• Triathlon 101: A "nice" series, over a "nice" distance
• Silverman's pot-o'-gold out o' reach
• Alexander, McGlone, grab 70.3 titles
• Kiwi Carter adds XTERRA to his resume, McQuaid 3-peats
• USAT nationals moves to Portland
• USOC to Grab USAT's assets?
• USAT Nationals lands in Kansas City
• Ex race director pleads guilty to fraud
• USAT acting executive director Yount resigns
• USAT special election results are in
• Blue Ribbon Panel chastens USAT's board, sets new elections
• Kemper, Lindquist first to qualify for Athens
• USOC's Blue Ribbon Panel starts its work
• Bylaw petition arrives at USAT's office
• All sides agree to USOC's "blue ribbon panel"
• USAT's board meeting that wasn't
• Legal action threatened over elections
• USOC weighs in heavily on USAT's infamous election
• Honolulu AG Worlds on hold
• Steve Larsen: Thanks for the memories
• Ex-president Grinder to explore election's legality
• U.S. age-groupers bring home hardware from 2003 Worlds
• USAT's election to be challenged
• USAT's election results announced

The exact distances expressed in metric measures are a 3k swim, a 130k bike, and a 30k run. This approximates, but differs slightly, from the just-abandoned ITU Long Course distance of 4k/120k/30k. This distance was not chosen, says Kurek, to fill the void left by the ITU’s abandonment of the "old Nice distance." Rather, it's just a happy occurrence -- if you're Kurek -- that the sport's world governing body (ITU) has created a well of displeasure among Long Course Worlds habitués.

Indeed, a petition signed by the large majority of the most recent Long Course World's top finishers criticizes the ITU's decision. The Petition's author, Swedish pro Jonas Colting, a perennial high placer at that organization's World Championships, said of Triathlon 101, "This series will also be everything that ITU isn´t anymore; catered to all long distance triathletes and with a substantial and respectable prizepurse for professionals."

Kurek originally intended to entitle its series finale a Triathlon One O One "World Championship," but decided that the fight over the use of the word "World" invited more problems than it solved. Kurek wrote in an email to Skip Gilbert, USA Triathlon's executive director, "In keeping with our alliance with USA Triathlon and other governing bodies... we have decided to drop the "world" from the Triathlon One O One Championship."

Here is the 2007 schedule:

May 6 - Sarasota, FL
June 10 - Clear Lake, CA
September 2 - Halifax, NS
November 11 - Woodlands, TX

The Series will feature a lot of elements making these events desirable to pro triathletes, including expense reducers like homestays, and a purse of $50,000 per race and $150,000 for the series championship. The race organizers intend to take the series worldwide in 2008, with up to 20 events globally.

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Silverman's pot-o'-gold out o' reach
November 12, 2006 Las Vegas, NV
(Slowtwitch News Service™)

So close. So close.

The day started well for Team Athlete's Lawyer (athleteslawyer.com)
with world class open water swimmer Scott Kaufman part of a trio out of the water. Though the course was slow due to a mischievous side current, open-water champion Mark Warkentin (Inside Out Sports) took the swim in just under 45 minutes, 5sec in front of Kaufman. Pro triathlete John Kenny (Powercranks) rounded out the top three, 20sec down on the lead.

Warkentin handed off to pro triathlete Eric Bean, Kaufman to world class cyclist Tyler Hamilton, each on a P3C. Hamilton rode his to an immediate lead (as covered live on Slowtwitch.com).

The other top contending team, R&A/FIT Multisports, featuring the Swedish Doodes, ran into some trouble. Though a world class pro triathlete, swimmer Jonas Colting is not the swimmer the other three are. Colting was dangled in fourth place, without a leading kayaker, and missed a buoy. After swimming 200 yards too far, and backtracking the same distance, he lost an approximate 5min to the field. Add that to the 4min gap he'd have faced anyway, and Swedish Doode Bjorn Anderson mounted his bike facing a 9min gap.

Hamilton (Athlete's Lawyer) rode like Hamilton can, and whipped through the early stages of the hilly, windy, part offroad, course at breakneck speed. For most of the race he was chased by Colombian pro cyclist Hernan Dario Munoz (Powercranks), winner of a number of large and mid-level stage races. Eric Bean (Inside Out) hung tough, riding 20sec to 30sec behind, losing time on the hills, clawing it back.

The bad luck for the Swedes continued. Anderson (R&A/FIT Multisports) riding a one-off set of experimental aero bars, had a wedge bolt work it's way loose barely a third of the way into the ride. His left aero bar extension fell off, and dangled the rest of the way. Anderson rode with two armrests and one extension, occasionally fishing for the other when changing into the other chainring.

Hamilton's early pace, though blistering, proved to be only a harbinger of what was to come. After riding a 2:21 first half, he turned on the jets to come home in a 2:13, giving his marathoner more than a decent chance at the prize purse.

Bean was next into the transition area, having caught, passed and dropped the Colombian in the latter stages. He was 5:10 in front of the Team Powercranks rider, but a full 16 minutes behind the Athlete's Lawyer team.

When Hamilton handed off to 1:02 half-marathoner Ernest Kimeli, all the team needed from the Kenyan was a 2:41 marathon. That seemed likely, as the low-60s degree, low humidity day seemed perfect for a quick run, notwithstanding the hilly course.

But Hamilton, it turns out, exceeded the dismount line. Though USA Triathlon is not enforcing "dismount" in 2006, it leaves it to the race organization which can, in its discrestion, enforce the rule. Initially no penalty was to be given, but under pressure from the other team managers the organization decided to enforce the penalty. USAT officials were obliged to find Kimeli out on the run course and stand him down -- or stand him still, as it were -- for 4 minutes.

Kimeli had already started much more quickly than was necessary. Though the first miles of the run are downhill, he reportedly passed through the 2-mile mark in what seemed a ridiculously fast 8:39. After serving his 4min penalty, he resumed running an exceptional pace, covering the first half of this hilly marathon in 1:13 flat, penalty inclusive. This means, sans the penalty, Kimeli ran in the neighborhood of 5:15 pace over his first 13 miles.

Meanwhile, Anderson gamely rode with one aerobar, to a bike split about a minute off that ridden by Bean, and 4 minutes ahead of Dario.

The marathoners behind Kimeli, Brazilian speedster Everton Morais (Inside Out), Mike Booth (Powercranks) and Patrik Tjardal (R&A/FIT Multisports) would eventually finish in intervals roughly 7 minutes apart from each other. The money out of reach, Morais (who would run 2:35) and Tjardal seemed to take it as a long, hard training day -- Tjardal going so far as to lace up his training flats prior to the start. Kimeli (Athlete's Lawyer) was another story. His team was definitely in the hunt for the prize.

The rules of this race called for $100,000 to be given to the first team to break 8 hours. Nothing for second. Nothing if you don't break 8 hours. It was clear only Team Athlete's Lawyer had a shot at the cash bonus. Ernest Kimeli had to run only a 1:28 final half in order for his team to collect the reward.

Should Kimeli run the same pace for the second half he'd run for the first, he'd come in with 19min to spare, with 7:41 on the race clock. That time came and went, as did 7:45, and 7:50. Only ten more minutes remained. Where was Kimeli? Then came word that the Kenyan, so fleet of foot earlier in the run, had come to a dead stop at mile-23. The rumor was he'd twisted his ankle. No one knew whether it was the ankle or the breakneck early pace that was to blame, but it was clear that 8 hours would not be broken on this day.

In the end, Everton Morais (Inside Out Sports) came across first in 8:17:15, passing Kimeli early in the finish straight. Kimeli, by now dressed in sweats, came home next in 8:17:40. Swedish Doode Patrik Tjardal (R&A/FIT Multisports) finished third in 8:39, amid word that another meltdown victim, Mike Booth of Powercranks, suffered from a go-for-broke pace and was still out on the course.

Alexander, McGlone, grab inaugural 70.3 titles
November 11, 2006 Las Vegas, NV
(Slowtwitch News Service™)

Seventy-point-three specialist Craig Alexander emerged from a pack of runners to capture the first-ever World Championship at this distance.

Alexander rode among a group of men that included Wildflower course record holder Terenzo Bozzone, 5-time World Champ at many distances Simon Lessing, and a half-dozen or so others. They trailed cycling specialist Chris Lieto, who made up 2-minute gap out of the water, and established a slim 1-minute lead in transition.

Early into the run Alexander broke free of all but Lessing and Richie Cunningham, and the trio quickly caught Lieto. By mile-4 it was Alexander by himself, with Lessing a half-minute back and Cunningham :30 further behind.

Alexander went on to build a 90-second lead on Lessing by the 10-mile mark, and Lessing could not break into that advantage. Alexander won in a very fast 3:45:37, with Lessing second 1:48 back. Cunningham was 3rd, @3:40. Chris Legh finished fourth.

Leanda Cave was the early leader in the women's race, staying out front on the bike. But, as was the case in pro and age-group races all day, the fast riders swept up those who exited the water beforehand, with the passed riders sticking like flypaper to those riding up to and through the groups.

In the case of the women's race, it was Dutch star Yvonne Van Vlerken who was the motor sucking up riders. In winning the Antwerp 70.3 earlier this year Van Vlerken rode up to and over Danish standout Lisbeth Kristensen, who in turn rode down almost the entire Hawaiian Ironman field last month, closing to within a minute of eventual winner Michellie Jones. The only question was, could the other women stay with the Dutch überbiker?

The answer was yes. She commenced the bike leg with Monika Lehmann and the pair first rode up to Lisa Bentley, then Katja Schumacher. They stuck like glue. Then came Mirinda Carfrae, then Samantha McGlone, and Nina Eggert. The pack had grown to seven, and it then swallowed up Dede Griesbauer. This made academic the question of whether Cave could remain out front. The answer was not if, but when, and the when came at 36 miles.

Finally, in the last 10 miles of the bike, Van Vlerken's pace started to wear on her followers. She would occasionally get a few seconds on the field. They inevitably brought her back, but not without some wear and tear.

Finally, once off the bike, it was up to the runners. Van Vlerken's pacemaking sealed her fate, and the question was, would Samantha McGlone have enough leg to outrun Lisa Bentley, or would the Canadian Ironman specialist find enough spring in her step after laboring through a 3:08 in Kona three weeks before?


In the early miles it was McGlone, but with Carfrae her closest challenger, not Bentley. It stayed that way through 8 miles of the run, and then Carfrae started to close the distance between her and McGlone. Bentley was in third, dangling some 10 to 20 seconds in back of Carfrae the entire run.

At mile-10 McGlone found another gear, and Carfrae started to wilt. McGlone established a comfortable margin in the last few miles, posting the fastest run of the day, 1:20:22, and soloing to the win in a very quick 4:12:58. Reliable runner Bentley came home second, 2:32 back, and Carfrae held on for the bronze, 3:46 behind the winner.

(RESULTS)

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Kiwi Carter carves XTERRA into his belt, McQuaid 3-peats
October 30, 2006 Maui, HI
(Slowtwitch News Service™)

Former skinny-tired champ Hamish Carter brought home a fat-tired title at the XTERRA World off-road tri Championship.  His female counterpart, Melanie McQuaid, took home her third XTERRA world title. 

McQuaid’s win made her the first pro – male or female – in the 11-year history of the event to win a third XTERRA World Championship.  Carter, both a World and the 2004 Olympic champ, won it in his first Maui attempt.  McQuaid finished in 3:07:53, more than eight minutes ahead of fellow Canadian Danelle Kabush.  Carter finished in 2:42:36, just 19 seconds ahead of Olivier Marceau, who he passed with less than a mile to go on the run.

“That course wasn’t meant for human consumption” were the first words Carter spoke after crossing the line.  “It’s honestly the hardest, meanest course ever.  The rocks and the hills don’t go away.  You get rid of them on the bike and you get stuck back up there on the run,” said Carter, referring to the more than 3,000 feet of climbing on the bike and run up the dormant Haleakala Volcano.

Carter spent the entire day in a cat-and-mouse chase with Marceau, who was also the runner-up here in 2004.  The chase started in the water as the two exited the 1.5k swim course in a little under 20 minutes alongside a handful of Olympic triathletes in Brent McMahon (CAN), Carter (NZL), Marceau (SUI), Eneko Llanos (ESP), plus his brother Hektor Llanos, American XTERRA Champ Seth Wealing and Honolulu’s Chad Seymour. 

From the beach it was Carter that hit the bike course the hardest and pulled away from the field. Behind him, in the first downhill section before the famed Heartbreak Hill less than three miles into the course, leading challengers Mike Vine, Dominic Gillen, Francisco Serrano and Chris Legh all suffered flats.  For Vine and Legh, it would mark the beginning of the end of their day and for Gillen and Serrano – serious setbacks that took them out of contention.

While Carter powered to the front Marceau let him go, knowing the beast of a climb Haleakala had in store later on.  Midway into the bike Marceau caught Carter and the two rode together for most of the second half of the course.  A couple minutes back was Wealing and the hard charging Josiah Middaugh – who had the best bike split of the day in 1:33:18 to move from 38th out of the water to second into the bike-to-run transition.

About a mile before T2 Carter got a flat of his own, but rather than fix it he skidded and weaved the remaining distance into transition.

“I couldn’t corner the last downhill but I figured I’d lose one-minute if I just tried to ride it in and I’d lose three minutes if I tried to stop and change it, so it was quite funny coming in because I had no control,” said Carter.

Marceau took advantage and headed out on the run a little over a minute ahead of Middaugh, Carter and Wealing. 

Carter caught Middaugh straight away and Wealing too.  “I was around some pretty fast runners so I had my work cut out for me, and I wasted myself on the bike but that’s what I had to do.” said Middaugh, who finished 4th for his fourth straight top 10 finish.

For more than five miles into the run Marceau was golden, but his legs were running out of gas.  The ultimate stopper on the run is the “Makena Mile” – a near mile long stretch of soft white sand just a mile from the finish.  It was here, at the end of that stretch, where Carter took over.

“I went down and looked for the hard sand because he was running up on the beach and I thought that I had to try and do something different. I had looked at the beach the day before and it was definetly harder down by the water and trying to find some hard sand was important,” said Carter.  “Once I caught him I thought if he comes with me I’m in trouble because I got nothing left, but I just had a little bit more gas than him but man, that was so hard.”

It certainly wasn’t the case that Marceau gave in as he stayed on Carter’s heels through the finish line just 19 seconds back for the closest men’s finish in race history.

“I think Hamish deserves the first place,” said Marceau.  “He had a great run and came back on me at the end of Makena Beach.  For sure I could’ve won this race if Hamish hadn’t come, but he was the strongest today.”

Wealing was strong too and put together the third best bike and run to place third as the top American in just his first-ever attempt on the Maui course.

“I’m very pleased.  I felt awful when I got here and was aiming for a top six so third is better than I could expect,” said Wealing.  “It was fun running through the people on the beach but that first sand section is ridiculous. There’s no line at all. The run is so bloody hard, it’s just a strong man’s run.  You get off the bike and your legs are just shot and they shove you right up that hill and then to add insult to injury that beach is just unbelievable. I can see that this is the premier race and why it’s the World Championship.”

Middaugh, who had been the top American the past two years, had a brilliant race in any circumstance, let alone having come back from major knee surgery in June.

Two-time XTERRA World Champ Eneko Llanos (2003 & 2004), fresh off a fifth place finish at Ironman, was amazingly fresh for this one and finished 5th here too.  “I didn’t have the speed to stay with the guys in front.  My legs are o.k. but not fresh.  5th here, 5th at Ironman, I think it’s been a good week.”  That’s an understatement, and he became the first guy not named Peter Reid to win the Hawaiian Airlines Double award since 2001.

McMahon had the best swim and the best run to place 6th.  Greg Krause was solid in 7th, and last year’s XTERRA World Champ Nicolas Lebrun finished 8th.

At 49-years-young Scott Tinley finished as the 44th pro.  Tinley became the second inductee into the XTERRA Hall of Fame (Ned Overend was the first last year) at the pre-race dinner on Saturday night.  He also had one of the better finish line quotes on the day, “It’s not a race fit for man nor beast.”

Coming into the race the women’s field was considered one of the deepest in recent memory with a handful of hopefuls given full consideration for the race win.  In the end it was simply McQuaid, strong on the swim (5th), devastating on the bike (1st) and steady on the run (5th).

“Today all the preparation I put in during the last month came together and I felt like when I asked my body to do something it responded,” said McQuaid, who won her second straight and unprecedented third overall XTERRA World Title today.

At the very beginning the strong swimmers – Sibylle Matter and Candy Angle – put some time on the field and surged up the course, but before they could get comfortable there was McQuaid.  Less than three miles into the bike she had already passed them both and set out on a blistering pace that left the closest riders more than six-minutes back by the midway point.

Several major crashes behind McQuaid – one involving 2004 Champ Jamie Whitmore on the plunge and the other taking down 2002 Champ Candy Angle near the Crossroads section – changed the dynamics of the race.  Both Whitmore and Angle were done for the day with cuts and abrasions that left them unable to continue.

Filling the gap was Matter, Danelle Kabush, Jennifer Smith and Renata Bucher.  Smith, as expected, had a magnificent bike – second only to McQuaid’s, and entered the bike-to-run transition in second, followed by Bucher, Kabush, and Shonny Vanlandingham.

With such a commanding lead McQuaid just had to keep moving.  “I didn’t worry about what was going on behind me I just did my race and pushed myself as much as I could,” she said.  “This year I had the luxury of riding well within my limits. I could’ve gone harder on the bike but I thought why not save some for the climb on the run. So I did and that paid off because the run was really hot and really hard.”

Nobody handled the run better than Kabush, who caught Bucher right away then Smith just before the end of the long climb and sailed into her best XTERRA finish – 2nd place.  It was a great way to end the season having just come off a third place finish at the XTERRA USA Championship. 

“I’m peakin at the right time feeling stronger and stronger as the season went on,” said Kabush, who was 6th here last year and 3rd in 2004.  “Today everything went smooth and I was loving it on the bike because I had fast tires, no knobs, and that was good because it was hard packed, so I was lovin’ it.  It was fun.”

Matter showed great form as well coming off a 19th place finish at Ironman and still having the legs to chase down Bucher and Smith on the run for 3rd.

“I’m so happy that I forget about all the things that are sore now,” said Matter.  “I’m really surprised about this because I never thought I’d be on the podium again.  I got to 5th place on the run then I saw Renata and I was surprised and down at the last beach I saw Jenny and went full speed and it was incredible.  This is such a great race and there’s a lot of support from all the spectators and volunteers. I love coming here and I’ll sure come back.”

Smith held on for fourth, Bucher followed in fifth, and Jenny Tobin had the second-best run to finish in 6th and come in as the top American.

(RESULTS)

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USAT nationals moves to Portland
August 16, 2006 Valyermo, CA
(Slowtwitch News Service™)

After four stormy years in Shreveport, Louisiana and Kansas City, Missouri, USA Triathlon's National Championships have landed in the relatively weather- and course-reliable venue of Hagg Lake, just outside Portland, Oregon.

The race will take place in Portland for the next two years, and the 2007 event will be held on the 30th of June.

Ironically, the Pacific Northwest has not exactly been USAT territory over the past few years, as the prolific event producer in the area, AA Sports, stopped sanctioning earlier this decade. AA Sports has produced the Hagg Lake Triathlon in recent years, and usually places its race within a week of the 2007 Nationals date.

The venue will be seen by most triathletes as an improvement over Shreveport and Kansas City, with its reliable water, predictably temperate weather, and a course that's been used for triathlons for the past 25 years.

But questions remain. Who will produce the event? AA Sports had not been contacted by USAT as of the date the race was announced, according to those in AA Sports' office. Will the Nationals event affect the production of the annual event for local triathletes?

And where will those in the Pacific Northwest qualify for the National Championships hosted in their own region, since there are precious few USAT-sanctioned events in the area, and fewer yet between now and the cut-off date for qualification.

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USOC to Grab USAT's assets?
February 15, 2005 Valyermo, CA
(Slowtwitch News Service™)

An executive of the USOC has raised the specter of the seizure of USA Triathlon's assets, according to a high-ranking executive of USA Triathlon. USA Triathlon is in the middle of its "quad review," a sort of audit the USOC performs on each of its 46 member federations every four years.

"What is the ultimate, worst case scenario, if USAT does not comply?" the USAT executive, who prefers to remain nameless, asked Chris Vadala, the sports partnership representative in charge of USOC's relationship with USAT.

"We would come in," answered Vadala, according the USAT executive, "take over the federation, and take the assets."

"Does this mean its balance sheet, it's assets?" replied the USAT exec?

"Yes."

"It's money, it's investments, desks, chairs?"

"Yes," Vadala reportedly answered, "that's what I'm talking about."

USAT's quad review is off-calendar, taking place ahead of schedule because, said Vadala at a recent USAT board of directors meeting, USAT is a federation with which the USOC has concerns. These appear to be partially, though not wholly, related to the scandals and problems surrounding USAT's flawed 2003 election for its board of directors.

More than one in a position of power at USAT has divulged that the USOC has serious issues with USAT's way of doing business. Among these, reportedly, are the length of time it's taking to hire a permanent executive director; the fact that USAT's board is mostly made up of age-groupers and race directors instead of former Olympic athletes; and that its directors do not currently serve at least two-year terms of office.

That these concerns have been raised by the USOC is troublesome to several in positions of power at USAT, because one real possibility is that the USOC will decertify USAT, that is, strip USAT of its ability to represent triathlon as America's NF for triathlon.

Curiously, the one most likely scenario seems not to be on the table. Most federations live in dire fear of the USOC cutting off funding, because the USOC represents more than half the funding for many federations. However, several long time federation watchers and, reportedly, a few USAT board members, seem almost to welcome decertification. Why? USAT is roughly 90-percent funded by non-Olympic sources, and the 10-percent that the USOC gives USAT comes in only as long as USAT pledges roughly matching money. As a result, USAT's income statements and budgets seem to suggest that between $250,000 and $500,000 per year out of USAT's general fund is spent to further Olympic development. Would USAT be decertified by the USOC, that amount would not be spent on Olympic development and would simply accrue to USAT's bottom line. The USOC would have to find that matching money elsewhere.

"I don't think the USOC has an appreciation of the functionality and structure of the federation," said long time USAT board member Jack Weiss, "and the degree to which the age-grouper and the race director are the backbone of the federation, and not the elite athlete. They have been apprised of this on several occasions, and have failed to recognize this or have failed to appreciate it."

Vadala dropped his bombshell, however, and a lot of USAT executives, board members, and attorneys are scrambling for answers. An attempt to contact USOC's head of partnerships, Steve Rausch, was unsuccessful. However, less than an hour after the reason for the inquiry was explained to Rausch's executive assistant, a voice message was left for the USAT executive who reported the conversation with Vadala in which the latter brought up USAT's asset seizure. Vadala's earlier message was clarified.

"We would not take away your assets if we decertified you," Vadala reportedly said. "The only way we would take your assets is if you stripped you of your franchise."

USA Triathlon's assets currently range between $2 million and $2.5 million on its balance sheet, almost all of which is in cash and liquid investments, and its business model currently results in about $400,000 to $500,000 in annual increases in that amount.

This begs certain questions asked of the USOC. What is a "franschise?" What is involved with "stripping" a franchise? How could the USOC legally seize the assets of a California corporation owned by members who would almost certainly vote en masse against such an act?

Chris Vadala was asked these questions. "Tae Kwon Do is an example," he said. "We put in a new management team, a new board. In that case, we do assume assets, and the liabilities."

"But didn't taking this step require a vote of Tae Kwon Do's old board?" Vadala was alsked.

"Yes, there was a vote in which they agreed to allow this occur."

"What you're saying is, Tae Kwon Do was not decertified, it was that other thing -- the stripping of the franchise."

"Correct. If we decertify you we don't take any assets, you just walk away, you lose your Olympic designation."

In the case of USAT, by only the remotest chance would its board sanction such an asset handover to the USOC. Do you believe you can you come into USAT and take its assets without first getting a vote from the board to do so?

"I'll have to refer you to media group for an answer to that. All media requests should first come through our media department."

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After hiccups, USAT Nationals lands in Kansas City
Febuary 4, 2005, Colorado Springs, Colorado (slowtwitch news service™)

Following months of rumors and false alarms, the date and place of the 2005 USA Triathlon National Age Group Championship is fixed. The 1.5k/40k/10k triathlon will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 13.

The race was all but set in Rochester in late June. But the Upstate New York community pulled out of the running, and USAT began a frantic search for a replacement venue. A variety of cities were rumored as suitors, with Chattanooga, Tennessee and Raleigh, North Carolina among them. At one point several weeks ago a rumor had Charlotte, N.C., as the almost certain site. During a hastily-called meeting this past Monday USAT's board of directors okayed the Kansas City bid. Sources have interim executive director and director of Lubbock's popular Buffalo Springs Triathlon, Mike Greer, as the man who struck the deal with Mark Livesay of Ultramax Events.

This year’s national championship will be owned by USA Triathlon, produced by Livesay, and supported by the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation. The event will take place at Smithville Lake amid what USAT styles as "rolling hills and grasslands." The race site is located about 10 miles from the Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and 17 miles from downtown Kansas City.

This race will be the second qualifier for the 2005 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Age Group Championship on Oct. 8-9 in Honolulu, Hawaii. There will be 10 slots on Team USA available per age group, rolling down to 18th if people in the top 10 do not accept their slots. Race registration will open soon at www.usatriathlon.org.

According to sources at USA Triathlon, Nationals at Kansas City is a one-year affair, a departure from the two-year deals struck with venues over much of the past decade. USA Triathlon is reportedly still interested in pursuing the idea of a permanent Nationals venue for 2006 and thereafter.

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Ex race director pleads guilty to fraud
January 3, 2005, Madison, Wisconsin
(www.slowtwitch.com)

The former director of a popular Madison-based Wisconsin Multisport Series, pleaded no contest, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, to violating state securities laws.

Mackenzie's woes were chronicled in a Slowtwitch feature article in 2001. Since that time Mackenzie has faced mounting legal pressure. According to the Journal's report, Mackenzie can be sentenced to probation, or jail time not exceeding six months. The report goes on to detail the timing and other considerations regarding MacKenzie's plea agreement.

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USAT acting executive director Yount resigns
July 7, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado
(www.slowtwitch.com)

On the same day results were announced in the USAT special board of directors election, 16-year USAT veteran Tim Yount resigned his post. Yount had been deputy executive director for all but the first five years of USAT's existence.

Yount was hired right out of college by then USAT executive director Mark Sisson, now the secretary general of the International Triathlon Union, triathlon's world governing body. Yount reportedly has accepted another sports governance related position in Colorado.

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USAT special election results are in
July 7, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado
(www.slowtwitch.com)

The new election ordered by the USOC's Blue Ribbon Panel has been held and the results are in. Replacing Diane Travis (who did not run) in the East region is Rob Kasper. Former USAT president Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis was defeated by former USAT executive director Steve Locke, and Slowtwitch publisher Dan Empfield won in the West, replacing Jim Girand.

Jack Weiss won his race in the Central Division. He was the only board member who retained a seat in the election.

All other eight seats remain as they were. As a result of the board shake-up, USAT has no executive council, there is currently no president, treasurer, or secretary. The board must be a functioning institution no later than the 12th of July according to the 17-page decision handed down by the USOC's Blue Ribbon Panel.

The vote tallies are below.

Eastern Region
Rob Kasper 473
Tom Biery 448
Dave Ragsdale 405
Robert Pozo 261
Neil Cook 192

Central Region
Jack Weiss 743
Lew Kidder 625
Bill Burke 213

Western Region
Daniel Empfield 781
Terry Davis 351
Jim Girand 241
Jose Valdes 136
Lynne Fonda-Kosorek 39

At Large
Steve Locke 3,098
Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis 1,314

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Blue Ribbon Panel chastens USAT's board, sets new elections
May 17, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado
(www.slowtwitch.com)

The Blue Ribbon Panel set up by the US Olympic Committee to adjudicate USA Triathlon's election dispute has rendered its decision:

"After considering all the evidence and arguments presented by the parties, the Panel concludes that the 2003 election was flawed and directs that a new election be held as soon as is practicable."

The Respondents, current board members Jim Girand, Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis (USAT president), and Diane Travis, were cleared of the most serious charges, though the Panel appeared to stop just this side of that assessment:

"The Panel did not hear any evidence that the Respondents committed fraud or that they changed any ballot, discarded any ballot or in any other way tampered with the election results. They proceeded under the rules as they were published by USAT, ill conceived as they were. However, the Panel questions the judgment of those individuals, as well as their motives, in advocating for and supporting USAT's election rules and then in engaging in practices under those rules that were perceived as improper and as casting doubt on the credibility of the election. Their actions, at times, were certainly not of a caliber one would expect of candidates for Director positions on a National Governing Body. The Panel questions whether those candidates let their own personal aspirations override good judgment. Certainly they should have understood that their actions would raise the specter of impropriety and cast doubt on the election process, especially since they were sitting Board members."

In ordering a new election, the Panel set forth election rules to supplant those in USAT's bylaws and its "Rules of Engagement." Candidates must submit petitions with signatures of 30 annual members by May 28, written ballots must be sent to the membership by June 14, and members have two weeks to vote for their candidates. Election results shall be announced by July 7, and by Juy 12, 2004, the new board shall be seated.

The Panel did not broach the subject of the member petition submitted by Lew Kidder and Slowtwitch.com publisher Dan Empfield. However, the Panel has kept in place a moratorium on the power of the current Board to meet and conduct business, fogging the question of who is responsible for executing the petition.

Also in question is whether the federation shall have to pay what are certain to be the substantial legal bills of the Respondents. USAT's Bylaws say the federation will bear the legal bills of Directors in most cases. At the same time, the Panel finds the Respondents guilty of egregious lapses of judgment.

The Panel's full, 17-page decision shall be posted on USA Triathlon's website and is also ordered emailed to the entire membership. Here are the Panel's salient points in its decision:

"Nothing is more important, or sacred, than that an election be conducted under rules that are beyond reproach and which do not give rise to the perception of impropriety or cause any doubt as to the fairness of the election. The rules under which USAT's Board election was conducted were ill conceived, contrary to normal election practices and allowed for improper election practices by candidates.

"... Under the Panel's analysis, even if the rules were approved, they were so adverse to proper election practices that the election was tainted and cannot stand.

"... Rules that allow candidates to disbritute ballots to voters give rise to the possibility of improper methods of electioneering. Allowing candidates to collect the ballots once marked only compounds the impropriety. An individual who votes in an election should be allowed the opportunity to do so freely, at a time when it is convenient for the voter and when the voter has the time and opportunity to consider the issues and candidates presented. Handing out a ballot by the candidate or his or her agent, waiting for the voter to mark the ballot and then collecting the ballot subjects the voter, at the very least, to improper influence and, at the most, to coercion. A voter should be free to vote for the candidate of his or her choice, with confidence that he or she can cast his or her ballot anonymously. The voter should not feel pressured to vote for the candidate handing out the ballot nor should there be the actual or perceived threat of retribution if the voter casts his or her vote for a candidate other than the one who is handing out the ballot. There are valid and compelling reasons why elections are conducted so that votes can be cast anonymously and why candidates and their agents are not allowed within a certain distance of the voting booth. It is to ensure fairness in the election process. The process as conducted by USAT presents a picture of an election where the candidate or his or her agent stands over the voting box to insure the predetermined result. Even if such was not the case in USAT's election, the perception of impropriety has tainted the election result.

"Further, rules that allow candidates and their agents to collect ballots, look at the ballots to ensure that they are marked properly and then submit the ballots to the vote counter is an open invitation to tampering and fraud. Candidates have no place in this aspect of the election. Those activities must be conducted by an independent nonpartisan person who has no stake in the election. Elections must be run under the most stringent safeguards to ensure fairness and confidence in the election results.

"... contrary to Respondent's position that overturning the election would create uncertainty among USAT's members and sponsors, the Panel believes that the exact opposite is true. The electorate and those persons who provide financial resources to USAT must have faith that USAT, in its elections and in its governance, is run in a managerially sound and ethical manner. USAT, as the USOC recognized National Governing Body for Triathlon, holds a special trust in sport in the United States. That trust must not be tainted.

"... The Panel holds USAT's Board accountable for the election rules that were used in the 2003 election. The Panel also holds the Board accountable for not heeding the advice of Mr. Backer, Co-Chair of the Legal Committee and Mr. Grinder, Board Counsel. If the Board had listened to Mr. Backer, candidates would not have been allowed to distribute, gather and submit ballots. If the Board had listened to Mr. Grinder, the Board would have either conducted a new election or submitted the Challenge filed by Mr. Greer, Ms. Buxton, Mr. Vigorito and Mr. Duke to panel for review."

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Kemper, Lindquist first to qualify for Athens
April 19, 2004, Honolulu, Hawaii
(www.slowtwitch.com):

America's best ITU-style pros, Barb Lindquist and Hunter Kemper, can each breath a sigh of relief after their performances in Athens on Sunday. Both qualified for the U.S. Olympic triathlon team at the 2004 USA Triathlon Race to Athens in Honolulu.

Next to come chronologically will be the World Triathlon Championship race in Portugal in May and, as was is the case in Oahu, the first U.S. man and woman across the line will make the team. If either Lindquist or Kemper is the first American in Portugal then the slot rolls down to the next best placing American.

A Bellingham, Washington race in June may play a part in the Olympic selection. The third member of the Olympic team in each gender will have up to four score components: their placings in the three races just mentioned, and their world ranking. The two lowest totals, added together, represents one's "score" for the purposes of Olympic selection. Lowest score wins the third slot.

Factoring in one's World ranking will weigh heavily in the women's team selection, as Lindquist, Sheila Taormina, and Laura Reback are likely to hold the top three places in the ITU rankings through next Spring and Summer. This means that other Olympic hopefuls Becky Gibbs-LaVelle, Susan Williams, Joanna Zeiger and others almost certainly will have to be the first American in either Oahu or Portugal to make the Olympic team.

Lindquist, ranked No. 1 in the world, handled the Hawaii hills and heat to win the women’s race in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 21 seconds. Liz Blatchford of Australia was second in 2:07:33 and Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) was third in 2:07:36.

“I’m just really excited I get to represent the U.S. in Athens,” said Lindquist, who missed making the 2000 Olympic team when she succumbed to the heat at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Triathlon in Dallas. “The energy here was amazing. I really wasn’t nervous at all.”

Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.), ranked No. 3 in the world, stayed ahead of the pack with Lindquist on the swim and bike, but faded on the run and finished fourth. Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.), ranked No. 2 in the world, succumbed to the wind and the hills on the bike and finished 10th. Joanna Zeiger (Baltimore, Md.), a 2000 U.S. Olympic triathlete, had to drop out during the bike.

Kemper was second overall in the men’s race to Canada’s Simon Whitfield, the 2000 Olympic triathlon gold medalist, who won in 1:55:52. Kemper finished in 1:55:57 and Miles Stewart of Australia was third in 1:56:09.

“I was pretty tired when I got off the bike, but I got the run done. I got the job done,” Kemper said. “This course is very indicative of how Athens is going to be.”

Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) finished fifth overall and was the second American. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) placed ninth overall and was the third American.

Australians Greg Bennett, Richie Cunningham and Stewart held a lead on a pack of 15 mostly U.S. athletes for much of the bike. But the run spread out the field.

(RESULTS)

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USOC's Blue Ribbon Panel starts its work
March 9, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado
(www.slowtwitch.com):

The case has gone to the jury. Both sides of USA Triathlon's political squabble submitted papers to the USOC's Blue Ribbon Panel. The Panel consists of the following five members:

• Thurgood Marshall, Jr., attorney
• Mary McCagg, athlete
• Tom Satron, attorney & chair of USOC Membership/Credentials
• Barbara Smith
• Glenn Wong, attorney

The Panel will consider the packages submitted by various attorneys, and will then schedule a hearing on the grievance. That may take place, according to USAT's attorney Craig Stewart, "as early as March 15, 2004." Stewart expects that "...the entire Panel process will be completed no later than the end of March." One USAT board member, however, suggested mid-April.

Both those who've sued and the defendents, who taken together make up the large majority of USAT's board, have agreed to be bound by the Panel's decision.

Still looming, however, is the petition submitted by a group of USAT's members, which call for new elections and consists of a rewrite of about a third of USAT's bylaws. The Panel is aware of the petition, but as of yet has not issued a response.

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Bylaw petition arrives at USAT's office
February 12, 2004, Valyermo, California
(www.slowtwitch.com):

A petition authored by former USAT board member Lew Kidder and Slowtwitch.com publisher Dan Empfield arrived at USAT's national office today, and under USAT's bylaws the petition must be subjected to a vote of all USAT's roughly 47,000 annual members. The petition had well more than the 100 signatures of annual members, and consists of a rewrite of USAT's bylaws. The petition in full is here, an the highlights of the new proposed bylaws are as follows.

2004 BYLAW REVISION

A PETITION TO AMEND USA TRIATHLON BYLAWS

If approved by the majority of USAT members voting on the question, this petition (2004 BYLAW REVISION) would amend federation bylaws in the ways described below. Petitioners are encouraged to read the entire petition prior to signing. In order to facilitate a clear explanation of what lies herein, people signing this petition will see several major changes to the Bylaws as outlined below:

**REFORM OF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS. Currently, USATís Board of Directors has 11 seats. Three are chosen by the pro (elite) athletes (a requirement of USOC), while the remaining eight ìGeneral Directorsî are chosen by vote of annual members. The proposed amendments would eliminate ìat largeî directors, and create eight separate districts, with one ìGeneral Directorî to be elected from each. The proposed districts have been rationalized in part by population (each district has a roughly similar number of annual members) and in part by geographic proximity.

**REFORM OF ELECTION SCHEDULING AND PROCEDURES. By terms of this petition, USAT annual elections would be moved to the ìoff-season,î with voting in February instead of August through October. Additionally, election procedures would be reformed to reduce the potential for manipulation. The scheduling change calls for the new board to take office on July 1 of each year, which gives that board a chance to put a plan in place for the upcoming year and then oversee the execution of that plan. This would replace the current schedule, in which a new board takes office on January 1 and executes plans conceived of by the old board.

**STRENGTHENS AND LIMITS THE RIGHTS OF INITIATIVE AND RECALL. The rights of initiative and recall, fundamental to citizen control of its own government, would be strengthened and preserved, with votes on initiatives taking place once per annum or at any time of the year, depending on the number of signatures on a petition.

**RIGHT TO AMEND BYLAWS WOULD BE RESERVED TO A VOTE OF ALL ANNUAL MEMBERS. Approval of the amendments embodied in the petition would ensure the right to amend our ìconstitutionî could take place only by vote of the annual members. The current Bylaws allows this to take place by vote of the Board of Directors.

**REQUIRES OPEN AND FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION TO MEMBERS. Under these amendments, actions of the federation"including minutes of all board meetings and detailed financial statements"would have to be disclosed promptly and fully to the membership.

**REQUIRES NEW ELECTIONS FOR 2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
All terms of current Directors shall be truncated, and all regions shall have elections for a new board which shall take office on October 1, 2004; the schedule for this election is detailed in the petition. A new Board of Directors shall be elected according to the bylaws contained in this petition, and shall serve another nine-month term, ending on July 1, 2005. Thenceforth all board members must run for reelection every year.

**TERM LIMITS.
No one shall serve more than six total years on the board of directors during oneís lifetime, or past July 1, 2006, whatever would afford a board member the longest tenure.

The petition was also sent via email to USAT's board members, those having filed suit to force a new board of directors election, the USOC, and the attorney's for all sides.

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All sides agree to USOC's "blue ribbon panel"

February 12, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

Board members currently serving terms as USAT, plus complainants that have filed suit to force a new board of directors election, have agreed to submit to a blue ribbon panel appointed by the USOC to adjudicate the current fracas over the most recent board of directors election.

Everyone on all sides was supposed to have signed the agreement by late today.

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USAT's board meeting that wasn't

February 12, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

USAT's board convened this past weekend for its first quarterly meeting of the year. Everyone on the board was present—minus Kevin Carter—as well as the heads of several committees and representatives of various regional federations.

But those board hopefuls who were, or felt they were, disenfranchised by a badly conceived election process, were granted an injunction forbidding the board from meeting. As a result, the board members and three commission heads occupied their time via a variety of distractions, none of which involved meeting as a group.

Certain groups, such as the officials committee and regional federation heads, were able to do business, as long as no board members were present and excepting any decisions that required board approval.

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Legal action threatened over elections

January 27, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

The majority bloc of USAT's current board of directors received the second of two unwanted letters yesterday. The attorneys for four candidates unsuccessful in last Fall's board of directors election, plus two current board members, "hereby demand that you immediately take action to declare the results of the 2003 board of directors elections invalid," and call for a "new, fair election," plus an investigation of "certain individuals as to whether they violated the USAT Bylaws and/or applicable laws."

This demand letter comes only one working day after the USOC lowered the boom on USAT's board by strongly encouraging it to clean up its image and election practices.

The petitioners are recently unsuccessful candidates Michael Greer, Robert Vigorito, Karen Buxton and John Duke, as well as current board members Ray Plotecia and Jack Weiss. Also copied on the letter is the USOC's General Counsel Jeffrey Benz.

Multiple sources indicate the legal fund for a possible suit exceeds $10,000, and the petitioners vow to take legal action should the current board fail to call for new elections. "These actions," continue the letter, "will likely include actions against individual members of the Board of Directors resulting from negligent or willful conduct amounting to violations of their fiduciary duties owed to USAT." The letter gives USAT one week to comply.

The Colorado Springs based law firm representing the petitioners is Holme Roberts & Owen, LLP, a firm specializing in national governing body law. The attorneys are Steve Smith and Jill Chalmers, formerly elite triathlete Jill Newman.

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USOC weighs in heavily on USAT's infamous election

January 27, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

USOC's Managing director of Legal Affairs, Jeffrey Benz, sent a shot across USA Triathlon's bow last Friday in the form of a sternly worded letter. The recipient was Tim Yount, USA Triathlon's acting Executive Director since the resignation in protest by long time E.D. Steve Locke. The context of the letter suggests it was aresponse to a query by Yount.

Benz addressed himself as "USOC's General Counsel and Acting Ethics Officer," and expressed concern over the questions and "attack" surrounding the election, "perhaps for reasons that may have validity." Benz' letter suggested remedies that the USOC is prepared to help implement.

USAT's board of director's election held last Fall is now squarely on USOC's radar, as the letter was copied to USOC's president, Bill Martin, as well as to USAT's president Valerie Gattis. Also copied were USOC's Chief Executive Jim Scherr, its legal director Gary Johansen, its Director of Sport Partnerships Chris Vadala and Leslie Gamez, from the same office.

The letter ought to be of special concern to USAT's elites, who receive the lion's share of their funding from the USOC. The office of Sports Partnership team is the USOC's liaison with USAT.

Also copied was American Olympian triathlete Nick Radkewich, the liaison between USAT's elite athletes and the the USOC.

The letter reads, in full:

Thank you for spending time with us explaining the current situation with USA Triathlon's Board of Directors and the recent election process at USA Triathlon and issues arising therefrom.

Based on the information you shared and a review of the documentation provided me by Valerie Gattis, I am concerned that the current board (some of whom are direct beneficiaries of the outcome of any decision on the election issue and others of whom were involved in the decision to approve the process that was used) may be incapable of rendering a decision on this issue that is free from the perception of a conflict of interest.

Based on your request for guidance, it is my recommendation, as the USOC's General Counsel and Acting Ethics Officer, that USA Triathlon name a five-person, independent "blue ribbon" panel to review the issues that have been raised surrounding the election process for board positions at USA Triathlon.

All parties involved should commit in advance to accepting the recommendations of the Panel, without knowing what those will be, except for any recommendations that might violate the USA Triathlon bylaws or appropriate law. We can assist in recommending independent candidates that could serve on the Panel.

To allow this process to occur, I would recommend that USA Triathlon postpone the February 6-8 Board of Directors meeting and suspend addressing anything but the most necessary issues until this issue is resolved. Obviously, this would require a relatively short timeframe for the Panel to conduct its work, which should be set on then order of 30 days.

There is no issue more fundamental to the managerial and financial competency of an organization than its ability to demonstrate to the world that its directors are elected fairly and in accordance with appropriate standards. The fact that this issue is under attack, and perhaps for reasons that may have validity, underscores the importance of USA Triathlon attempting to resolve this matter in a manner that is perceived of as fair, appropriate, and free from politics. I believe that our recommendation about the creation and use of the Panel will ensure that this issue is resolved to the benefit of USA Triathlon. I am sure that USA Triathlon does not want this issue to get public attention comparable to the issues that were raised recently in the governance disputes in the International Triathlon Union and that USA Triathlon would like to avoid having to spend on legal fees and possible increased insurance premiums money that could be better utilized preparing athletes to train to win Olympic and world medals. Our recommendation concerning the creation of the Panel brings in neutral decisionmakers, allows the dissenters to have their "day in court" before the Panel without the need for expending the legal fees that would be required for litigation, and permits a relatively quick decision so that USA Triathlon can get back to the business at hand of addressing athlete performance.

It is our hope and expectation that USA Triathlon gives this the utmost attention and will work to resolve this issue in an expedited manner. In light of the upcoming Olympic Games in Athens, I am confident we all agree this needs to be settled so we can place the focus back on the athletes, coaches, programs and membership and give them the attention and support that they deserve and expect. We look forward to receiving USA Triathlon's views of this matter, and we stand ready to assist as appropriate.

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Steve Locke resigns as USAT executive director

January 12, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

USA Triathlon is without the executive director its known for most of its existence. Today Steve Locke resigned as the chief executive of an organization he's led for 13 years.

Locke had one full year left on a management contract, and by resigning presumably gives up a significant pay package. His reasons for resigning are the management style of the current board of directors, and the decision of that board to uphold the recent election. Locke wrote, "It is incredible to me that this Board can rationalize an acceptance of an election so flawed as an authentic election."

Locke leaves a much stronger federation than he inherited in 1991, with better than $2 million in cash and equivalents, well over 1000 sanctioning races, and 47,000 annual members. Locke's letter announcing his resignation is below:

Good afternoon,

Today I tendered my resignation from USA Triathlon as Executive Director effective immediately. I have rendered this resignation for several reasons. Chief among them is a disagreement with the direction this Board is taking and the ethics they are displaying.

In 1981, I was initiated to triathlon by participating in several events; in 1983, I was involved in creating a race management company which originated and conducted around 20 events a year (5 annually were multisport); in December of 1991 I assumed the position of Executive Director of the then Triathlon Federation USA and now USA Triathlon. Over the years,I have developed quite an investment in our sport both personally and from a business perspective.

In 1991 when I assumed the Executive Director position we were in deficit spending. Our races sanctioned hovered around 375, and our membership was 11,000. Today our budget is in excess of $5,000,000, our races sanctioned are over 1,100, and our membership base is 47,000. Further, in 1991 we did not have a national teams program, and now we have what is considered to be one of the best within the Olympic family. We also have the USA Triathlon National Training Center which has incredible potential for development of the sport for both age group athletes and the elite athletes of the future. And, finally, over the years we have been able to set aside a substantial financial fund for the inevitable rainy day. I take pride in all of the above as I was intimately involved in every project along the way and many more not mentioned.

I regretfully resign the position of Executive Director. I do not agree with the direction that this Board is taking, the micromanaging of staff they are pursuing, and, finally, the decision last week to overlook the obvious deficiencies and violations of bylaw processes in the recent Board election. In a day when USA Triathlon enforces rule violations against age group and elite athletes within the letter of the "law", it is incredible to me that this Board can rationalize an acceptance of an election so flawed as an authentic election.

As I leave this responsibility, I want to thank all of you for your kindness; for helping me to learn in this job; and for supporting USA Triathlon consistently through the years. I ask that you continue to support USA Triathlon as we have an organization with a superb staff; a staff that works incredibly long hours to provide a high level of quality service to our constituencies.

Many thanks to all of you.

Steven Locke

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Honolulu AG Worlds a go

January 6, 2004, Valyermo, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

Sources inside the ITU confirm that the contract to host the Age Group World Championships in 2005 has been signed by the appropriate ITU party. It only awaits the signature of Bill Burke, the ITU's "partner" who'll actually put the Honolulu race on. "The signature is just a formality," according to the ITU source.

There are two significant differences between the 2005 race and every previous World Championship.

Split Gamagori

The "partnership" appears to mean, at least in the case of Honolulu,

New Zealand: "We didn't have as close a partnership as we would have liked.

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Conference vote set for Thursday

January 5, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

The research done, the opinions in, it's crunch time. This Thursday, January 8, at 8PM Eastern, a conference call to determine the fate of last year's USAT board of directors election will be conducted.

After discussion, a vote will be taken on the subject of a protest filed by four unsuccesful candidates in last year's race. The four protesters are Karen Buxton, John Duke, Rob Vigorito and Mike Greer. All four are former board members, and Buxton is an incumbent.

One or more voice votes will be taken. If the protest is denied, the election stands and there is no more on which to vote. Should the protest be upheld, the remedies range from re-staging the election in the contested categories to re-staging the entire election.

Jack Weiss, whose successful candidacy was not challenged, must recuse himself. It is presumed that this is because staging the entire race again, including in his region, is an option.

This will be a busy call, with no fewer than 19 participants. In addition to executive director Steve Locke and attorney Jonathan Grinder, there will be 17 participants all, no doubt with opinions to express.

Those participants who will be recusing on this call are:

1. Val Gattis
2. Jim Girand
3. Diane Travis
4. Karen Buxton
5. Jack Weiss
6. John Duke
7. Rob Vigorito
8. Mike Greer

Those participants who will have voice, but no vote will be Mandy Pagon and Eric Schwartz, who were elite representatives to the board last year but are not this year.

Those individuals with voice and vote will be:

1. Bradley Davison
2. Tim Becker
3. Fred Sommer
4. Ray Plotecia
5. Eric Bean
6. Kevin Carter
7. Susie Gallucci

The final three are this year's elites on the board, with Bean the only elite who also served on last year's board.

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Grinder's decision: election flawed

December 30, 2003, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

Jonathan Grinder's opinion is in: USAT's bylaws were not followed in the most recent board of directors election, at least not in their entirety. A protest by unsuccessful candidates caused USAT's board to seek a legal opinion from Grinder, an ex-USAT president and Phoenix attorney.

The opinion has not been released by USAT, except to members of its current board. Board members and USAT executive director Steve Locke confirmed that tomorrow the opinion will be shared with those who are protesting the election.

According to two of those who did see the opinion, Grinder listed several examples of broken bylaws, one of which concerns the minutes of the meeting in which the election procedures were detailed and voted on. The minutes failed to mention these procedures—which included allowing candidates to collect unsealed, marked ballots—yet were ratified anyway. Failing these election procedures being ratified, their use created a flawed election.

While the opinion is not yet public, it appears Grinder suspended a full analysis of the legality of the election under California corporate law. He apparently did this because several bylaw problems were discovered early in his investigation—enough to satisfy him that the election was flawed—and a more thorough review would've been time consuming, expensive and redundant.

What happens now? There will be a conference call within the week which will include members of both the 2003 and 2004 board. Complainants are also included in the conference call (Rob Vigorito, John Duke, Karen Buxton and Mike Greer). Unsuccessful candidates who did not protest the election (e.g., Lew Kidder and Bill Burke) are not included in the call. Grinder will also be in on the call, and will answer questions about his research and opinion. Then a voice vote will be taken during the call on whether the election is to be upheld and, if not, then further votes shall be taken on the remedy.

All sources opined that those voting in this meeting will include members of the 2003 board not involved as a candidate. This limits those determining the fate of the election to Brad Davison (Austin, TX), Fred Sommer (Clermont, FL), Tim Becker (Seattle, WA) and Ray Plotecia (Towsn, MD), plus the three elite athlete designates. It is also possible that Jack Weiss may participate in the vote, as his election, though held under the same potentially flawed rules, was not protested by either Burke or Kidder.

Even if the board votes to let the election stand, this doesn't mean it will. Two opinions have been sought by USAT's board regarding this election and both—prior to the election by USAT's legal chair David Backer, and after the election by Grinder—have pointed out the problems associated with the practices under which the most recent election was held. Protesting candidates have vowed to take this election to California court if the election is allowed to stand.

The votes of the three pro athlete representatives to the board will be pivotal in deciding whether this election is immediately reheld, and this puts the AAC in a delicate position. The majority of its money comes from funds voted it by USAT's board, and is raised via USAT's age-group members, or via grants applied for by office personnel employed using age-group license fees. The way the pros vote in this conference call is likely to be remembered by whomever sits on the next legitimate board.

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Honolulu AG Worlds on hold

December 29, 2003, Valyermo, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

It was widely announced early in December that the 2005 Triathlon World Championships would be held in two different venues, with Gamagori, Japan hosting the pros. Honolulu, Hawaii, was announced as the site for the age group race. Last week ITU officials confirmed to Slowtwitch.com, however, that nothing has been set in stone.

The Gamagori race appears a go. Finding a home for the pro worlds is not easy if the age groupers don't come along with. The prize purse must be guaranteed to be US$200,000, with another $40,000 or so in associated fees. This has always been difficult to fund without the age group entry fees and ancillary financial benefits the age groupers bring. Plus, the ITU owns the TV rights outside of the host country, making it difficult to generate revenue to fund the pro race. But the Japanese TV options can be lucrative, and Gamagori appears ready to give the pro race a go without the age groupers tagging along.

The ITU is taking a second look at the age group race, according to sources inside the ITU, apparently for two reasons. First, it doesn't want a repeat of the embarrassingly weak production of the age group Worlds race in New Zealand, held earlier in December. And second, the New Zealand race generated upwards of US$400,000 in entry fees alone, and the ITU may want to revisit what it gets in return for granting a country the right to stage this race.

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Steve Larsen: Thanks for the memories

December 22, 2003, Valyermo, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

Steve Larsen, ex-professional road bike racer, ex-professional MTB racer, is now officially ex-professional triathlete. In an email to the press he wrote as follows:

"When I began my competitive cycling career in 1984, I could never have imagined how far it would take me. The great people I have worked and raced with, along with the lessons learned through successes and failures, have all played a role in shaping the person I have become today.

"Today, I am a husband and a father, to a phenomenal woman and two amazing children. Today, I am fortunate to have friendships with fantastic people around the world. My commitment to achieving personal bests, while learning from my mistakes and losses has been invaluable. Today, I would not trade any of these friendships and lessons for the material success offered by one more big win.

"Although my passion for racing and winning still burns hot, I have made the decision to retire from professional sports. I am extremely excited by the intellectual challenges that await me. I am certain that the same skills that served me so well for twenty years as a full time athlete will pay dividends in my post athletic career.

Those of you that have made an impact on my career (both good and bad!), I want to thank you. You have all helped in my development as an athlete and person, and I am grateful.

"My style, although not always understood or appreciated, has been to prepare and compete with 100% professionalism and dedication. This is the only way that I know how and shows the degree of respect that I have always had for my sport and my competition. I will miss the opportunity to measure myself against the best athletes in the world, but I will always compete. Of course, at the moment, that just means striving to become the best snowboarder in my family!

"Thanks again to all of my supporters over the last twenty years. I truly see this not as an end, but just the beginning. I hope you agree, and that we will have the chance to work, race, or play together again soon."

Larsen's retirement begs a few questions, all of which have been asked by Slowtwitch via email, and which will presumably be answered in due course by the amiable, affable, gracious, though not easily reachable, Larsen. To wit:

He recently moved to Bend, with an eye toward continuing training in a place most conducive. Is that still the right place for Larsen and his family? And what of the bike shop he owns, Steve Larsen's Wheelworks in Davis? As of now Larsen still owns it, and current (and longtime) manager Myke Berna hasn't been willing or able to pull the trigger on buying it.

Is Larsen's retirement an Eddy Merckx retirement (immediately gain 40 pounds) or a Rob Barel and Jim Riccitello retirement, where Larsen might show up here and there and wreak havoc at an XTerra?

At the recent XTerra championships in Maui, Ritticello recalls Larsen's surprise that even a semi-retired pro would show up. "When I retire," said Larsen via Riccitello's recollection, "that's it. Cut the cord. No more racing for me."

Time will tell for the driven Larsen, who has a pair of lackluster Ironman starts this past Fall, but who still has better than one man's allotment of leg-power and is only seven months removed from one of multisport's most dynamic bike-course whippings of a world class field (2003 Wildflower) in recent multisport recollection.

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Ex-president Grinder to explore election's legality

December 14, 2003, Valyermo, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

Attorney, judge, and ex-USAT president Jonathan Grinder of Phoenix, Arizona, has been given the task of determining whether infractions were committed during the recent election for USAT's board of directors.

Grinder's appointment follows the official protest of the election by unsuccessful candidates Rob Vigorito, Karen Buxton, John Duke and Mike Greer. Vigorito filed the official protest.

Multiple sources indicate that Grinder was not the first person approached to investigate the election. David Backer, a Maine-based lawyer and USAT legal committee co-chair, was USAT's original choice. Backer declined the job, reportedly stating that a year-end workload prevented him from conducting a a timely and thorough investigation.

Grinder's authority does not extend to the adjudication of the protest. He will not decide on remedy, simply whether the election appears to have broken either USAT's bylaws or California corporate law. "Jonathan is to report to me with the results of his findings," USAT's executive director Steve Locke told Slowtwitch. "If there is a transgression, then he is to report to me his findings as to process. If it is determined that there is an identified process within the legal documents he researches, than I will implement it... If there is no identifiable process, it sounds like the only available cure would be in court."

This statement suggests that the petitioners have three hurdles to clear before the Vigorito's protest is upheld. First, Grinder must find that specific bylaws or corporate laws were broken. Second, he must find a legally sustainable remedy. The absence of an explicit remedy raises the specter of transgressions committed with impunity, that is, bylaws were broken, but there is nothing USAT can do about it according to those same bylaws. Only if Grinder finds specific evidence of both transgressions and a remedy can the protest move to step-three, which is the implementation of the remedy. This may involved yet another process, by which a jury is impaneled to adjudicate the election process.

Grinder cannot begin the process for at least a week, and will then take what he terms, "A lot of research." It could be well into the first quarter of 2004 before USAT's membership knows whether it will need to re-run the 2003 election.

Backer was USAT's logical first choice, as he is one of the architects of USAT's bylaws. Those who are nervous about the protest—including several who won their elections—may be breathing a sigh of relief at Backer's decision to turn down the post. The board had Backer render an opinion on the election process earlier in 2003, one which was stridently critical of certain procedures under which the election was to be held.

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U.S. age-groupers bring home hardware from 2003 Worlds

December 8, 2003, Colorado Springs , Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

The United States age-groupers captured five gold medals, five silver and seven bronze at the SBS International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Championships on Saturday in Queenstown, New Zealand.

The United States brought the third largest team to the championships (301 total), after Australia (336) and host New Zealand (307). New Zealand led the gold medal haul with nine, followed by Australia with six.

In the women's races, Holly Nybo (Portola Valley, Calif.) won the 40-44 age group, Karen Chequer-Pfeiffer (Santa Rosa, Calif.) won the 45-49 age group, Jan Miller (Morana, Ariz.) won the 65-69 age group and Sister Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.) won the 70-74 age group.

In the men's races, Charley French (Ketchum, Idaho) won the gold in the 75-79 age group.

Among athletes with a disability, Aaron Scheidies (Farmington, Minn.), who competes in the blind category, won the overall title. Suzanne Elbon (Athens, Ga.), who is an above-the-elbow amputee, was the top women's finisher.

In the under-23 category, Kelsey Withrow (Woodinville, Wash.) led the United States, finishing 17th in the women's race, which was won by Australia's Nikki Egyed. Dave Messenheimer (Avon Lake, Ohio) was the top U.S. men's finisher in 30th. Javier Gomez of Spain won the men's race.

In the junior elite races, Jenna Yeakel (Canton, Ohio) placed 21st in the girls race and Christopher Stehula (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) placed 28th in the boys race.

U.S. Age Group Medalists at the 2003 World Championships
Dec. 6, 2003; Queenstown, New Zealand
1.5k swim; 40k bike; 10k run

Women 30-34
2. Sabine Bildsten (Austin, Texas)
3. Melanie Holloway (Roswell, Ga.)

Women 40-44
1. Holly Nybo (Portola Valley, Calif.)
2. Amy Rice (Wakefield, R.I.)

Women 45-49
1. Karen Chequer-Pfeiffer (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
3. Donna Smyers (Montpelier, Vt.)

Women 55-59
2. Phyllis Mason (Wilmington, N.C.)

Women 65-69
1. Jan Miller (Morana, Ariz.)
3. Susan Bradley-Cox (Lexington, Ky.)

Women 70-74
1. Sister Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.)

Men 45-49
2. Steven Pyle (Riverside, Conn.)
3. George Esahak-Gage (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Men 50-54
3. Clifford Rigsbee (Waimanalo, Hawaii)

Men 60-64
3. Roger Little (Bedford, Mass.)

Men 65-69
2. Jon Adamson (Alpharetta, Ga.)
3. Gary Leske (Setauket, N.Y.)

Men 75-59
1. Charley French (Ketchum, Idaho)

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USAT's election to be challenged

December 1, 2003, Valyermo, California (www.slowtwitch.com):

Several candidates are set to challenge the results of USA Triathlon's election for its board of directors, held over the Fall and concluded one month ago.

Well-known race director from the Mid-Atlantic, Rob Vigorito (Blackwater Eagleman) lost to Diane Travis in the East by 68 votes. Vigorito will challenge the election, citing on several objections.

First on Vigorito's list of complaints—several candidates in races throughout the regions share this—is that ballots were not originals, but were photocopied facsimiles of a PDF ballot posted on USAT's website. The second complaint is that electioneering via these PDF copies was conducted prior to the official inception of the election. This would mean that the copies of the PDF ballot would've been used for voting prior to the receipt in the mail of the official, mailed ballots and election platforms.

Vigorito has already informed USAT president Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis that he'll file an official protest. Who will hear the protest is unknown. Ellsworth-Gattis commented that she'll, "Refer any protest to David Backer," the co-chair of USAT's legal committee. According to Ellsworth-Gattis, if Backer considers a hearing appropriate under the federation's rules or bylaws, she said she expects the next move would be to have USAT's executive director Steve Locke appoint a panel chair, but she "would need to consult the bylaws," to make sure.

Vigorito, if denied a hearing, vows to file suit. It is likely that would occur in California court, as USAT is a California-domiciled non-profit corporation. Vigorito indicated to Slowtwitch that Karen Buxton, John Duke and Mike Greer would join in the suit. Duke and Greer independently confirmed to Slowtwitch that they would be parties to the suit.

Duke, publisher of Triathlete Magazine and second to winner Jim Girand in the Western region election, said, "I'll join the lawsuit if it's apparent that bylaws were ignored. But I got beat, plain and simple. Jim Girand out-campaigned me. He wanted it more than I did. When he won I called him up and congratulated on running a strong election."

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USAT's election results announced

November 10, 2003, Colorado Springs, Colorado (www.slowtwitch.com):

Leading the list of winners is Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis, the current Board president. Gattis (Louisville, Ky.) was the Central Region representative in 2001, but in 2003 she won an At-Large seat over Mike Greer (Canyon, Texas) and current Board secretary Karen Buxton (Greensboro, N.C.).

In the Western Region, Jim Girand (Palo Alto, Calif.), the current Board vice president, was re-elected to his post over former Board member John Duke (Cardiff, Calif.).

In the Central Region, former Board member Jack Weiss (Euless, Texas) regained a seat on the Board by defeating Lew Kidder (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Bill Burke (Metairie, La.).

In the Eastern Region, current Board treasurer Diane Travis (Clermont, Fla.) retained her seat on the Board, defeating former Board member Rob Vigorito (Columbia, Md.) and Tom Ziebart (Howie in the Hills, Fla.).

A total of 3,344 ballots from USA Triathlon annual members were received.

Board members serve two-year terms. The new Board members will take their seats Jan. 1, 2004. The final meeting of the former Board members will be Nov. 14-15 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA Triathlon's elite athletes also held their elections for the athlete representatives to the Board. Susie Gallucci (Hudson, Ohio) and Kevin Carter (Silver Spring, Md.) will be the new athlete representatives. They will each serve a two-year term.

Elite athletes also voted for members of the Athletes Advisory Council, which helps USA Triathlon set policy for elite athletes. The following athletes were voted to two-year terms: Jimmy Archer (Boulder, Colo.), Gina Kehr (Redwood City, Calif.), Greg Mueller (South Bend, Ind.) and Meredith Novack (Clermont, Fla.).

Final tallies for Board elections:

Western Region
Jim Girand 852
John Duke 430

Central Region
Jack Weiss 526
Lew Kidder 422
Bill Burke 189

Eastern Region
Diane Travis 330
Rob Vigorito 262
Tom Ziebart 100

At-Large
Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis 1,270
Mike Greer 783
Karen Buxton 480