Race Coverage

Eight AG Records Fall at Lake Minnetonka!

Saturday, 15 June 2019 23:10

LAKE MINNETONKA TRIATHON COVERAGE - TOM COUILLARD, a newcomer to "Level 7," set a new 70-74M age group record yesterday at the 16th edition of this classic event. On Facebook, he succinctly, yet eloquently, described the race:

 The Lake Minnetonka Triathlon does not go small on trophies for age-group winners. Like the lake itself, this race offers big challenges on a nasty weather day on the big water ... choppy waves in the half mile swim; never-ending hills and headwinds on the 15-mile bike; and nothing but rain, mud, muck and misery on the 3-mile run. Fun race!

Those last two words, especially, summed up the experience, not only for Tom, but for the other 466 participants who crossed LMT's mud-bog finish line.

In case you didn't know, Couillard, aka "The Pride of White Bear Lake," is a HOOT! He also shaved seven minutes off his AG's record. Here are the other AG records that were rewritten yesterday:

- 00-19 BOYS - KYLE SWENSON - 1:10:43 - Kyle, who also rocked an AG record at Buffalo Sprint, lowered a MICHAEL WILLIAMS (three-time Minnesota Junior of the Year!) record that has stood since 2006 (!) by 2:06....

- 00-19 GIRLS - ISABELLA BUENTING - 1:13:15 - Bella's time was SO special, not only because it lowered KRISTINA SWENSON'S 2016 AGR by 4:24, but because it landed her on the women's overall podium (3rd!). Only two other junior girls--Swenson in 2016 (7th place), and SHEALA MULLANEY IN 2005 (8th) and 2006 (10th)--have cracked the Top 10 here. FYI Swenson, now 22,  rocked a 5th place women's finish ysterday in a PR - 1:16:23.

- 40-44W / OVERALL MASTERS - For BECKY YOUNGBERG, 44, it was her fourth consecutive MR of the 2019 season. Her 1:12:03 was good for 2nd place overall and was 31-seconds better than HEIDI KELLER MILER's stout 2009 40-44W mark, and 10 seconds better than Heidi's overall women's masters record, set in 2011.

- 60-64M - TONY SCHILLER - 1:08:52 - Tony now owns three AG records. His effort on Saturday took down BEN EWERS' 2009 mark by 5:35. The 61-year-old Schiller placed 8th overall!

- 60-64W - HELEN GUENTHER - 1:28:26 - Gunther noted before the race that had JAN GUENTHER, now 60, not recently suffered a season-ending injury , her (Helen's) 2017 AGR would fall hard. Well, that mark did fall hard, but it was Helen, herself, that felled it. Her new time was 2:13 faster than her old AGR time.

- 75-79M - DOUG PFAFF - 1:57:49 - Doug's time sliced a chunky 12:23 off CHARLE'S MCJILTON's 2008 AGR.

More coverage coming soon!  RESULTS