TriStar 111
Posted in Racing by Mac BrownI wrote this race recap for Lava Magazine on the plane ride home last weekend from Minnesota…
Minnesota is not traditionally known as a hotbed for multisport events, but my trip this past weekend to TriStar 111 in Maple Grove proved to be one of the best experiences I’ve had in the sport. I arrived in Minneapolis Thursday afternoon after a short flight from San Diego where my gracious home stay picked me up from the airport. As we drove to his house it was easy to see why so many athletes come from all over the Midwest to compete. The vast rolling green hills, abundance of horse farms and warm weather really makes the area conducive to outdoor activities.
The TriStar Series is very well established in Europe, but this was the debut of the unique distance (1k swim/100k bike/10k run) in the U.S. The format favors strong cyclists, but really attracts a broad range of athletes due to the shorter run. An athlete can go all out on the bike and still recover much better post-race due to the short 10k run. The 111 is a great distance for all triathletes looking to compete in a race a bit easier on the body than a 70.3. I have a feeling this distance is going to catch on here in the States.
After a day of easy workouts, some course recon and an amazing barbeque, I was ready to get the race started. The race morning air temperature hovered around a brisk 56 degrees, but the Bass Lake water temperature read a balmy 78. USAT rules required a non-wetsuit swim for the professional field while the age group race was wetsuit-legal. The two big name athletes on the start list were Chris McCormack and Maik Twelsiek. The race figured to be played out between these two, but unfortunately Macca had to stop early in the bike due to a bike mechanical. In true champion form, McCormack entered the Maple Grove sprint race after returning to the start line and raced alongside the amateur competitors.
The men’s race became the uber-cyclist Twelsiek’s to lose and he did not disappoint. After exiting the water shortly after McCormack, Twelsiek put on a cycling clinic and distanced himself from all other competitors. San Diego professional Karl Bordine, known for his cycling prowess, rode extremely well but could not reel in the flying German. Coming into T2 with nearly a five-minute lead, Twelsiek increased the gap even further with the day’s fastest run split. The German managed to break the official TriStar 111 course record previously held by another German and former Ironman World Champion, Thomas Hellriegel. Local pro Devon Palmer raced very well and rounded out the podium.
The women’s race had its fair share of mishaps. Local pro Amy Kloner and Boulder-based Aussie Christie Sym were the only two pro females registered for the race. Sym held a solid lead out of the swim, but both women took wrong turns on the bike course. Sym mistakenly cut the course short, while Kloner got some extra work in on the bike and ended up riding nine extra miles. Both women completed the run and had great attitudes at the finish nonetheless. Jenny Wilcox ended up taking the win.
The unique after-party and awards ceremony was held that evening on the St. Croix ferry boat. Picture the old ferry boats in the South from the Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Fin novels and you can imagine the ambiance of travelling up the river. The food was great and hearing the athletes reminisce about their day’s races were all-time. Do yourself a favor next year and sign up for the TriStar 111 race in Minnesota. The unique format and local hospitality will not let you down.
I ended up in 5th place after a drafting penalty on the bike. My first penalty EVER in the sport, but all was not lost. I ran well and my watts were right where they needed to be heading in to IM Wisconsin in 2 weeks!
I will be wearing bib # 6 for the race and you can all follow on race day here.
Thanks for reading.
