FEATURES
On The Radar...
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Saturday, 17 August 2024 00:10
As we reach the two-thirds mark of the 2024 Minnesota tri season we are impressed with the emergence of athletes that were not on our radar a year ago. In alpha order, here are a few who have captured our attention this season:
KAITSY BAKER, 24, Plymouth
A rookie, Kaitsy has cracked the Top 5 in both of the tris--Clearwater Sprint & Northwoods--she's entered this season. She's already riding at a 20 mph clip and running sub-7. She will only get faster with each race.
NICK JASMER, 32, Menagha
Nick showed “promise” in 2023, but we weren't ready to embrace him fully because his effort at Timberman Olympic was not competitive. This year is much different. His results are very good and will only get better with time. We like his trajectory. Here is his 2024 scorcard to date:
1st @ Average Jo
2nd @ Hoot Lake (Behind Corey Nygaard)
3rd @ Northwoods (Behind Blankenheim and Grossinger)
4th @ Alexandria (Sprencer Syvertson, Corey Nygaard & Easton Syvertson...
2024 July Triathletes of the Month...
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Saturday, 10 August 2024 00:10
Who were the most successful Minnesota Triathletes in July? Needing at least two outstanding performances to qualify, except for "Performance of the Month," here are the July 2024 AOMs.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH - Men
SPENCER SYVERTSON, 28, Alexandria (photo L) - New Race Record at Allexandria Sprint
Josh Blankenheim's win at Buzz Ryan was also considered, as was UM student, Nathan KIm's huge win at Chisago 70.3. Kim claims Middleton, Wisconsin as his home, thus we were unable to determine his eligibility. If Nathan were recognized as a Minnesota athlete, he would have been honored here.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH - Women
CARYN HERRICK WIKMAN, 34, St. Louis Park - Win @ Chisago Olympic - 2:10:45
A 2:10 is an awesome time for an elite amateur, but what makes Caryn's effort more remarkable
Is that she finished less than 9-minutes behind the elite male winner, and not the ususal dozen or more...
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.
Minnesota's June Triathletes of the Month!
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Friday, 12 July 2024 00:10
Here are MTN's picks for June 2024 ATHLETES OF THE MONTH:
OVERALL AOMs - PRESTON YOUNGDAHL & ELENA JASPER (photo)
Two-time Minnesota Triathlete of the Year, Preston Youngdahl entered three races--Apple Tri, Trinona Olympic & Lake Minnetonka--thus far in 2024, and won each time. Jasper has also raced three times, winning twice --Lake Minnetonka and Clearwater Olympic--and setting a 70.3 personal best (4:47:40) at Chattanooga 70.3.
JUNIOR OF THE MONTH - NOAH BILLINGS, 18
Minnesota's two-time Junior of the Year is a profific racer. Thus. far this season, he has two overall wins plus two junior wins in races in which he finished 2nd overall....
Happy 4th of July From MTN!
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Tuesday, 02 July 2024 00:10
