Race Coverage
Josh, Cami & the Law of Averages...
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Monday, 12 August 2024 00:10
21st NORTHWOODS TRIATHLON COVERAGE – BROOKS GROSSINGER did not win this sprint triathlon in 2005 and 200g for a very good reason. He wasn't there. His did win every other NWT, though, a total eighteen....
But not this year. It had to happen, didn't it?. The Law of Averages had to kick in at some point, right?
Brooks came into Saturday's race with a great 2024 scorecard: A win at Timberman Sprint and a close 2nd at Clearwater. He also zigged when he should have zagged on the final run at Apple Du, a race he was winning handily.
Was his resume as good as JOSH BLANKENHEIM's though? Maybe not. Josh followed a win at Buzz Ryan with a stellar 2nd lace effort at Brewhouse where he and Spencer Syvertson trashed the previous course record. Spencer's effort at BH earned MTN's Male Performance of the Month for July.
So, Josh's decision to race at NWT portended a great race and a fast winning time. Both of those things happened.
Blank had a small lead after the swim, but expanded it significantly on the bike. A brisk transition later made it obvious that Brooks' win streak was over. Both he and Josh are strong runners, and neither could overcome a 1:30+ deficit against the other with only three miles to go. If Blank remained upright and ambulatory, the race was his.
Josh turned in one of the fastest times in the history of the race: 58:32. Cracking the one-hour mark here is a big deal. Grossinger was 2nd, of course. His time was 1:00:38.
Both Josh and Brroks has a couple of minutes to rest and re-hydrate before the men's podium was determined. That step went to NICK JASMER, whose improvement over the last two seasons has been fun to behold. He was 4th here in 2023, in a time that a minute slower than Saturdays.
Speaking of fun to behold, CAMI ECKHOFF threw down what was arguably the Performance of the Day. Not since 2014 has a woman popped a 1:05 on this course, which was what Cami did last weekend. A 1:05:32, to be exact, which landed her in 5th overall, gender nonconforming. Like Blankenheim, strong swim and run efforts bracketed a monster bike split.
The last time Eckhoff raced here, she placed 2nd, a mere one-tick behind CHERYL ZITUR. That was back in 2021. The phenomenal Zitur, who is on the brink of 60!, has won this race three times but had to be content with a 2nd this year, her time—1:09:01—matching her 2021 effort and only secnds off her personal best on this course.
Unsurprisingly, CHRISTEL KIPPENHAN, also 59, rounded out the women's podium. She is enjoying a very successful season—lots of AG records—and is part of one of our country's most formidable rosters of female Grand Masters, a group that includes national classers Zitur, Jan Guenther, 65, and Julia Weisbecker.
Three-hundred and seventy athletes, bolstered by the fact that 40 teams (110+ people) particpated, registered for NWT #21, suggesting that our beloved sport is finally in post-pandemic recovery mode.
Once again, race director NANCY LEWIS, and her 100+ volunteers, produced an outstanding event. RESULTS
Top Photo _Cami Eckhoff's kiddos cheering for her as she approaches T1
Page 2 Photo - Apropos of nothing, Josh Blankenheim's beloved dog, Winston.
