Race Previews

A North Country Gem...

Thursday, 12 August 2021 00:10

18th NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON - A north country gem, this year's race will field almost 300 participants, most of whom are chronic recidivists. Our fingers are crossed that the air quality will have improved by August 14. (It should be!)

So, let's make some predictions. 

BROOKS GROSSINGER has this race dialed in. Fifteen starts, 15 wins. Moreover, he is the only male athlete who consistently breaks the 1-hour mark on this scenic .25 - 14 - 5K course. (He missed the mark by just six seconds last year, but splits suggested that the swim course was a bit long.)

Six-time Northwoods runner-up DAVID LEWIS, a Nevis resident who's wife, NANCY, is the event's terrific Race Director, should record his seventh silver next Saturday....

The women's race promises to be awesome. Past champs MATA AGRE, winner here in 2016, 2017, 2018, OLIVIA BERG, 2019 winner (top  photo), and CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, winner in 2012, are back. We believe it will require a sub-1:10 to beat these ladies, a feat that hasn't been accomplished here since 2015.

Is there someone in the field who can do that? We think so. CAMI ECKHOFF (photo R), currently the co-frontrunner for 2021 Rookie of the Year, who is coming off her first career  win at Big Lake Olympic, is certainly capable of making it two-in-a-row. So, we are predicting a 1:09 and back-to-back victories for the 35-year-old from Detroit Lakes.

And who will rock socks in the Age Groups? Here's a few predictions:

40-44M - BROOKS GROSSINGER

45-49 - DAVID LEWIS & NERISSA MARZOLF

50-54 - JEREMY BREKKE (ND) & ANGIE HOP

55-59W - CHERYL ZITUR

60-64W - ROBIN TEDLUND - Robin currently holds FIVE AG records at Northwoods.

70-74M - ROBERT KRANZ

UPDATE: We just learned that CHERYL ZITUR will be racing, which makes her one of the favorites. Also, OLIVIA BERG (foot injury?) will be racing in a relay, not individually.