Race Coverage
Great Racing at Trinona XIV!....
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Monday, 10 June 2024 00:10
Trinona Coverage - Road construction has forced the alteration of Trinona's intermediate bike course for the last two years. The route is approximately five kilometers shorter than the standard 1.5K - 40K - 10K. This explains why the frontrunner's threw down such fast times yesterday. It shoulld be noted that Trinona's bike course, full distance or shortened version, is seriously challenging. Most would agree that Trinona's international bike course is the toughest in our region....
The three guys who went off the front are ""premier wavers" PRESTON YOUNGDAHL and TIMOTHY BONTRAGER,plus MARCUS DUVAL, who should have lauched in the first heat. Duval's creds are impressive. He's a pro cyclist and a former NCAA All American swimmer. Youngdahl's bike split was insane, but Marcus' was even insaner. The race was decided on the run, with the favored Youndahl living up to his reputation. On Minnesota soil, Preston has ten wins in eleven starts. His time yesterday was 1:55:37. Bontrager, who is coming off a breakout year in 2023, finished in 1:58:44, just three seconds facter than Duval's untilmate clocking.
The women's podium featured a pair of BFFs, both of whom are returning after a year off, brackening an athlete from Grayslake, Illinois. KATIE DEREGNIER collected her third career triathlon win and second podium finish of the young 2024 season, with a 5:03 margin of victory over CHANDRA RIBERICH. We don't know much about Chandra but, thanks to Facebook, we do know she loves animals and has qualified for the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Nice. France.
Third place was earned by KRISTEN HAWKINS, Katie's good friend whose '24 scorecard includes a 4th at TriByKnight (IA), where Katie took 2nd, and her 3rd here at Trinona.
In the Sprint race, 2022 champ NOAH BILLINGS, 17, faced off against MITCHELL CLAYTON, the man who outraced him at Tri Clear Lake. Billings, a two-time Junior of the Year, was coming off a huge win at PIgman Sprint, thus he was confident and ready for the challenge. As with the top men in the International race, the outcome was determined on the run, with Billings coming out on top by 36-seconds, 55:58 to 56:34.
Leading the way for the Sprint women was local college professor/triathlete ROBYN WANGBERG, who finished 2:49 n from of 16-year-old runner-up CHLOE MAGNUSON.
Top Photo - A very cool pic from Trinona 2023.
Other Photo - Chandra Riberich's cat.
