The top 5 state teams at the Best of the US National Championship earn special Waterford Crystal awards. In the first four years of the Series, Team Minnesota has landed on the 5-step podium three times, which is more than any other state. (Team Colorado and Team Wisconsin are next in line, having reached the podium twice.)
Will the legacy continue? Will Team Minnesota '09--Duluth's Brian Bich and Eden Prairie's Brook Mutzenberger--crack the top five in the State Team Competition next sunday at this year's BOUS Championship in Mission Viejo, California?
They should.
On paper, the strongest teams will be coming from Pennsylvania--Brian Duffy and Beth Shutt--and Wisconsin--Mark Harms and Cindi Bannink. All four of these athletes are expected to contend for podium spots in the Individual Competition.
Other states sending podium-worthy teams are Alaska (Jens Beck and Larrell Lockard), which won the fastest state competition in 2006, Idaho (Kyle Grisham and Amy Alexander) and Ohio (Ross Hartley and Andrea Myers).
And Minnesota.
Any darkhorses?
Sure. New York (Kevin Crossman and Meghan Newcomer) and Washington (Rusty Pruden and Kimberly Pancoast).
Prediction?
Sure.
1. Wisconsin (Won the Team Competition in 2007)
2. Pennsylvania
3. Minnesota
4. Idaho
5. Ohio
Team Minnesota at the BOUS Championships:
* 6th in 2008 - 3rd - Brian Bich, 16th - Marlo McGaver
* 5th in 2007 - 15th - Jeremy Sartain, 3rd - Cathy Yndestad
* 3rd in 2006 - 9th - Brian Bich, 6th - Cathy Yndestad
* 5th in 2005 - 3rd - Brian Bich, 8th - Emily Deppe
