantial margins of victory last Sunday. For Wiberg, the win was the 8th of his career. For Hankee, the 2017 Minnesota Female Master of the Year, the victory was #32.

RYAN COLLISON's name was on the original roster, and we believed that another podium finish, he now has three of those in 2018, including a win at Big Lake Olympic, would come his way. He finished 2nd at Square Lake, one of the most beautiful, and beastly, triathlon locales anywhere. ...

Third place was earned by an athlete who might, like Duluth mom McGregor, pick up a Rookie of the Year nomination. His name is TOM DATWYLER, he's 31, but could pass for 18. Nice guy. Bright competitive future.

Placing 2nd for the women was another athlete who will be part of the discussion for post-season honors. Her name is EMILY GAGE and her '18 scorecard features two wins--Big Lake Sprint and St. Paul Sprint--plus 2nds at Minneapolis Sprint and Square Lake. In just her sophomore racing season, Emily is a strong candidate for a Most Improved nomination, and was criminally overlooked (our bad!) for a Rookie of the Year nomination in 2017. The MMA (now MMH, i.e. Minnesota Multisport Honors) Committee, especially their chairman, totally blew it. Sorry, Emily.

Third place for the women was earned by LAUREN SELL, who impressed us with her performances at Maple Grove Sprint the last two years.

We also want to mention the 5th place finisher in the women's race: ARIANNA WERTS. The 17-year-old Rochester resident's effort put her in the hunt for a Junior of the Year nomination. Candidates need at least three outstanding performances to be eligible for consideration, and Square Lake was Arianna's third race of the year. She had not only won the junior title each time, she set divisional records in all three.

Two-hundred-and thirty-one athletes finished on Sunday, and with Saturday's 70.3, more than 400 athletes went the distance. It was a wonderful weekend. RESULTS

Now, the reason we are combining coverage with a preview of next Sunday's 13th annual ONE LAST TRI Olympic and Sprint races is because, once again, we are convinced that late registration will be large and will include many of our state's top swim-bike-runners. Current sign-ups include GAGE and COLLISON, as well as 16-year-old SIMONE LUNDQUIST, who won her first adult tri last month at YoungLife in Detroit Lakes. 

Three-hundred-or-so athletes were on the list we saw, and we'd love to see those numbers balloon. Here's what the MTN Guys posted on our Facebook page yesterday: 

Hey Triathletes! Let's end the 2018 tri season on an optimistic high note. Let's make sure that next Sunday's One Last Tri has a huge turnout and make the event into a real party. So, if you can squeeze in one more entry fee, please do that, okay? We'd love to see you at Ramsey County Beach on White Bear next weekend.

Let's make this happen!