Up and coming young ITU racers vied for some cash and vital ITU points as well as round three of the USA Triathlon Elite Racing Series. A 19-year-old Canadian hotshot who had failed in his first three races of the year took down a 53-man field. A 22-year-old Quebec star-in-becoming outran rising US star Kaitlin Shiver and 2008 Olympian and recent mother of twins Julie Ertel. All of the hard-fought draft-legal tumult happened on Treasure Island, a former military base in World War 2 with fantastic views of the San Francisco skyline and the rising, renewed Bay Bridge connecting SF with Oakland.

Photos © Timothy Carlson

Alexis Smith of nearby Monterey charges to 8th.

Sighting ahead to the cold waters of San Francisco Bay.

Clark Lind's big guns are revealed as he puts on his wetsuit.

2008 Olympian Julie Ertel has a lighter training load -- one bike and one run a week - since the birth of twins 19 months ago - but she still managed 3rd.

Stepping into chilly liquid.

The men's elite swim start - framed by a nearby marina and the classic San Francisco skyline.

Swim action at the halfway buoy.

Rush hour at the swim exit.

Up the swim exit stairs.

Kristen Schultz of Canada charges up the one hill on the course on her way to 11th place.

Elite competitor rides past monumental sculpture of a dancing woman.

Matt Long charges downhill n his way to 27th.

Lauren Goss of the USA took 10th.

Kevin Collington of the USA, Gaspar Riveros of Chile and John Dahlz of the USA duel at the start of the run. When it was over, Collington took 8th, Dahlz 9th and Riveros was 24th.

Satchel Paige said "Don’t look back - somebody might be gaining on you." Hernan Rubiano of Colombia ignored the sage as he ran ahead of USA competitors Eric Wegscheider and Nathan White.

Ethan Brown of Lowell, Massachusetts almost ran down Canada's Matthew Sharpe, but fell 10 second short of the win.

John Dahlz's tongue was hanging out on his way to a 9th place finish.

Kaitlin Shiver of Satellite Beach Florida, seen here dueling with Sarah-Anne Brault for the lead with one run lap to go, posted her second straight runner-up finish in the USA Triathlon Elite Race Series.

Sarah-Anne Brault adjusts her sunglasses for a better finish line photo.

Canadian Matthew Sharpe celebrates his first professional elite win at age 19!