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 IM CALIFORNIA IM FLORIDA IM USA U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM / OLYMPIC TRIALS NEWS AFTER NOVEMBER 1, '00 BELOW • Joanne Ernst wins another title -- in cross country • NATS 2001 announced, coordinates with the ITU World Cups • Knight-Perry to her friends: She's a finisher, too • Records fall at Great Floridian Triathlon • Who's that girl who beat (apparently) all the XTerra women? • Zinkand throws a kink into the XTerra's women's field • Chuck Anderson for Oprah on Thursday • Boulder to have an Ironman-distance race for 2001 • Kona showing of tri film cancelled, but Denver rocked • Florida man, 65, dies in his first triathlon • Four top racers could do with a little cash • Danskin Women's Series wraps up stunning season • American triathletes turn in mixed results • "Judy's Time" film makes festival circuit • Americans get major-league attention in Sydney • Triathlon should be NBC's featured Olympic opener • Guttierez, Kemper for Today Show on Wednesday • Family, Mad Dogs say farewell to Jim • "Field of stars" lines up for LA Triathlon • Jim Ward: "An ambassador for the sport" • From whence we came • Jones snares 7th win in Mrs. T's Triathlon • Bowden commits to post-Kona New York City Marathon • Mrs. T's Triathlon is a pre-Olympic warmup for many • Team USA's Chrissy D'Alessandro killed on training ride • America's Olympic triathletes make their pitches • Classen claims XTerra-Hood River after penalities • USAT reconfigures its National Teams Director position • Gutierrez to captain Olympic triathlon team • Jamba Juice joins Los Angeles Tri as title sponsor • Smedley leads return of pros to Wilkes-Barre • No more easy pickins' for foreign "pros" • Madison event will be NATS' hometown showcase • South Africans train in Colorado Springs • USA's triathletes test clean • Relay swimmer dies in Montauk Sprint Triathlon • Think you're special? Tell USA Triathlon! |
Joanne Ernst wins another title -- in cross country October 31, Boulder, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com): Joanne Ernst used to known in the triathlon world for that crosstraining commercial she filmed for Nike -- the one where she sneers at the end and tells viewers to get training and, by the way, "stop eating like such a pig." That was the 1980s. This is the next century. On Saturday, Ernst -- winner of the 1985 Hawaii Ironman -- reveled the coaching side of her athletic persona: Her Fairview High School boys' cross country team won the Colorado state championship in the 5A (largest) division. She said the team's win is more satisfying than any of her personal victories in triathlon ever had. "It just means a lot more to me," Ernst told reporter Mike Sandrock in an article for the Boulder Daily Camera. "More people are happy when the team wins. We feel that the entire coaching staff is making a contribution to these kids' lives, and the satisfaction lasts longer. She continued: "When I would cross the finish line the satisfaction would last for a little while, often not even a day. The satisfaction with this win will last much longer." It was the first state boys' title ever for Fairview, under the fifth-year coach. Fairview's girls, also coached by Ernst, finished fourth after a season when they were largely unranked. ----- NATS 2001 announced, coordinates with the ITU World Cups October 26, Madison, Wisconsin (www.slowtwitch.com): It wasn't the easiest of seasons for the North American Triathlon Series, which carried on this year in the face of both a change in ownership and the falling away of previous sponsors, once in new hands. But Ken MacKenzie and his crew are back for a bigger, bolder NATS schedule for 2001. He revealed a tentative schedule earlier this week. Most significantly, it joins two of the races with brand new ITU World Cups: the NATS opener in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and a new NATS race in Kelowna, British Columbia, the Canadian MacKenzie's hometown. The World Cups will run on the Saturday of each NATS weekend -- April 7 in Lake Havasu, and July 14 in Kelowna. The NATS schedule is essentially a re-draw of the entire season. Just three of the races return to their longstanding venues - Oceanside, California (April 22), Madison, Wisconsin (August 5) and New York (September 16). The rest are in new locales, including a championship on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. This is the tentative schedule for NATS in 2001: April 7-8: NATS Lake Havasu and ITU World Cup April 22: NATS California-Oceanside (draft-legal) May 13: NATS Texas-Buffalo Springs May 20: NATS Florida-Miami (draft-legal) June 3: NATS Louisiana-New Orleans July 1: NATS Minnesota-St. Paul (draft-legal) July 14-15: NATS Canada-Kelowna (BC) and ITU World Cup August 5: NATS Wisconsin-Madison (draft-legal) August 26: NATS Pacific-Ventura, California September 16: NATS New York-New York September 30: NATS Series Championship - Lake Tahoe, Nevada ----- Knight-Perry to her friends: She's a finisher, too October 24, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): The results booklet for the October 14 Hawaii Ironman would have listed Katie Knight-Perry, the only female competitor in the 65-69 age group, simply as DNF. Actually, it didn't even list her at all: No finishers in the 65-59 group meant no reason to list anyone, after all. Knight-Perry, a staunch supporter of the Ironman for years, and a seven-time finisher since 1987, isn't quibbling with that. She knows the race's rules: No finish means no T-shirt, no medal, no photo, and no mention in the results. But she wants the triathlon community to know that -- she did finish, albeit four minutes after the midnight cut-off of 17 hours. "No excuses," she said. "This was the hardest race I have ever done in Hawaii. I finished the bike around 4:55 p.m. Enough time to complete the marathon. However, I have had a very bad knee (torn meniscus) and have really been unable to run much." The result was a finish indeed, if only unofficially. Unfortunately, by the moment of her arrival, the big party along Alii Drive was over. The announcers -- well aware that the celebrated Bill Bell was still on the course, about an hour out from finishing -- simply weren't aware that another of triathlon's most respected age-groupers was moments away from coming through. She finished, she said, because October 14 -- the day of the race -- is the birthday of her late husband Ralph. He passed away last December, and Katie did this race in his honor. "I so much wanted to celebrate Hawaii with his fellow triathletes, and that I did," she said. "It was a very bittersweet day for me. I truly thought I would make the midnight cutoff, and I was the only one in my age group (65-69). "At the top of Pay and Save Hill, I knew I would not make it. I ran so hard down the hill, and toward the finish ... but when I got to Alii Drive, I realized it was over. The street was full of spectators walking away ... I was 'against the grain.' "As I ran through the spectators, I was proud to be finishing this Ironman because it was so hard. Yet I was so very disappointed that I had not made the cut-off. "I really respect WTC rules that do not allow giving me a shirt or medal. But I would just like my friends to know that I did complete the race. Four minutes over the cut-off -- but I am an 'Iron Momma.' " Knight-Perry, 65, says she isn't going to do any more Hawaii Ironmans. "Ralphie still has one more official finish then I do. However, I do know I will never do Ironman Kona without Ralph again," she said. "It was an extremely emotional and physical event for me." "Now, I am at home healing, and planning my next adventures!" Whatever she does, Katie Knight-Perry has the support of the Mad Dogs, the 1,000-member triathlon club that staked out the entire distance of Pay and Save Hill -- just to cheer on its competing members. Even the last one that came a little later than the rest. ----- Records fall at Great Floridian Triathlon October 24, Clermont, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): There was more to celebrate in Clermont last Saturday than merely 10 years of an Ironman-distance race that's become a staple on the October calendar. There was the first time that the winner has broken the nine-hour mark. That happened to Renato Dantas De Lucas, a Brazilian who came to the Great Floridian after racing the last two Octobers in the Hawaii Ironman. His time of 8:55:23 smashed the old record, 9:20:43 from last year by Canada's Pierre Heynemand. The race has never made a fuss about attracting pros -- it's more a race for the masses. This time, a near-record field of 900 competitors from 45 states and 12 countries lined up for the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle and 26.2-mile run. It also had status as the USAT National Long-Distance Championship. The USAT titles go to women's winner Kathleen Kinz-Smith (10:44:53), who had finished fourth in the 1999 race in 11:22. And super-swimmer Bill Reeves, second in 9:12:13, took the men's accolade as first American the runner-up to the Brazilian. Kinz-Smith is from Southborough, Massachusetts, and Reeves is from Durham, New Hampshire. The race was organized by Clermont-based Fred Sommer and his crew from CFT/Sommer Sports. "It seems like just yesterday that I was affixing notices to the light poles of Kona, announcing the debut of the 1991 Great Floridian Triathlon," Sommer said. "That race had just 147 starters. Now, we're one of the largest, non-WTC-affiliated Ironmans in the world." (RESULTS) ----- Who's that girl who beat (apparently) all the XTerra women? October 23, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii (www.slowtwitch.com): Lori Travis is an apparently incredibly talented age-group triathlete who stunned the full field -- pros included -- at the XTerra World Championships on Sunday. Either that, or the timing system went wacky. Race officials were lauding Michael Tobin and Kerstin Weule as the new winners and world champions after Sunday's race -- an 1.5k ocean swim, 30k mountain bike section with 3,000 feet of climbing, and an 11k trail run. The sold-out field of 400 competitors included all the biggest women's names in XTerra, including Colorado's Weule, Australia's Jody Purcell, Wyoming's Lorraine Barrows and Florida's Sue Latshaw. But it was Travis who posted the fastest splits, and came up a whopping 12 minutes ahead of Weule. Travis' finish time was 2:54:27 to Weule's 3:07:04. Weule, is the one, however, who goes home with the big money: $17,000 total for both winning the race and taking the series' title by points over the 10 races. The series pool paid out $60,000 and the race itself, $50,000. In Maui, Travis swam 20:49 to Weule's 21:41; biked 1:40:27 to Weule's 1:58:41; and ran 41:10 to Weule's 45:26. Meanwhile, the other big names didn't fare as well as favorites should have. Purcell was troubled by the heat and faded to 9th. Both Weule and Purcell were tied for series points after each gaining six wins this season. And Barrows, third in the points standings going into Maui, finished 14th. So, exactly who is this Lori Travis? We're not sure. She has just a single top-10 result in any XTerra race this season -- and that was 10th in the San Dimas (Southern California) race on September 24. Otherwise, all we know of her is that she placed second in an undistinguised field in the first-year Desert Triathlon in Lake Cahuilla, California, last April 30. ----- Zinkand throws a kink into the XTerra's women's field October 19, Wailea, Maui, Hawaii (www.slowtwitch.com): What, pros call it a season after the Hawaii Ironman? Not a chance, once you hear about the XTerra World Championships. If you're like Beth Zinkand, you can commit to racing -- and possibly winning -- even after you ship all your Ironman equipment back to California while you stay on for a few more days in the sun. Zinkand, the fourth-place finisher in the Ironman, has a 15-minute advantage over Wendy Ingraham and the rest of the women who will race the XTerra Championships on Sunday. That is, she is going for "The Hawaiian Airlines Double," a $1,000 bonus to the man and woman who end up with the fastest combination of times from both Ironman and XTerra (1.5k swim, 30k mountain bike, 11k run). Zinkand, the surprise of the women's race in Ironman last Saturday, only decided to do XTerra on Wednesday -- after she put her gear on the plane back for Davis. Now she is staying on for a race that just keeps building, year after year, in its competitiveness. The women's pro race is expected to be an all-out battle between Kerstin Weule, 34, of Evergreen, Colorado, and Jody Purcell, 29, of Sydney, Australia, who are tied for first place in the Nissan XTerra Points Series. Weule is the most winning XTERRA athlete with 17 wins total, including six this year. Purcell, a former Australian World Cup mountain bike team member, also has six wins this season. Weule finished second at last year's World Championship, with Purcell third. Shari Kain, Polo Sport RLX mountain bike team member and the winner of the 1999 XTERRA World Championship, is pregnant and will not race this year. But Lesley Tomlinson, Canada's mountain bike Olympic teammember and Polo Sport RLX pro rider, will be. Tomlinson is actually a weak swimmer: She was 308th -- out of 400 racers -- out of the water last year. However, she has had the fastest or second fastest mountain bike time in each of the three years she has participated. Now comes Zinkand, who has made a tremendous rise in the long-distance rankings in 2000. "It's unrealistic to think I can compete at 100 percent of my ability, seven days after Ironman," she said. "But I might have a shot at the combined lowest time." The rest of the top women in the race (Americans unless noted), besides Zinkand: Candy Angle, Lorraine Barrows, Ulrike Blank (GER), Cristina Begy, Linda Gabor, Angela Huy (GER), Wendy Ingraham, Sue Latshaw, Karen Masson (AUS), Melanie McQuaid, Sydney Meyer, Jody Purcell (AUS), Kelly Rees, Jenny Tobin, Lesley Tomlinson (CAN), Raeleigh Tennant (AUS), Cheri Touchette, Tory Valentine, and Kerstin Weule. Coming in Friday's Triathlonlive.com: A preview of the men's XTerra race. ----- Chuck Anderson for Oprah on Thursday October 12, Chicago, Illinois, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Chuck Anderson, the Alabama triathlete who lost an arm to a shark back in June, now gets attention across America all over again: He appears on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Thursday afternoon, 4pm Central time. That's today -- in a few hours. The appearance on "Oprah" was made known to triathletes on the Triathletes portion of the Dead Runners Society e-groups list by Alabama's Mike Plumb, perhaps the state's best-known triathlete (aside from, now, Anderson). Plumb wrote: "If you get the chance to watch Oprah, tune in, if even just to see one of the neatest guys around." Anderson lives in Summerdale, Alabama, just up Highway 59 from Gulf Shores on the coast, where the attack occurred. On May 13, he had placed 24th in the Clydesdales' age 40+ in Gulf Coast Triathlon on May 13 at Panama City Beach, Florida. ----- Boulder to have an Ironman-distance race for 2001 October 10, Boulder, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Boulder -- that high-altitude Colorado city that is home and training grounds for so many world-class Ironman-oriented triathletes -- is going to have an Ironman-distance race of its own. But it's not part of the World Triathlon Corp., family, and it's not even got the word "Iron" in its name. It did, when race director Beth Spiegel initially announced the event a few weeks ago. But once WTC director Lew Friedland got on the phone with her and made a strong suggestion that she not use her original "Iron Mountain Triathlon" name, Spiegel got the message. The new name for the new race is the 5430 Triathlon. Huh? Well, as Spiegel says, the highest point in Boulder is 5,430 feet -- get it? She has no sense of how many triathletes will turn out for the event next August 26, but the response, so far, has been incredibly positive. So the name is changed, but not the distances. They remain the Ironman-distance standards of 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run. The race starts at the Boulder Reservoir. The cycle portion takes triathletes up toward Fort Collins and back, plus a zig-zag up to Jamestown for a sense of riding through Boulder's infamous canyons. The run will be on Boulder's well-known and much-enjoyed bike path along Boulder Creek, missing all the main roads. Notes Spiegel: "Since the race was announced two weeks ago, triathletes from around the world -- including Antarctica -- have shown interest. Among those who have endorsed the race are Boulder local favorites Wes Hobson, Wolfgang Dittrich, Leslie Bentson and world champion (1993) marathoner Mark Plaatjes. Tim and Nicole DeBoom have extended their support and have offered to present finisher medals. Former Hawaii Ironman champion Scott Molina, who used to live in Boulder, has expressed an interest in coming out of retirement for the race." Here is the race website. ----- Kona showing of tri film cancelled, but Denver rocked October 10, Denver, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): The new triathlon film -- "Triathlon: Through the Eyes of the Elite" -- was cheered by an astounding turnout of 923 people on Saturday evening for the film's premier at Denver's historic Paramount Theater. The less-overwhelming counterpart to that bit of good news is that the next showing, set for later this week in Kona, Hawaii, has been cancelled. "Endurance Films apologizes to all of those planning to attend the Kona show," said triathlete Wes Hobson, one of three partners behind Endurance Films. "Although Endurance Films was prepared for the show in Kona, due to circumstances beyond Endurance's control, Endurance Films is not able to go forward with that plan." In Denver, the showing made for a who's who in the triathlon world. "Triathletes, athletes and non-athletes came to mingle with the likes of Olympians Shelia Taormina, Jennifer Guitierrez, Ryan Bolton and other professional triathletes," Hobson reports. "Also in attendance were the US Olympic triathlon coach Michelle Blessing and author/coach Joe Friel, as well as "The Man," Dave Scott." Co-producer Chris Accardo, himself thrilled with the turnout, said: "Wes was right when he wanted to have the World Premier in Colorado. This area showed Saturday night that it is a triathlon hotbed." The next showing is November 12th in San Diego. For those who missed Denver, the video can be purchased via http://www.endurance films.com. ----- Florida man, 65, dies in his first triathlon October 8, Pensacola, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): The American triathlon community is sombered again by the third death this season of a triathlete in a race. The latest, that of a 65-year-old man in his first triathlon, occurred on Saturday during the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon. Donald Duff, who worked part-time leading "spinning" classes classes at a Pensacola YMCA, was rescued from the ocean swim, less than 75 yards from shore. According to the Associated Press, lifeguards responded when other swimmers signaled for help. They were unable to resuscitate him. Duff's wife was also competing in the race of distances 1/3-mile swim, 18-mile bike, 5k run. She had started ahead of him in the field of about 800 competitors, and was on the bike portion when she was called back for the news. Two more experienced triathletes died in triathlons earlier this year, a 30-year-old man in Blacksburg, Virginia, in June and a 38-year-old woman in a Long Island triathlon, also in June. ------ ITU threatens 3 European federations with suspension for lawsuit October 8, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (www.slowtwitch.com): The International Triathlon Union has threatened to suspend the German, Irish and Polish federations if they do not remove themselves from a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada. The German federation is the largest and most prominent of seven federations that have taken the ITU to court over the ITU elections that occurred in April at the ITU's Congress in Perth, Australia. It was not immediately known if the ITU took similar action -- threatening suspension -- with three of the four other federations that support the petition (Costa Rica, Honduras and Venezuela). Mark Sisson, the ITU general secretary who issued the letter on October 4, said the ITU did not include Cook Islands, the seventh federation on the petition, among the federations that received the letter. The ITU's decision to threaten Germany and the others with suspension came during the ITU's most recent executive board meeting, September 18 in Sydney, during the Olympics. Within the letter to Germany, Sisson write: "Unless you withdraw from this lawsuit immediately, your involvement will very likely cause ITU serious financial and other harm over the next few months. Such despicable action will not be tolerated without our otherwise friendly community." The lawsuit via the courts, Sisson indicated, is in direct violation of the ITU Constitution, which states: "Disputes between the ITU and national federations, which are not settled by Congress, will be submitted to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Any decision taken by the said court shall be without appeal or recourse to ordinary courts, and is binding on the parties concerned." The seven federations are contesting the validity of the elections, and this letter comes as the latest in a series of hardball moves between the two sides. Credentialed delegates from 12 countries were left outside the congress hall on April 27 -- unable to vote -- after an emergency meeting of the ITU's executive board determined that their credentials, issued the previous evening, were in error. The elections determined the continued presidency of Les McDonald, who defeated Austria's Erika Koenig-Zenz, 36-22. A judge will hear the case on November 6-7. ------ Four top racers could do with a little cash October 1, Boise, Idaho (www.slowtwitch.com): Four top XTerra racers -- Michael Tobin, Mike Vine, Pat Brown and Jody Purcell -- have the chance of a lifetime -- but they haven't got the $12,000 they need to make it happen. They are lacking the cash to make good on a last-minute invitation to race the multi-day Mild Seven adventure race in China in November. The event has been filled for a year, but organizers put them at the top of the waiting list because of their credentials in the XTerra scene. "Last week, we got a call from Hong Kong saying, 'you're in,' " said Boise's Tobin, the best-known name of the bunch. "We're thrilled and motivated, but desperate for sponsor support." Here's their pitch: "The Mild Seven Outdoor Quest 2000 this November has a TV home reach of 1.4 billion viewers in 587 hours of coverage worldwide. The Asian Pacific region gets the majority of hours. ESPN, OLN, Asia Sports Show, Trans World Sport and SNTV also carry the Mild Seven worldwide. "Our team is composed of extremely accomplished Xterra (swim, mountainbike, run) athletes. Jody Purcell, an Australian state mountainbike champion, has won six Xterras this year and finished second in the series last year. Mike Vine, from British Columbia, is currently second in the series with nine top-two finishes. Colorado's Pat Brown has numerous top finishes and extensive mountain sports experience. I, Michael Tobin, from Idaho, last year won the Xterra series with nine victories. "Any title sponsor will be the official Team name. We would wear any title sponsor logo across our chest. Any partial sponsors will receive logo and product visibility. The multi-sport and our respective home press will receive photo's and updates. "Our total budget is $12,000. Any and all sponsor support will be treasured." To reach Tobin, contact him by cellular phone at +1 208/863-8232. ----- Danskin Women's Series wraps up stunning season September 22, Orlando, Florida (www.slowtwitch.com): Attracting 870 triathletes to an all-women's race would have been, four or five years ago, an incredible feat. Now, it's just a ho-hum figure that tops off the otherwise amazing season for the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series. The series conducts its season-finale national championships on Sunday in Orlando, a first-time venue for Danskin. There are 870 women signed up so far -- but that hardly compares with the numbers who raced in, say, Seattle. There, the Danskin sprint-distance triathlon drew 3,390 women (252 taking part as a relay). There were also 2,692 women in the season-opening Austin, Texas, event in May; 2,655 in Naperville, Illlinois (outside Chicago); 2,483 in Denver; and 2,205 in San Jose, California. Another 1,493 race in Wrentham, Massachusetts (outside Boston). The Danskin series' growth in the last year has startled even its organizers, who started it back in 1990 with a single race in San Diego. In 1991, there were races in San Diego; White Plains, New York; and Milwaukee. The series has now settled well into six sites, plus the Orlando finale. But even the 1999 numbers could not have suggested the success of 2000. Austin had 1,832 in 1999, and 2,692 this year. Naperville had 2,157 in 1999, and 2,655 this year. Wrentham, just a third-year site, had 347 in 1998; 1,062 last year; and 1,493 this year. The numbers are courtesy of Gail Moore of Timerline Timing, which handles registration and results for Danskin. ----- American triathletes turn in mixed results September 18, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com): In the analyses that follow triathlon's greatest race ever, it's easy for those who didn't win medals or hold pre-race favorites' status to get forgotten in all the talk about 1-2-3. Here, via USA Triathlon's communications director B.J. Hoeptner, are follow-up items about the six American triathletes: -- Joanna Zeiger (4th). She was thrilled with her finish and felt that she, Sheila Taormina (6th) and Jennifer Gutierrez (13th) had proven something to the world. Zeiger said: "A lot of people didnít give the Americans any credit at all, and we had three girls in the first pack. We had two people finish in the top 10. I think we put on an unbelievable performance. I hope that in the future, people will realize it's anybody's game in these races." -- Sheila Taormina (6th): She led the swim and the early portion of the bike, before realizing she couldn't hold the lead by herself. She said: "I said, 'All right, the first lap of the bike, enjoy the crowd. Smile at 'em. Let the pack catch you because you know they're going to catch you anyway.' There are a few girls who are really strong on the bike -- Joelle Franzmann (Germany) and Jennifer Gutierrez. I thought maybe we could make a break at one point. But then the other girls were just hammering to catch up. Halfway through the bike, I realized there's no point in making a break." -- Jennifer Gutierrez (13th): She held a brief lead on the bike, but lost track of the laps and took almost 30 seconds to transition from bike to run. She said: "On the bike, when I took off, I wasn't really paying attention when I was in the group. All of a sudden, I saw them taking off their shoes. I said, 'Whoops, we're done.' " -- Hunter Kemper (17th): He left the water in 18th place and stayed there through the bike, admitting he didn't run as well as he would have liked. He said: "At worlds earlier this year, when I got seventh there, after 5K I just kept getting faster and faster and I was flying at the end. Today it was like, man, the legs just weren't there." -- Ryan Bolton (25th): He was involved in a minor crash on the sixth lap of the bike, which also involved winner Simon Whitfield, among others. He said: "It wasn't that bad, really. It was on an incline and people ride up on people's wheels and it kind of causes a chain reaction." -- Nick Radkewich (40th). He said he tried to just enjoy the experience of the race from the back of the pack. "I got on the run and just continued to not feel well. I kind of wanted to enjoy the spectacle of it and finish up. The whole thing is great. The crowd out there was an amazing experience ... All the Aussie fans really cheered for everybody. The made up the majority of the crowd, but they cheered for every single person." ----- "Judy's Time" film makes festival circuit September 13, Breckenridge, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): "Judy's Time," the film that honors the late triathlete Judy Flannery, has earned a place on the film festival circuit -- and Colorado triathletes should take note. Erin Flannery, Judy's daughter who made the film as a student at the esteemed University of Southern California film program, said there are two upcoming bookings in Colorado. It will screen at the Breckenridge Festival of Film in Breckenridge, Colorado, at the town hall this Saturday (September 16) at 7 pm. The film will also screen once each day, from Friday through Sunday, November 3-5, in Colorado Springs as part of the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival. The 40-minute film documents the life of Maryland's Judy Flannery, a mother-of-five and multi-time world champion triathlete who was tragically killed when struck by a car while training on her bike in April, 1997. In 15 years in the sport, she had come to dominate the 50-59 age-group. Says Flannery: "Judy's Time was just named a finalist for the Angelus Award here in Los Angeles, and will screen at the very nice Directors Guild Association's theater in Hollywood on Saturday, November 11. "I am waiting to hear from other festivals and will apply this winter and spring to festivals in Marlyand and Virginia." The film played to its first Washington, DC-area audience on June 6, when it drew several hundred to a showing at the USA Today-inspired Newseum. ----- Americans get major-league attention in Sydney September 12, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com): As the first of the first-time sports in the Olympics, triathlon is getting major-league attention from the biggest American newspapers -- and the American triathletes love it. Following Saturday's practice sessions on the city-centre course that they will race this coming Saturday (women) and Sunday (men), some of the U.S. triathlon team took part in a press conference at the Main Press Center in Olympic Park. Hunter Kemper and Nick Radkewich, accompanied by U.S. coach Michelle Blessing, met the assembled media. Representatives from the New York Times, Washington Post, Sports Illustrated and the Sydney Morning Herald, among others, attended. The result was some serious play in the last two days both back home and abroad. The International Herald Tribune carried a lengthy article, as did both the Times on Monday and the Post on Tuesday. The Times article -- "Triathlon Tries to Shed Its Extreme Image" -- quotes Radkewich: ""You couldn't ask for a better showcase. I really hope this brings us out into the mainstream." But the take on triathlon, as presented in the Post, still shows that it's an unfamiliar sport to the masses. "Something Completely Different," reads that headline. The triathlon federation (ITU) has been working for years with NBC-television and the Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, to create a course that showcases both the sport and the Olympic host city. "The setting is magnificent," U.S. hopeful Joanna Zeiger said, as quoted in the Post's article. "It was really exciting (her first look at the course at Sunday's practice). If you lift your head up during the swim, you're staring at the Opera House. The bike course is challenging, with hills and strong winds, and it will be exciting with the big crowds in the transition area where racers hop on an dlater off their bikes in the shadow of the Opera House." Blessing used the press conference opportunity to talk about America's medal hopes. She said: "In the women's race, we have a very good shot at having a couple of athletes at the front of the pack. If they get away, I think we could have two medals ... For the U.S., we'd have to have a pretty dire day not to medal. "In the men's race, it's the same thing. If they have a good day, they can medal, too. I don't think there's much pressure on these guys, and they're just going to go out and try to get one, two and three." ----- Triathlon should be NBC's featured Olympic opener September 12, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com): The hopes are high at USA Triathlon headquarters that NBC television follows through with its intentions to feature triathlon as the "platform sport" on both its Saturday (September 16) and Sunday (September 17) broadcasts -- although Americans are likely to see less triathlon than the rest of the world. Only those at NBC knows exactly how much air time will be accorded the women's (Saturday) and men's (Sunday) races, which fall on the same day as some of the high-interest swimming and women's soccer events. NBC is showing all of the events on tape -- hours and hours after they are completed. So when its producers look at the day's tapes, they will go with what's most exciting to the average American -- and, presumably, whichever sports the Americans did best in that day. Noted USAT executive director Steve Locke: "When one takes into consideration that many Olympic sports receive no broadcast time whatsoever, we should count ourselves grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to highlight our sport to the great unindoctrinated." By the time NBC finishing showing the opening ceremony on its first broadcast on Friday night -- the women's triathlon medal will have already been awarded. The triathlon won't be shown until NBC starts in with its sports broadcasts Saturday at 4pm, Eastern Daylight Savings Times -- and the news of who won the women's triathlon will be about 19 hours old. Canadians are luckier: The CBC will be broadcasting as many sports live, as possible. That means Canadian triathlon fans will be tuned in on both Friday night, 7pm (women) and again on Saturday evening, 7pm (men). Those are the times that corrolate to the 10am local starting times in Sydney. Further, the CBC as a host broadcaster will be allowed almost real-time updates on its website (http://cbc.ca/olympics/). For Saturday's tape-delayed broadcast in the US, NBC will be mixing the women's triathlon with swimming -- the biggest ticket at the Games. The big event on the schedule will be the men's 400-meter freestyle final, which could well feature the popular Australian, Ian Thorpe. For Sunday's NBC broadcast, the men's triathlon will compete for time with, again, swimming, as well as a women's soccer game between China and the United States -- the top two teams in the world. ----- Guttierez, Kemper for Today Show on Wednesday September 12, Sydney, Australia (www.slowtwitch.com): Triathletes back home in America, set your TV dials on Wednesday morning to The Today Show, at approximately 7:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That's because America's two top-ranked triathletes, Jennifer Gutierrez and Hunter Kemper, will be interviewd by host Matt Lauer in Sydney. Two and three days later, they race the Olympic triathlons. Adds BJ Hoeptner, media director for USA Triathlon: "The rest of the U.S. triathlon team will also get a chance to do a "postcard" on the Today Show, saying hello to family and friends in the United States from the steps of the Sydney Opera House." ----- Family, Mad Dogs say farewell to Jim September 9, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Jim Ward, the inspirational Ironman who died at 83 last Monday, was remembered on Friday at a gathering for friends and family. Katie Knight-Perry, one of the original Mad Dogs of the club that is now the country's largest triathlon club, shared the following with the the at-large triathlon community. She writes: "On my way home from the Celebration of Life for Jim Ward hosted by Bill and Gemma Castleman and the Mad Dogs, it occurred to me that his other friends might be interested in the events that have occurred since his death on Monday, September 4th, Labor Day, 2000. Jim really did die with his boots on, a much too premature death! We were all so shocked and saddened. The Ward family all came together this past week, to reminisce and to plan his funeral. I believe the major responsibility was carried by his daughter, Sarah. I really do not know about all the specifics, but the funeral arrangements were difficult since there was some difficulty in establishing his internment in Arlington with his only son killed in Vietnam. He will be buried September 14th in Arlington with full military honors. "Last night, Friday, there was a gathering at the funeral home to meet family, friends and view Jim's body. All of agree, it did not look like the Jim we knew. His blue eyes, his infectious smile, his love of life, was missing. The many bouquets, the pictures of his marriage, the picture of he and his son in uniform, the pictures of his Ironman competitions, his awards and medals, all reflected a life well lived. On the left of his coffin was his bicycle with his shoes still in the pedals. "Jim's family is more extensive than I realized. Mary, his wife, although in a wheel chair, looked elegant. She repeated over and over, this is not happening, I feel I am outside, looking in. I expect Jim to walk through the door any minute. Jim was the oldest brother of five -- two remaining brothers were in attendance. Mary, Jim's sister who did the Meek and Mighty Triathlon two years ago, was so vibrant and reminded us of Jim's unending enthusiasm and energy for life. He has one other sister. Courtney, his only grand-daughter at the age of 16, a beauty with long blond hair, stood vigilant at the side of her mother, Sarah. Jim was so close to his granddaughter, and his daughter Sarah: They will be the ones that will need the Mad Dog support the most, I think. "The meeting at the funeral home brought together more than 75 Mad Dogs and an extended family. We cried, we laughed, we hugged each other. None of us can believe Jim has died! Today was the Mass. Although I did not go, by everyone's account it was the most personal, extremely emotional experience they have every had. It was a long ceremony and it was followed by a reception of life for Jim. "More then 150 people came to 711 Boca Ciega to remember Jim and his life. Even his wife came, plus all the family. We again hugged, kissed, cried, reminised and ate. We all eventually departed for our homes and continuing lives. None of left alone. Jim is with us all. His life has touched us all. "Tomorrow is Sunday, a day of training, racing or resting. May we all be so fortunate to live a full life and live until we die! In memory of Jim, I pass this on to you ... Love yah! Katie." ----- "Field of stars" lines up for LA Triathlon September 7, Los Angeles, California, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): More than 70 pros -- including several who were near-misses for Olympic selection -- will race in the first Los Angeles Triathlon on Sunday. They are drawn by the $100,000 prize money, with first-place checks for $20,000. Australia's Greg Bennett, Chris Hill and Chris McCormack -- who all had designs on the September 17 Olympic race -- are the big names in the men's field. They are matched by Belgium's Luc Van Lierde and England's Spencer Smith, whose bigger goal of the year is the October 14 Hawaii Ironman, and Marcel Vifian, the USA's new national champ. The women's race features Australia's Jackie Gallagher, in her first serious Olympic-distance race since dropping out of the ITU World Championships in April, and the US's Barb Lindquist, who also lost her Olympic dream in the Olympic-selection race in May. Here are the full fields: - Men from Australia: Courtney Atkinson, Greg Bennett, Nino Calabro, Trent Chapman, Chris Hill, Marc Lees, Chris Legh, Chris McCormack, Bryce Quirk - Men from Belgium: Luc Van Lierde - Men from Brazil: Virgilio Filho - Men from Canada: Jamie Cleveland - Men from England: Spencer Smith - Men from Mexico: Eligio Cervantes, Eugenio Chimal, Arturo Garza, Carlos Probert, Francisco Serrano, Allan Villaneuva - Men from New Zealand: Peter Clode - Men from Sweden: Marcin Wedlarski - Men from US: James Bonney, Ted Bramble, Kevin Carter, Brooks Clark, Billy Contreras, Tony DeBoom, Marc De Leon, John Geyer, Robert Gilfeather, Ken Glah, Wes Hobson, Andy Johnson, Kevin Joyce, Michael Lovato, Mike Nichol, Lee O'Connor, Kevin Palmer, Mike Pigg, Victor Plata, Abe Rogers, Alec Rukosuev, Tim Sheeper, Jeff Sneed, Todd Struckman, Scott Tinley, Marcel Vifian, Tim Watson, Scott Young - Women from Australia: Andra Boyle, Jackie Gallagher - Women from Canada: Heather Fuhr, Tereza Macel, Donna Phelan, Melissa Spooner - Women from France: Sophie Delemer - Women from USA: Kristin Armstrong, Sarah Baker, Rebecca Broeder, Andrea Fisher, Becky Gibbs, Laurie Hug, Wendy Ingraham, Lauren Jensen, Gina Kehr, Jacqueline Komrij, Barb Lindquist, Juliana Nievergelt, Amanda Pagon, Michelle Palmisano, Penny Pecastaing, Gail Steinberg, Angela Van Dyke ----- Jim Ward: "An ambassador for the sport" September 5, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): One of the Ironman's most inspiring and beloved personalities, 83-year-old triathlete Jim Ward, passed away Monday morning while training with friends in St. Petersburg, Florida. The St. Pete Mad Dogs, the triathlon club that he was an avid member of, indicates that there will be a memorial service shortly in Florida. A decorated World War II paratrooper who was later a diplomat in Europe -- and who spoke 11 languages -- Ward will be buried beside his son in Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Virginia. Ward suffered a heart attack about five miles into a group bike ride on the Pinellas Trail, a popular training route for area cyclists. Noted Steve Locke, executive director of USA Triathlon: "Jim Ward was an inspiration to everyone he met without exception. If one tries to put into a capsule what the perfect man's man is -- and, further, a man who demonstrated absolute respect toward women -- he would be that person. "True to his word at every turn ... we will really miss Jim Ward." Ward had been -- until Bill Bell's race at Hawaii last October -- the oldest person ever to finish an Ironman. He had completed the Hawaii Ironman in 1994 at the age of 77. He also had completed three Ironman races since turning 75 (the Hawaii races in 1992, 1993, 1994). His last attempt to race an Ironman came last November in Florida, at 82. According to an Ironman Florida press release at the time, which announced his entry: "Ward hadn't originally planned on racing in Florida after having eye surgery, but the pull was too great for Ward as he attempts to qualify for the 2000 Ironman World Championship (in Hawaii)." Ward ended up withdrawing at the 50-mile mark on the bike with severe cramping. The St. Petersburg Times, reporting on Ward's death, noted that Ward was a 10-time world champion in his age group. Further, "He also was an ambassador for the sport and something of a celebrity: He appeared on Good Morning America and was profiled in the New York Times and USA Today." ----- From whence we came August 31, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): It's a cool thought: Who are the, say, 20 most influential people in our sport? Lew Kidder, who runs the website CoolTri.com, put his thoughts on the Internet. (On his website, to be exact: http://www.cooltri.com). Issued just two weeks in advance of the Sydney Olympics, Kidder writes: "As triathlon nears its debut on the ultimate international stage, we decided to choose our own list of the 20 men, women -- and, in three cases, groups of men and women -- who most influenced the first quarter century of our sport. "They come in all stripes: athletes, journalists, television executives, race organizers, marketing specialists, inventors, insurance agents, political leaders, and entrepreneurs. We present them here, not in order of importance, but as they appeared on the scene. You may well disagree with our choices . . . and, of course, we invite you to give us yours." (Kidder can be reached at (mailto:lew@cooltri.com). His list starts, of course, with John Collins, Naval officer and father of the Ironman. It ends with Greg Welch and Juan Antonio Samaranch, the athlete and politician -- "another magical confluence -- who helped bring the sport to the Olympic stage. Kidder's got the corner on this must-read list. ----- Jones snares 7th win in Mrs. T's Triathlon August 28, Chicago, Illinois, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Showing her years-long supremacy that makes her a favorite for the gold medal in the Sydney Olympics, Australia's Michellie Jones won her seventh title in the Mrs. T's Chicago Triathlon on Sunday. She triumphed over a field rife with Olympic-bound triathletes, as did men's winner Chris McCormack -- who is not going to Sydney. The win was confidence-compounding for both Jones and McCormack, who used the race as personal revenge for not getting selected for Sydney. McCormack won in 1:49:21, shouting "Yes!" as he crossed the finish. He won by 45 seconds over South Africa's Conrad Stoltz, who has never made as big an impressive as he did Sunday, against as international a field. Next came two Englishmen, Spencer Smith and Richard Allen, followed by American Marcel Vifian in fifth. That gained the Kansan his first-ever national pro title -- he had never finished higher than sixth in a national championship. Jones, who won in 1:59:46, topped Joanna Zeiger -- the new US champ -- by 20 seconds. The race initially looked like World Cups do, when Americans Sheila Taormina and Barb Lindquist take out the lead in swimming. Laura Reback followed, although she would later drop out with a recurring hip injury. Jones, Zeiger and Siri Lindley, eventually third, followed about a minute behind. But that's where it got interesting. Taormina couldn't stay with Lindquist on the bike, and ended up dropping out with an aggravated injury. None of which is good news for watchers of America's Olympic team, because the race is just 18 days away. Jones felt she could catch Lindquist on the run -- but so did many others. Jones ran strong, passing her in the first 5k. Zeiger and Lindley also passed the suffering Lindquist, who lost her American title to Zeiger. (RESULTS) ----- Bowden commits to post-Kona New York City Marathon August 26, New York City, New York (www.slowtwitch.com): Canada's Lori Bowden, considered the best runner in the world of Ironman-distance triathlon, will run a proper marathon for time, not training. She has chosen the New York City Marathon on November 5, although she cautions that the race falls three weeks after her year's biggest focus, the October 14 Hawaii Ironman. "Coming just three weeks after the Ironman, I don't think my performance will be a true indication of my marathon speed," Bowden said Saturday through her agent, Murphy Reinschreiber. "So I don't expect to be near the leaders, but I will give a good effort for the thousands of spectators lining the street. I was inspired and eager to participate in the world's most famous marathon after watching it live two years ago." Then, in 1998, she and husband Peter Reid were guests of the marathon and made the media rounds. They were touted as the "world's fittest couple": Reid had just won Hawaii, and Bowden had taken second. Last year, Bowden was first and Reid, second. Bowden's intentions to race New York came one day before she and Reid race Ironman Canada in Penticton, B.C. She is the three-time defending champ. ----- Mrs. T's Triathlon is a pre-Olympic warmup for many August 24, Chicago, Illinois, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Four of the six American triathletes heading for the Olympics are making Sunday's Mrs. T's Triathlon -- also USA Triathlon's Pro Championship -- their last race before shipping out for Sydney. Hunter Kemper -- last year's national champ when he finished second to Aussie Greg Welch here -- leads the men's field. Three more bound for Sydney -- Jennifer Gutierrez, Sheila Taormina and Joanna Zeiger -- highlight the women's field, which has actually shaped up as relatively stronger than the men's. Also racing are multi-time champ Michellie Jones, Australia's favorite for a medal in Sydney; and the two other top Americans who didn't make the Olympic cut, Siri Lindley and Barb Lindquist. The full fields are below: - Men from Australia: Nino Calabro; Chris Hill. - Men from Canada: Lee Drysden; Frederic Plantadis; Olivier Plantadis. - Men from England: Richard Allen. - Men from New Zealand: Will Smith. - Men from USA: Jimmy Archer (Boulder, Colorado); Jared Berg (Boulder, Colorado); Erik Burgan (Carlsbad, California); Brooks Clark (West Chester, Pennsylvania); Doug Friman (Colorado Springs, Colorado); Paul Fritzsche (Boulder, Colorado); Ken Glah (West Chester, Pennsylvania); Hunter Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colorado); Arland Macasieb (Clifton, New Jersey); Kevin Palmer (Carlsbad, California); Kaley Parkinson (Danville, California); Mike Pigg (McKinleyville, California); Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, California); Abe Rogers (Burlington, Vermont); Jeff Sneed (La Canada, California); Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Washington); Marcel Vifian (Lawrence, Kansas); Mark Wachendorf (McHenry, Illinois); Timothy Watson (Grand Isle, Vermont); Brian White (Savannah, Georgia); Pierre Yurow (New York, New York). - Women from Australia: Emma Carney; Michellie Jones; Joanne King. - Women from Canada: Lisa Bentley; Tereza Macel. - Women from Jamaica: Iona Wynter. - Women from USA: Candy Angle (Weymouth, Massachusetts); Kristin Armstrong (Boise, Idaho); Sarah Baker (Waltham, Massachusetts); Diana Berexa (Chico, California); Pamela Birsinger (Atlanta, Georgia); Rory Geitner (Littleton, Colorado); Becky Gibbs (San Jose, California); Sorrel Hanson (Irvine, California); Allison Hardy (Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina); Wendy Ingraham (Walnut Creek, California); Lauren Jensen (New Berlin, Wisconsin); Gina Kehr (Santa Clara, California); Jacqueline Komrij (Santa Rosa, California); Barb Lindquist (Wilson, Wyoming); Amanda Pagon (Satellite Beach, Florida); Michelle Palmisano (San Diego, California); Julie Pittsinger (Weh, Washington); Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Florida); Jessi Stensland (La Jolla, California); Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Michigan); Joanna Zeiger (Baltimore, Maryland). ----- Team USA's Chrissy D'Alessandro killed on training ride August 25, Middletown, New Jersey, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): New Jersey's Christine D'Alessandro, who won a silver medal in the ITU World Age-Group Duathlon Championships last October, was killed on Tuesday during a training ride. D'Alessandro, 33, was one of New Jersey's best female triathletes. She had posted performances over the past few years that five times would have qualified her for the Hawaii Ironman -- yet she never put that race or distance among her athletic goals. Married to Phil Shaheen just in January, Chrissy and Phil were cycling together on Tuesday afternoon. According to an article in the local Asbury Park Press, she was struck by a dumptruck at an intersection in Tinton Falls, on the New Jersey Shore. Notes the article: "(The driver) had stopped at the intersection for a traffic light. The truck began making a right turn onto Normandy Road when the light turned green and collided with Shaheen as the cyclist (D'Alessandro) tried to pass it on the right." The 52-year-old driver was taken to a hospital in nearby Red Bank for a voluntary screening, and was released. The driver had no points on his license, the article said. D'Alessandro had a dual career as a mortgage underwriter and travel agent. The couple had honeymooned in Jamaica, where she had been a four-time winner of the Negril Sprint Triathlon. Within the Mid-Atlantic area, D'Alessandro was a perennial winner in the Penn-Jersey Triathlon Grand Prix. She was a consistent top-10 finisher in bigger races such as the Columbia (Maryland) and Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) triathlons. ----- America's Olympic triathletes make their pitches August 24, Baltimore, Maryland, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): It's a tough job -- throwing out the first pitch of a Major League Baseball game -- but someone's got to do it. Last week, that honor went to Baltimore triathlete Joanna Zeiger, who graced the mound for a moment for one of the Baltimore Orioles' games at Camden Yard. That's because the Johns Hopkins University Ph.D. candidate is also heading for the Sydney Olympics next month. On Tuesday, four other members of the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, all Colorado-based, were introduced and saluted at one of the Colorado Rockies' games in Denver: Jennifer Gutierrez, Hunter Kemper, Nick Radkewich and Ryan Bolton. The Rockies were playing the Atlanta Braves. Kemper, a Braves fan, had summoned his courage a mile high when he walked on the field wearing a Braves cap. Also last Tuesday, Livonia, Michigan's Sheila Taormina -- the sixth Olympic triathlete and merely the covergirl for the September issue of Outside Magazine -- drove up to Tiger Stadium to throw out the first pitch on behalf of the Detroit Tigers. All the baseball appearances were arranged by Alan Taylor Communications, the New York City public relations agency that helps get mainstream media for the new Olympic sport. ----- Classen claims XTerra-Hood River after penalties August 22, Hood River, Oregon, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Kerry Classen claimed his fifth XTerra win of the season after the two who finished ahead of him, Mike Vine and Michael Tobin, were each penalized two minutes for cutting switchbacks at Sunday's XTerra at Hood River. Classen set the pace for the 250-strong field, leading by over a minute out of the one-mile swim in the Columbia River swim. Vine was 2:18 back in 8th, with Tobin in 20th. The 18-mile mountain bike portion that followed, with 2,000 total feet of climbing on a combination of pavement, single track, and gravel jeep trail, played to the strengths of all three men. Classen had the lead by only 45-seconds at the top of the 5-mile climb to the "Tower of Power" over Vine, who had moved up to second place. Tobin was hot on Kelly Guest's heels in fourth. A screaming descent, more gravel and 7-miles of single track gave Vine and Tobin the chance to pass both Guest and Classen. Tobin had the fastest bike split by 45-seconds over Vine. The 6-mile trail run, which ended with a leg-burning descent, did little to separate them, despite Classen posting the fastest run. Allthree crossed the line within 39 seconds of each other: Vine, Tobin then Classen. But what would have been Vine's second straight XTerra win was short-lived, when others protested that both Vine and Tobin had cut the steep run switchbacks just a mile from the finish. Both were given two-minute penalties, landing Classen in first place at 2:23:02. Australia's Jody Purcell had a cleaner win, her fourth of the season. She had put more than two minutes on the top of the bike course, then maintained her lead over Kerstin Weule in the run. XTerra now goes international again, following its first non-American race at Canada's Whistler Mountain on August 14. XTerra Great Britain on September 2, and XTerra Japan on September 10, are followed back home with XTerra Half Boon Bay on the California coast on September 17, and XTerra San Dimas, near Los Angeles, on September 24. The XTerra World Championships is set for October 22 at Wailea, Maui, Hawaii. (RESULTS) ----- USAT reconfigures its National Teams Director position August 21, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): As USA Triathlon looks beyond the September 16-17 Olympic triathlons, it has reconfigured its National Teams Director position. It's currently called National Teams Coach, and has different responsibilities. Starting in January 2001, the position will be primarily administrational in nature. But as it oversees USAT's coaching programs, executive director Steve Locke anticipates that he will have dozens of coaches' resumes on his hands by the November 1 deadline for applications. Locke has put out an announcement for the position. It reads in part: "I. Duties: The National Teams Director (NTPD) will be responsible for a multi-faceted program involving athletes, coaches, administrators, educators and other associated groups involved with USA Triathlon (USAT). The focus of the responsibilities of the NTPD will lie in several areas including: 1.Coaching certification; the NTPD will provide oversight in the development and modification of coaching certification curricula in association with the National Coaching Committee (NCC), and the National Coaching Program Education Director; and, will provide expertise, direction and oversight to the administration of the coaching certification program; 2.National Coaching Committee; the NTPD will assure the ongoing maintenance of the NCC by recruiting high level coaches onto the committee, monitor the rotation of members on a 2 to 4-year basis in order to initiate new talent, keep the NCC informed through regular modern communication methods, plan and implement an annual meeting to create and/or review curricula and programs; 3.Employees; the NTPD will employ National Coaching Program employees with final approval of the USA Triathlon Executive Director; will provide direction and oversight to those employees. Employees may be "employed" through regular methods or through short term contracts; 4.Junior/collegiate program; the NTPD will provide direction and oversight to the USAT Athlete Development Director and employed coaches regarding the junior and collegiate programs; this will include creation of recruitment and scouting camps and training camps, the implementation of a junior/collegiate camp system nationwide that eventually will funnel talent to the national teams; junior and collegiate coaches will be employed to prepare elite juniors for national and international draft legal racing; 5.Elite athlete scouting and recruitment programs; the NTPD will provide direction and oversight to the scouting and recruiting of emerging and existing elite talent within NCAA, club, NGB, collegiate, high school, and other related programs; the NTPD will employ coaches as needed to recruit new athletes to the USAT Athlete Development Pipeline; 6.United States Olympic Committee grant opportunities, reporting and facility use; the NTPD will work with appropriate USOC personnel to complete appropriate forms for grants, facility use and other purposes as needed; 7.Various national teams; including long and short term national camp training and national team members training visits; the NTPD will implement camps and employ coaches as identified by planning documents for the various national teams on a short and long term basis; 8.National Teams program long term planning and annual budget planning and reporting; the NTPD will consult with various appropriate experts in order to initiate and complete national teams long term planning documents, and will create an annual budget based upon long term planning documents and/or their needed modifications; etc. That's just part of the job description. For the full one, contact: Steven Locke, USA Triathlon, 3595 E. Fountain Blvd., Suite F-1, Colorado Springs, CO 80910, United States. His email is (mailto:steve@usatriathlon.org). ----- Gutierrez to captain Olympic triathlon team August 16, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Jennifer Gutierrez, the first person to make the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, has now been voted as its first captain for the Sydney Olympics next month. Gutierrez earned the honor by a vote of the three men, three women who comprise the team. As the captain, she will represent the Olympic triathletes when decisions need to be made in Sydney. One big decision will be which athlete gets to carry the flag for the United States during the Opening Ceremonies. Gutierrez joked that she received the honor because, at 33, she's the oldest member of the Olympic triathlon team. But she added: "I like it because I'm very fair. If I want something, but everyone else wants something different, I will go with the majority." Gutierrez made the team on April 16 when she was the first American woman to cross the finish line at the ITU World Cup race in Sydney. The race also served as the first of two US Olympic qualifiers. ----- Jamba Juice joins Los Angeles Tri as title sponsor August 12, Los Angeles, California (www.slowtwitch.com): Jamba Juice, a company specializing in blended-to-order smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices, has signed a three-year agreement as the title sponsor for the City of Los Angeles Triathlon. The deal was announced late last week by Jack Caress, event chairman and race director for the September 10 event. "Adding Jamba Juice, whose mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle falls directly in line with what the sport of triathlon is all about," Caress said. "We could not have asked for a more appropriate title sponsor. As someone who has been active in the sport since its inception over 20 years ago, I don't recall a sponsorship that is this comprehensive. We now have all the elements to make this triathlon the world class event we all know it can be." Jamba Juice's involvement will extend to naming one of its drinks "City of Los Angeles Triathlon Smoothie." The company, which has about 325 franchises in 19 states, will also display in-store posters and race applications. Jamba Juice will also become presenting sponsor for the Catalina Island Marathon, the Kring & Brown Newport Beach Triathlon, Catalina Island Triathlon and the Catalina Island Buffalo Run -- four events that Caress and his marketing firm have also developed. Although the first Los Angeles Triathlon won't attract any of the triathletes in the Sydney Olympics (it falls one week before that), Caress has commitments from a number of well-known triathletesl who won't be in Sydney. Among them: Men: Spencer Smith (ENG), Luc Van Lierde (BEL), Victor Plata (USA), Wes Hobson (USA), Mike Pigg (USA), Scott Tinley (USA), Chris Legh (USA), Billy Contreras (USA), Andrew Noble (AUS), Andy Johnson (USA), Kevin Palmer (USA), Abe Rogers (USA), Brooks Clark (USA), Nino Calabro (ITA), Bryce Quirk (AUS), Andrew Kelsey (USA), Ken Glah (USA), Greg Bennett (AUS) Women: Jackie Gallagher (AUS), Barb Lindquist (USA), Heather Fuhr (CAN), Wendy Ingraham (USA), Andra Boyle (AUS), Karen Smyers (USA), Joanne King AUS/pending), Penny Pecastaing (USA), Tereza Macel (CAN), Samantha McGlone (CAN), Michelle Palmisano (USA), Amanda Pagon (USA). ----- Smedley leads return of pros to Wilkes-Barre August 1, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (www.slowtwitch.com): Michael Smedley, a US Resident Team member, leads a handful of pros who are heading back to eastern Pennsylvania on Sunday for the 19th Wilkes-Barre Triathlon. Just a few weeks ago, the pro division of the race lacked any pros, period. Now, thanks to a $5,000 commitment that organizers arranged at the near-last minute, the pros are coming back. The prize-money amount is nowhere near the usual $20,000 or $30,000 that the race is known for offering. But it's a good faith effort as the race endures a year when sponsorship just didn't come through as it usually does. Once word of the money went out, the pros started calling. Smedley, for one, is returning for the third straight year: He finished second in 1998 and second again last year, when Wilkes-Barre hosted the North American Regional Championships. Also racing, among the pro men, are Abe Rogers, Brooks Clarke, Walter Denino, Ken Glah and Todd Wiley. Greg Remaly, a northeast Pennsylvania athlete, is looking for a good finish there to assist him in earning his pro license. The women's field will feature Lee DePietro, Kelly Rees and Jan Wanklyn. Organizers will continue to accept pros until 2 pm Saturday: Registration is from noon to 5pm that day. Anyone interested should contact Michael Last via email (wbtri@in.epix.net), or phone the race hotline, 570-822-2025. ----- No more easy pickins' for foreign "pros" July 31, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): It's not a common practice by any means, but it happens often enough to grate on the collective ire of America's best age-group triathletes: A foreign triathlete, who's pretty good, shows up at an age-group-oriented race, wins and walks away with all the goodies. Complaints were getting so loud at the USA Triathlon headquarters in Colorado Springs that the USAT board recently passed two resolutions aimed at ending this practice. The background is this: Elite U.S. triathletes hold a special pro/elite membership card, and are therefore restricted from competing in age-group events and winning age-group awards other than prize money. However, foreign pro/elite racers have not been carrying such cards, and have been free to race in lower-level, age-group events and win the associated awards. As an example of what these resolutions address, the effect will be this: No longer will a foreign "pro" or international-level triathlete be able to, say, race one of the U.S.'s domestic qualifiers (the half-Ironmans) for an age-group spot in a quick attempt to gain the coveted entry to the Hawaii Ironman. The resolutions, written by board member Jack Weiss, firstly define an international pro/elite triathlete and, secondly, restrict these athletes from competing in age-group events (or in age-group categories in combined pro/age-group events). The resolutions will be put in play on November 1. "These resolutions were necessary to level the paying field," USAT Deputy Director Tim Yount said. "We needed to make sure our age-group athletes get the recognition and awards they deserve." The first resolution defines an international pro/elite athlete as meeting one or more of the following criteria: 1. Holding a pro/elite triathlon license from any nation outside of the United States, be it the athlete's country of origin or country of residence. 2. Having competed in any ITU World Cup race during the 12 months prior to the event. 3. Having competed in any ITU points race during the 12 months prior to the event. 4. Having competed in any World Triathlon Corporation Ironman Qualifier as a pro, or in the pro category, during the previous 12 months. 5. Having competed in one's domestic Olympic Trials for triathlon during the current year, commencing January 1. ----- Madison event will be NATS' hometown showcase July 31, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): The August 6 event for the North American Triathlon Series will have its most competitive field yet this season -- and comes in front of NATS' home crowd, too. The race at Vilas Park will be the third year for the event, which started as part of the US Triathlon Series (now NATS) in 1998. When Ken MacKenzie's Madison-based Quest Events Inc. took over the USTS and renamed it NATS over the winter, it was a natural to move the series' "showcase" race from Oceanside, its previous headliner, to Madison. Thus, it has a $10,000 purse, which is double what the other money-races in the series pay pros. However, the last of the $5000 paydays, which should have been August 20 near Detroit, Michigan, won't offer the pros the money after all. "Due to the lack of sponsorship revenue, we have made the tough decision to eliminate the pro prize purse for Michigan," MacKenzie announced this week on the series' website, http://www.usts2000.com . "Please note that we are fully committed to providing a platform for elite athletes to compete and earn a living, but simply could not provide the full program in 2000." The announcement is a disappointment for those who have been supporting the circuit, but is understandable in light of the series' revamping and new ownership this season. That much aside, the pro men who will gather at Madison next Sunday include Kiwis Will Smith and Dean Jagusch, Canadian Lee Dryden, and Americans Nick Radkewich, Victor Plata, Doug Friman, Erik Johnson, Lee O'Conner, Abe Rogers, Mark Wachendorf and Mark Welsh. Pro women expected are Canada's Lisa Bentley, and Americans Laurie Hug, Heidi Janes, Lauren Jensen, Sharon Knecht, Amanda Pagon and Laura Reback. ----- South Africans train in Colorado Springs July 26, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Conrad Stoltz, South Africa's sole male triathlete heading for the Olympics, and South Africa's Olympic coach Libby Burrell have settled into training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, alongside America's Sydney-bound triathletes and coaches. The arrangement pairs Burrell with Michelle Blessing, the U.S. Olympic coach. The two are the only two women in triathlon tasked with overseeing both men's and women's Olympic teams for their countries. Stoltz, ranked No. 24 in the world, is training with U.S. team members Ryan Bolton, Nick Radkewich and and Hunter Kemper. The four are working with Kevin McKenna, USA Triathlon's swim specialist, at the USOC's Aquatic Facilities. Burrell, meanwhile, is using her time in Colorado Springs to consult with various individual coaches. According to USA Triathlon's Steve Locke: "The men's group has also been joined by Marc Lees, elite triathlete from Australia. Also a top-ranked ITU triathlete (No. 85), Marc is competing in the USA this summer and maintaining a base of operations in Colorado Springs." ----- USA's triathletes test clean July 26, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): Seventy-three drug tests have been conducted on more than 50 elite American triathletes so far in 2000, and all 73 tests have proved negative. That's the good word from USA Triathlon executive triathlon Steve Locke. The testing is occuring through USAT's contact with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Said Locke: "All tests have been negative, showing no use of prohibited substances." "In competition" tests, numbering 38 in all, have been conducted at random at the conclusion of four races: St. Anthony's Triathlon on April 29; the Memphis in May Triathlon on May 21; Ironman California on May 21; and the United States Triathlon Olympic Team Trials on May 27-28. Additional out of competition NAN tests -- for "no advance notice" -- have numbered 35. For those, certified USOC testers arrive at the elite athlete's home unannounced, and the provision of a urine sample is mandatory Future "in competition" tests for 2000 are unannounced, Locke noted. USA Triathlon anticipates conducting another 75 tests altogether in 2000, which would bring the total number to around 153 tests. Adds Locke: "That number will represent a record number of anti-doping tests conducted within the USA for triathlon for a one-year period." ----- Relay swimmer dies in Montauk Sprint Triathlon July 26, Montauk, New York, USA (www.slowtwitch.com): A 36-year-old woman who had been a champion-level swimmer in high school died just moments before reaching the shore last Sunday during the relay portion of the Montauk Sprint Triathlon on Long Island. According to a Newsday article, Barbara Milnamow, a Manhattan attorney, had nearly completed the half-mile ocean swim near East Hampton when she was spotted not moving in the water. Paramedics rescued her while she was in cardiac arrest. She died one hour later at Southampton hospital. It was the second death that occurred during a U.S. triathlon this season. The first occurred on June 18 in Virginia in the Greater Blacksburg Triathlon, when a cyclist through a stop sign and collided with a car. The Montauk triathlon had been sanctioned by USA Triathlon. In the Newsday article on July 25, USAT's B.J. Hoeptner was quoted:"This type of triathlon is the shortest distance we sanction, and certain safety precautions must be in place for us to give approval. A certain number of medical personnel and police must be present to ensure everyone's safety." ----- Think you're special? Tell USA Triathlon! July 26, Chula Vista, California (www.slowtwitch.com): USA Triathlon is making a bigger effort than ever to identify young talent -- and get them into the Olympic Training Centers for testing. You don't even have to have a track record as a triathlete to qualify. If you're a young triathlete, duathlete, swimmer, cyclist or runner with above-average results, USA Triathlon wants to see you in San Diego. (The U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, just below San Diego, is where several coaches spent the last two weeks conducting the first two USA Triathlon Recruitment Camps). They were staffed by Matt Haugen, USAT's National Teams Director; Kevin McKenna, USAT's swim specialist; Michael Collins, a swim consultant; and four Level II certified coaches -- Alan Ley, Tom Manzi, Jo Garruccio, and Zane Castro. The camps, says Steve Locke, USAT executive director, "are designed to attract potential young elite triathletes as we look toward 2004 and beyond. "The curriculum developed for the camps was created to educate the young athletes regarding ITU-style training and racing methods and skills development." The first camp, from July 10-16, hosted seven women and four men ranging in age from 16 to 24. The second camp, from July 17-24, featured 15 men and six women, ranging between 17 and 25. Several more camps, all intended to identify and pull new talent into the sport, will be conducted starting in 2001 and extending through the 2004 season. Anyone interested in being included in the camps should contact USA Triathlon at: mailto:usatriathlon@usatriathlon.org. and police must be present to ensure everyone's safety."
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