Race Coverage

Syvertson Sets Record....Updated...

Friday, 10 May 2019 23:10

TINMAN TRIATHLON - SPENCER SYVERTSON, pronounced "See-vert-son," not "Sigh-vert-son," contacted the MTN Guys last week. He was curious about the Morris Tinman's Sprint men's course record. We did some digging and reported that the CR - 1:04:33 was set back in 2014 by South Dakotan CRAIG HARRISON.

Despite facing ferocious winds this morning, Syvertson managed to blow the doors off the Sprint record, taking it down by 3:10. The 22-year-old Paynesvillian is a Minnesota State grad and is a good friend of JAKE BRAAM, who is a very cool guy, He also has really good pull-up form (top photo).

Placing 2nd after Spencer was elite junior JACK HENNEN, 18, of Cambridge, whose 1:07:59 torched the junior course record by 7:40. We'd be surprised if Jack didn't garner a Junior of the Year nomination at season's-end. Jack is quite tall, has really good hair and looks great in collarless shirts (photo below R)....

Earning his 4th podium finish, including a win (2017), in as many starts since 2015 was THOMAS PAHL, 43, OF Sauk Centre. Pahl did his undergraduate work at UM-Morris. Here's some great stuff we learned about him on the Internet:

Tom is a board certified physician assistant with years of experience in rural emergency medicine.

He has a common sense approach to medicine, listening carefully to his patient’s concerns and symptoms and working with them to establish a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Leading the way for the women in the Sprint was Hancock's KELLY SCHMIDGALL, who is a nurse who likes Christian music and enjoys "Modern Family." Oak Station Coffee & Cone in Freeport, a very cool barn-like place, is one of her favorite places to get coffee and ice cream.

Unlike Syvertson, Kelly's win wasn't a runaway. In fact, only 11-seconds separated her from 2nd-placer MICHELLE MOLITER. The 29-year-old from Belgrade did this race in 2018,where she finished LAST in a time that was more than 27 minutes slower than this time around. How cool is that! Her swim improved by 25 seconds/100yd. She rode three mph faster and her running pace dropped from 11:41/mile to 8:48/mile.

Way to go, Michelle! Well done!

In 3rd place, 1:08 behind Michelle was bronze medalist TANYA COLLINS of Deer Creek. We read a very cool story about Tanya, who is a very crafty and philanthropic person. Check out what she did in 2011 for her tornado-ravaged hometown. LINK

Winning the accompanying Tinman Olympic (1K-19-10K) was former Minnesotan MICK BAKKER. A current resident of Anchorage, Alaska, Mick now has three Tinman titles. His time this moring was 1:48:24, a one-second PR. 

TYSON MOLITER of Belgrade, and FRANK KOCH of Litchfield, filled out the men's podium. Tyson likes toucans, thanks perhaps to his childhood love of Froot Loops, and is totally ripped (photo L). Frank is into fishing and likes to watch "Shark Tank," which is not about fishing. He heartily recommends the Parkville Grille in downtown Litchfield.

No women competed in the Olympic race this year.  RESULTS

ED. Oops! We just discovered that MITCHELL CLAYTON set Tinman's sprint record in 2016. The former Minnesota Junior of the Year's  time was 1:05:19. Apologies to Mitchell and Jack Hennen for our error.