<:: Welcome to Slowtwitch.com ::>

One of triathlon’s great cyclists had crafted a first pack swim, a second-tier run and had designs on a podium at Clearwater when a hernia put his career on hold last July. A win last weekend put Thompson back on track for more Ironman 70.3 glory.

The 2009 USA Triathlon National Collegiate Champion made a brave move on the bike and held on for dear life to succeed 2008 teammate Steve Sexton and give UC Berkeley its second straight men’s winner.

Introducing the 2009 USAT Collegiate National Women’s Champion: How the 18-year-old University of Colorado freshman stole the show on a day of a freezing cold swim, tough winds and a hilly bike in West Texas.

We talked to Aussie Luke McKenzie last year in January and lots has changed for him since then. He moved from the Gold Coast to Noosa, attracted a few new sponsors and earned a couple Ironman titles.

Lothar Leder virtually disappeared from the triathlon scene after being involved in a blood value controversy prior to Ironman Germany in June of 2007. He spoke to slowtwitch about the incident and his plan to return to racing.

Sandra Wallenhorst was a relative unknown in triathlon until she stormed to a record breaking win at Ironman Austria and a 3rd place in Kona in 2008. And this all happened after she had a baby.

2008 has been a magical year for Ronnie Schildknecht with his wins at Ironman Switzerland, 70.3 Switzerland and the European Duathlon Championships, and a 4th place in Hawaii. He starts his 09 season in Oceanside at 70.3 California.

Young Swiss Pro Mathias Hecht is part of the powerful Dresdner Kleinwort triathlon team and finished in the top 10 in Kona in 2008. He has been in Australia for the last months to get ready for Ironman OZ.

At the recent 70.3 Singapore event, British ITU triathlete Jodie Swallow was virtually uncontested as she stormed to a win. She spent time with Slowtwitch to talk about the upcoming season and her plans for the future.

In the late 80's Jeff Devlin was known as a duathlete, but he quickly added swimming to his repertoire. In 1991 and 1994 he managed 3rd place finishes in Kona and was a threat to win pretty much any race he entered.

Many know Jimmy Riccitello as an Ironman cycling official, but he also has a very impressive athletic resume. He is an XTERRA World Champion, won St. Croix twice, plus he also won 70.3 Buffalo Springs and several USTS events.

Jo Lawn had won Ironman New Zealand 6 years in a row before she finally had to "settle" for the runner-up spot in 2009. She talked to slowtwitch about Taupo, Kona, training, rules and few other things.

The two-time Kona champ sat with the Slowtwitch publisher to talk bike fit and handling, and why she chose Cannondale's Slice over the other bikes and bike companies courting her.

Since his silver medal win at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, Simon Whitfield has been a very busy man. Speaking engagements, a coaching change, a training camp in Maui and some longer races on the horizon. But he had time to talk to slowtwitch.

Garmin Slipstream's Lucas Euser just finished 8th at the 2009 Tour De Langkawi and already has quite an impressive resume, including a win at the 2008 Univest Grand Prix. He shared a few of his thoughts with Slowtwitch.

After racing the ITU World Cup for many years and winning the World Cup in 2008, Sam Warriner showed up at 70.3 Geelong and walked away with a win despite some very solid competition. Sam Warriner talked to Slowtwitch about her long day.

When Dirk Aschmoneit won Ironman New Zealand in 1991 he was the first German to win an Ironman. He retired in 1994 because of injuries but recently his name appeared again in triathlon results. Slowtwitch checked in with him.

Last year, Sheila Taormina became the first woman to make the Olympics in three sports - swimming in 1996, triathlon in 2000 and 2004, and modern pentathlon in 2008. Before her USAT Hall of Fame induction, Taormina reflected on the meaning of her sporting career.

At age 36, the three-time Ironman winner is still seeking the perfect balance between his cycling prowess and a fast run on the Queen K. One step to finding that faster run is taking care of detail work on bike fit.

Melvin Monroe Stewart was one of the greatest butterfly swimmers in the late 80s and early 90's and held the 200m fly world record from January 1991 through June of 1995. The man known as Gold Medal Mel spoke to slowtwitch.

Karen Smyers looks back at a career that brought her much more than three ITU World Titles, an Ironman World Championship, seven US elite titles, two Pan Am golds and the Hall of Fame,

Saul Raisin is juggling quite a few things these days. He is managing his raisinhope foundation, is heavily involved with the Wounded Warrior project, and trains like possessed for an Ironman. He shared some of his thoughts with slowtwitch.

22-year old Jesse Anthony has already more cyclocross titles to his name than most folks twice his age. The Boston native recently shared some of his thoughts with slowtwitch on racing cross and getting ready for the road season.

After a terrible accident in 1986, Scott Rigsby eventually lost both his legs below the knee. The friendly Atlanta, GA resident eventually stumbled upon triathlon and has been a fixture in the sport the last few years.

The 2008 Ironman Hawaii runner-up Yvonne van Vlerken talked to slowtwitch about her recent coaching change from Mario Huys to Mark Allen, the 2009 race calendar, doping and lots more.