Race Previews

SCOTT, JENNY & THE SPUDSTER

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 06:00

The 5th edition of the NEW BRI TRI will be staged at beautiful Long Lake Park Reserve in New Brighton on Saturday (June 5). This event has grown steadily since its inaugural running in '06, when less than 70 athletes participated. In '09, this sprint distance event boasted nearly 400 finishers despite a rather large "stay-in-bed-because-the-weather-is-yucky" no-show rate. This year's race, despite sharing the weekend with the immensely popular Buffalo and Pigman Sprint triathlons, should match or outdraw 2009's numbers. Registration is still open. LINK

The reason's for New Bri Tri's popularity are many, the most obvious being the event's outstanding venue and annual upgrades in the areas of staging and execution.

A glance at the current list of registrants strongly suggests that the women's course record--Greta Simpson's 1:14:23, set in the rain last year (photo -L)--will undergo some serious revision. The woman who should do the rewriting is Jenny Wilcox, who despite never having raced up to her potential on this route (6th in 2008, 3rd in 2007), could lower Simpson's mark by as much as four minutes. If she races like she did in her CR-setting victories at Cinco Du Mayo and Oakdale (and her 2nd at Gear West!), and the weather cooperates, that is.

The forecast for Saturday morning is partly cloudy with temps in the high 60s or low 70s; afternoon highs around 80 degrees.

The men's course best--Patrick Parish's solid 1:03:44 posted in '08--is within reach for two-time Minnesota Most Improved nominee Scott Penticoff (photo - R),....

who is coming off a personal best and masters record-crushing effort at the Oakdale Duathlon. This is not to suggest that doing so will be easy. Record or not, a win for the 40-year-old Woodbury resident would be the 5th of his career.

For post-race flab, salt and basically empty calories, let us suggest the "Pizza of the Month" at New Brighton's Pizza Factory (WEBSITE), where the "Pizza of the Month" is frighteningly called "The Spudster" and contains the following lethal ingredients: Alfredo ranch sauce, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and real bacon bits.