FEATURES
Grace or Bella?
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Wednesday, 26 October 2022 00:10
Matt and Damon agree that the race for female Junior of the Year is between ISABELLA BUENTING, 19 (photo L), and GRACE BUSCH, 19. Matt favors Grace. Damon gives the slightest edge to Bella. Here are their respective arguments:
Damon chose to evaluate Bella's 2022 resume, race by race:
- Buenting's 4th place / 1st Junior at Lake Minnetonka is a "solid" performance. She placed higher in the past (3rd in 2019) and has gone faster (1:13:15 - junior course record, also in 2019) but LMT's swim was long this year, adding 3-4 minutes to the typical times for the frontrunners. So, Bella's 1:18 translated to a 1:14 effort. Solid.
- Bella podiumed at Pleasant Prairie Sprint (WI) and DeGray Lake Sprint (AK). After researching the resumes of the women who finished ahead of her in both events, Damon concluded that she once again turned in "solid" performances.
- Then there was her performance at Legacy Sprint in California. Damon considers this result to be the premier effort by a female junior this year. Not just solid, it was outstanding. She placed 5th overall behind some serious athletes, including former pros MICHELLIE JONES, the winningest professional triathlete in history, and former Olympic triathlete (2008) JULIE ERTL. The race was won by JENNA HAUFLER, whose Olympic and 70.3 results over the past two season have been outstanding. Placing 3rd was BRITTANEY WYSZYNSKI, whose overall tri resume is even more impressive that Haufler's...
"Somewhat Bummed"...
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Friday, 21 October 2022 00:10
By Rhiannon O'Connor
Kona Race report - It was great to meet up with Carey Congdon Cribbs at the prerace briefing. The briefing was late , ran long. For me it would have been very useful for them to explain that instead of a pair of yellow buoys marking the turns, you just sight on this large supper cruise yacht/dive boat and swim around that!
October 6 was a very long day. I was surprised at how emotional I was as we made our way down to our starting corral. So many cheering and excited volunteers and family lining the way.
My swim was great in 1:25. It was really cool seeing the tropical fish below us. And going round the dive boat I realized that the little sparkly firefly things were bubbles coming up from photographers on the bottom! I had to do a complete change in the tent as there was no way I could have put my swim skin on over my Tri suit. Helped by really great volunteers. LOTS of sunscreen, sleeves and bike gloves....
Ted and Heather...
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Wednesday, 19 October 2022 00:10
What were the performances that were worthy of Performance of the Year nominations? If pro results are to be included then both Matt and Damon favor all three of TED TREISE's in-state efforts. Starting with his course record 1:53:40 at Buffalo, which bettered the previous mark, Matt Payne's 54:15 in 2016, by 35-seconds. His margin of victory over amateur winner AJ Manning was 5:25. ...
Josh, Brooks, Rod & Andy...
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Friday, 07 October 2022 00:10
Here are the Masters men (age 40-59) that Matt and Damon think are likely Master of the Year candidates, if offical nominations are actually announced this fall:
JOSH BLANKENHEIM, 42, Duluth - Blank won both of his Minnesota races --Timberman and Lakes Country--and finished in the bronze medal position in his AG at Olympic Nationals....
Sara, Nicole, Kort, Catherine, Andrea & Elaine...
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Wednesday, 05 October 2022 00:10
In that there were only 34 adult outdoor tris and dus this season, Matt and Damon favor the "2 competitive performance" format instead of the usual three performance deal. This was especially helpful when trying to determine their nominees for female Master of the Year. Basing their recommendations on this adjusted format made this category much more competitive.
Here, in alpha order, are the women that, according to Matt and Damon, deserve to be considered for 2022 Female MOY nominations:
SARA CARLSON, 43, Brainerd
Sara raced twice (so far) in '22 and won both times. The races--Young LIfe Olympic and Lakes Country--did not feature deep fields, but Sara's times were strong and her margins of victory were wide.
NICOLE CUENO, 42, Minneapolis (photo L)
Like Sara, Nicole raced twice (Turtleman Olympic and YWCA Women's Tri), winning convincingly in the first one, and placing 2nd behind Christina Roberts in the other. Not bad for someone who was returning to the sport of Triathlon after a six-year absence....
