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Locals Impress at Alexandria...
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Sunday, 28 July 2024 00:10
ALEXANDRIA TRIATHLON COVERAGE - Unless the internet was mistaken, conditions facing the triathlons were not ideal. It was a pretty. day to look at, but temps had already reached eighty and wind gusted at twenty-plus miles-per-hour. Conservative pacing with lots of internal and external hydration seemed to be called for. Forget about PRs and course records.
Some athletes ignored that memo. SPENCER SYVERTSON turned in what was probably his finest performance ever in June at the Lake Minnetonka Triathlon, where he placed a close 2nd behind the seemingly unbeatable Preston Youngdahl. He demonstrated a new level of speed and tenacity on that day. His performance at Alex last Saturday was arguably superior to his LMT effort. He not only won the race handily, he nuked the men's race record. (Note: New 5K run course.) Outstanding splits in each discipline kept him in front of 2023 champ, and eventual runner-up COREY NYGAARD, who like Spencer, should recive Most Improved Triathlete nominations at season's end. It would be cool to have two Alexandria residents on the list of MI nominees....
Brewhouse #37 Preview...Updated...
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Saturday, 27 July 2024 00:10
37th BREWHOUSE TRIATHLON PREVIEW - We are expecting an awesome event to unfold this weekend at Island Lake. Here are our picks to set the pace at BH XXXVII on Sunday:
Olympic Men -
JOSH BLANKENHEIM - Josh set the men's course record --1:57:15--on BH's original Island Lake course, and he's returning to the event for the first time since setting that mark in 2019. He's been Duluth's numero un male triathlete since the retirement of Brian Bich a decade ago and we expect him to prevail on Sunday. A win would be his third on this course. So you know, the amateur men's record here is Jason Crisp's 1:56:49. Weather permitting, we predict that Josh will pop a sub 1:55 this weekend.
JASON CRISP - Jason wasn't on the registration list that Matt shared with us, but we'd be surprised if he didn't race. He's got a pair of 2nd place finishes this season and we predict that he will place 3rd on Sunday. We think he'll give Blankenheim and Spencer Syvertson a good push.
SPENCER SYVERTSON - Spence has upped his game this year, as he clearly demonstrated when he gave Preston Youngdahl a scare at Lake Minnetonka. We think he will give Blankenheim a similar race on Sunday, and like Blank, turn in a time that's faster than the current CR....UPDATE: Spencer torched the men's racerecord at Alexandria this morning (7/27)...
3rd Annual Chisago Olympic & Sprint - Preview...With Updates...
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Thursday, 25 July 2024 00:10
Photo - We couldn't resist posting this photo of Stephanie Peterson hangin' with Paul Bunyan. Who knew Paul was into corndogs?
CHISAGO LAKES OLYMPIC & SPRINT PREVIEW - Below are MTN's podium picks for next Sunday's Olympic and Sprint races:
Olympic Men:
TIM BONTRAGER - Tim is our clear choice to win this event next Sunday. Hs podium performances at Trinona, Door Country , Pleasant Prairie and Maple Grove were fast, and the guys that outraced him, all national class athletes, did so by small margins. We think Tim will rewrite the men's course record.
TEVIN NEEGARD - Off the radar last year, he's one of the faves this season to win the Most Improved Triathlete honor.
NOAH BILLINGS - Noah should finish no lower than 3rd, and could land in 2nd. He is the reigning Junior National chmpion and has already won three races this year....
PETER WIKMAN - In three Olympic starts in 2023, Peter recorded a win and two seconds. A podium on Sunday is very possible.
20th Chisago Half Preview...Updated!
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Tuesday, 23 July 2024 00:10
CHISAGO LAKES HALF IRON PREVIEW - Here are MTN's podium picks for next Sunday's race. We base our selections on last week's entrants list. It is possible, perhaps likely, that other podium contenders have registered since then.
Men:
SEAN COOLEY - Sean has won six halves in his stellar career, one of them here. HIs time was 4:06:52 on a warm non-wetsuit morning. He's placed 2nd at Chisago twice and has broken 4:10 on this course three times. He finished in the Top 5 at Des Moines 70.3 earlier this season in 4:07:57. MTN therefore believes that Sean Cooley deserves to be recognized as the favorite to win on Sunday.
MARCUS DUVAL - Marcus does not have Sean's long distance resume yet, but he is scary fast, especially in the water and on the bike. He'll need a big lead entering T2 if he wants to win. We think there is a podium step with his name on it. UPDATE: Injured. Unable to race.
JOE ADRIEANS - Joe's popped a 4:13 here in the past and is coming off a Top 10 effort at Des Moines 70.3 (4:15:19). A Top 3 on Sunday would be his third, having also done so in 2022 and 2017...
UPDATE: The women's race just got more competitive, as ELENA JASPER will be doing the half instead of the Olympic. Elena's PR is 4:47 and she'll likely go faster than that on Sunday. There's definitely a podum step with her name on it.
Josh's Bike & Tiff's Fast Feet...
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Sunday, 21 July 2024 00:10
11th Buzz Ryan Triathlon Coverage - One notable record was rewritten this morning at the 11th Buzz Ryan Sprint. JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 44, lived up to his favored status with a win and a Masters Record, 48:44, which shaved 1:50 off Todd Struckman's MR, set in 2018. Enhancing Josh's mark is the fact that according to published splits, the swim course was a bit long.
CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, 59, who set an AG record at Timberman Sprint last weekend, turned in a performance that likely would have bettered the AGR she set here in 2022 if today's swim had been the advertised length. Nevertheless, Christel finished a satisfying 3rd overall in the women's race.
Blankenheim's margin of victory over runner-up JASON CRISP, who placed 2nd at Timberman Olympic eight days ago, was just over a minute. Past Buzz champ MITCHELL CLAYTON took 3rd, 24-seconds after Crisp....
