Nicholas Sterghos, a vegetarian West Point cadet, storms to overall title at the USA Triathlon age group Duathlon nationals at Richmond. Suzanne Huelster of New Jersey takes 35-39 and the overall women’s crown.

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

The thrill of victory comes in many flavors and goes not only to the triathlete who crosses the line first.

On rebound from a 2008 hernia, David Thompson captures his third straight Powerman Alabama while second year pro Jessica Jacobs bags a win in her very first duathlon

This week we have noticed a light new headset from Cane Creek, a wireless computer from Cateye, the long awaited new brakes from Ciamillo and a flashy stem from Ritchey.

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

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

In running shoes the Stability category (perhaps more appropriately termed “Structured Cushioning”) contains many popular models triathletes favor. Here are the Spring 09 offerings from Nike and New Balance.

Richard Ussher used his adventure racing fitness to win the 2009 XTERRA New Zealand, and narrowly held off Scott Thorne despite never having done any other XTERRA race before. Mountain biker Nicola Leary captured the women’s title.

The distance between the average and the good, and the good and the great, is often measured by the adherence to routine. Consistency makes the champion; nothing bedevils the the AGer more than consistency killers

Today we look at compression socks from Beaker Concepts, a new line of shoes from Crocs, recover shorts from Fizio and a different way to hang your bike.

Rasmus Henning, a two-time $200,000 winner at short course, sweated through a 113-degree day to take 95 percent less prize purse by winning Ironman China. Australian Charlotte Paul was simply glad to finish – the win was icing.

McCormack’s 4:04:44 in heat that makes Hawaii seem cool, may be his best performance. Balding’s 5:28 winning time was a victory over hellish heat.

The first of a series of finish line photos by Timothy Carlson captures the apparent agony of extreme triathletic effort.

Sam Gardner used his bike prowess to win the 2009 XTERRA Saipan. Renata Bucher now has won the event 5 times straight and soundly defeated 2-time XTERRA World Champion Julie Dibens.

UC Berkeley’s John Dahlz won the men’s individual title, Jessica Broderick of CU Boulder won the women’s individual crown, Navy won the combined team title, UC Berkeley won the men’s team race and UC San Diego won the women’s team top prize.

West Point’s Ashley Morgan leads the women’s favorites and the
Naval Academy’s Derek Oskutis has the best men’s career record coming into the 2009 USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals in West Texas

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

2008 was a very good year for Eneko Llanos, but if he has his way in 2009 he’ll be a spot higher at a couple of events, including the Ironman World Championships. Eneko talked to slowtwitch.

If the 1981 Ironman results are correct, it’s not Dave Scott. It’s a 19-year-old community college cross country runner from Bloomington, Minnesota who never did another triathlon before or after his 2:59:48 run at Kona.

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

This week we look at running socks from Balega, trainers from Newton, compression socks from SLS3, a teaser from Scott USA and flip flops from Havaianas. If it were not for Scott USA, we could have called this one “the foot issue.”

Business is tough. The expression of that was felt last week by Zoot employees, about half of whom have lost or will lose their jobs. Sales management, customer service, finance, warehousing, will move to K2’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington.

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