Arlandson repeats at Wingman Triathlon

It wasn’t Ironman triathlon distances, like the ones Dan Arlandson is used to, but still he continued to show why he’s one of the state’s finest triathletes Sunday at the third annual Wingman Triathlon in Red Wing.

Arlandson won the Wingman for the second consecutive year with a course-record time of 57 minutes, 2 seconds – 48 seconds faster than his time last year.

Two weeks ago Arlandson competed in the Vineman Triathlon outside of Santa Rosa, Calif. where he finished second overall in the Ironman event, which includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. The Wingman included a 500-meter swim, a 12.7-mile bike ride and a 2.6-mile run.

“It’s hard,” Arlandson said. “I wasn’t really warmed up until the second loop of the run. It’d be like a marathon runner going to a track meet.”

Arlandson didn’t go unchallenged in the event. Red Wing resident Chap Achen finished just 50 seconds behind for second place.

“Once I saw Dan here I knew I wasn’t going to win,” Achen said. “He’s certainly an elite guy, but I kept him in my view and that’s an accomplishment.”

Arlandson used the bike portion of the race to pull away from the field after he fell behind in the swim portion. Arlandson caught those in front of him quickly and held on during the run.

“He was hanging with me and I kind of hit the gas,” Arlandson said of Achen, who trailed him. “He was coming in when I was racking my bike.”

Seventy-five people competed individually while three female relay teams and seven mixed relay teams participated in the event.

“It was a good field for the guys,” event organizer Jesse Nelson said. “Dan’s just an exceptional athlete.”

Arlandson, whose wife is from Red Wing, particularly enjoyed the bike course because of the hill work involved.

“The bike course is a real bike course,” Arlandson said. “It’s kind of a bike race with a run and a swim.”

St. Paul resident Reed Steele finished third with a time of 59:14 and Red Wing resident Matt Riley placed fourth with a time of 1:01.2.

Red Wing resident Kristina Carson won the overall female title with a time of 1:16.45. Burnsville resident Sara Will took second with a time of 1:19.31 and Red Wing resident Abbey Schnaith took third with a time of 1:19.31.

Tags: sports, triathlon