USA Triathlon
Contact Information
Address
5825 Delmonico Drive
Colorado Springs
CO
80919
United States
President
Bob Wendling
Secretary General
Tim Yount
Website
http://www.usatriathlon.org/
Phone
719.597.9191
Fax
+1 719.597.2121
Latest News
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U.S. Olympic Committee confirms U.S. Triathlon team for London 2012
With less than three weeks until the Olympic Games kick off in London, the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team has officially been announced by the U.S. Olympic Committee. While the qualified athletes were known after the World Triathlon San Diego race, the team was officially confirmed by the USOC on Tuesday. Representing the U.S. in the women's triathlon on August 4 in Hyde Park will be two-time Olympic qualifier Laura Bennett (Boulder, Colo.) and first-timers Sarah Groff (Hanover, N.H.) and Gwen Jorgensen (Milwaukee, Wis.). Four-time Olympian Hunter Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.) will compete in the August 7 men's triathlon. In all, the USOC announced a 530-member roster for the 2012 Olympic Games. "It is an incredible honour to represent the USA in the Olympics. To be able to wear USA across my chest is something I will never forget," Jorgensen said. "I'm excited to be a part of something that brings not only the USA together, but the entire world together." 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Triathlon Team: Laura Bennett (37, Boulder, Colo.) After placing fourth at the Beijing Games, Bennett has been the most consistent U.S. performer on the ITU World Triathlon Series circuit over the past three with nine top-eight finishes from 2010-12. She finished 2011 ranked eighth in the ITU World Triathlon Series rankings and captured her third USA Triathlon Elite National Championship title. Bennett qualified for her second Olympic Team with a third-place finish at the 2012 ITU World Triathlon San Diego on May 11. Sarah Groff (30, Hanover, N.H.) Groff placed seventh at the 2011 London ITU World Triathlon Series event to clinch a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team. She went on to finish third in the ITU WTS rankings for the first-ever overall series podium finish by an American. Groff led the U.S. with five top-10 finishes on the WTS circuit in 2011 and was seventh last month at the ITU World Triathlon Kitzbühel for her first top-10 showing in 2012. Gwen Jorgensen (26, Milwaukee, Wis.) Jorgensen burst onto the triathlon scene in 2011 with a runner-up finish at the London ITU World Triathlon Series event to earn a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. Her second-place finish on the Olympic course in London is the best-ever showing for a U.S. woman in a WTS event. Jorgensen finished 2011 ranked 11th in the ITU World Triathlon Series rankings and picked up where she left off in 2012 with a fourth-place finish at the ITU World Triathlon Sydney. Jorgensen owns top-eight finishes in 21 of 26 career ITU events and has finished on the podium on nine occasions. 2012 U.S. Olympic Men's Triathlon Team: Manuel Huerta (28, Miami, Fla.) Huerta was named USA Triathlon's Elite Athlete of the Year for 2011 and capped his season with a silver medal at the Pan American Games. He finished the year as the No. 3 American in the ITU World Triathlon Series rankings and was the top U.S. men's performer at the London and Kitzbühel WTS stops. The Cuban-born Huerta earned his Olympic berth with an emotional ninth-place finish at the May 12 ITU World Triathlon San Diego. Since qualifying for London, Huerta has recorded top-five ITU finishes in Dallas and Edmonton. Hunter Kemper (36, Colorado Springs, Colo.) One of just three athletes to qualify for all four Olympic triathlons, Kemper is the top U.S. men's finisher in all three previous Olympic triathlons with a top showing of seventh in Beijing. Hampered by injury for much of the past three seasons and racing for the first time in seven months, Kemper delivered a fifth-place finish at the 2012 ITU World Triathlon San Diego on May 12 to claim his fourth Olympic berth. He owns U.S. men's records with seven career USA Triathlon Elite National Championship titles and four career ITU World Cup victories. Additionally, USA Triathlon announced its team staff for the 2012 Olympic Games. USA Triathlon High Performance General Manager Andy Schmitz (Philadelphia, Pa.) will serve as the women's coach and team leader for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, while USA Triathlon Performance Leader Jonathan Hall (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has been named the men's coach and team manager for the Games. Rounding out the team staff is chiropractor Dr. Alex Keith (West Palm Beach, Fla.), massage therapist Kim Kirkland (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and bicycle mechanic Joe Santos (Davis, Calif.). For more information, please click here {/exp:tagstripper:tagsToSave}
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Groff and Huerta named USA Triathlon 2011 Elite Athletes of the Year
With International Triathlon Union World Championship Series podium finisher Sarah Groff and Pan American Games silver medalist Manuel Huerta leading the way, USA Triathlon today announced its 2011 Elite Athletes of the Year as selected by the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council (AAC). “2011 was a year filled with many incredible triathlon performances. The AAC carefully examined the résumés and results of all the nominees, and is proud to honor these exceptional athletes. With the quality of nominees, the selections were no easy task. The AAC congratulates all the 2011 winners,” said Barrett Brandon, chair of the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council. 2011 USA Triathlon Elite Athletes of the Year Olympic/ITU Athletes of the Year Sarah Groff (Hanover, N.H.) Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.) Non-Olympic/ITU Athletes of the Year Mary Beth Ellis (Boulder, Colo.) Jordan Rapp (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) Rookies of the Year Kelly Whitley (Geneva, Ill.) A.J. Baucco (Willoughby Hills, Ohio) Under-23 Athletes of the Year Kaitlin Shiver (Melbourne, Fla.) Greg Billington (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Female Elite Duathlete of the Year Nicole LaSelle (Dayton, Ohio) (HM) Courtenay Brown (Boulder, Colo.) Male Elite Duathlete of the Year Matthew Russell (Scottsdale, Ariz.) (HM) Josh Merrick (Alamosa, Colo.) Groff (Hanover, N.H.) and Huerta (Miami, Fla.) earned Olympic/ITU Athlete of the Year accolades. After being slowed by injury for much of 2010, Groff became the first-ever female U.S. athlete to earn a spot on the series podium in the three-year history of the ITU World Championship Series in 2011. In addition to qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games with a seventh-place finish in London, Groff added a third-place finish in Kitzbühel, Austria, and she totaled four top-seven WCS finishes on the year. Huerta capped his 2011 season with a runner-up finish at the Pan American Games in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He finished the year as the No. 3 American in the ITU WCS rankings and was the top U.S. men’s performer at the London and Kitzbühel WCS stops. Additionally, Huerta recorded four top-16 finishes in ITU World Cup events. Long-distance standouts Mary Beth Ellis (Boulder, Colo.) and Jordan Rapp (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) claimed Non-Olympic/ITU Athlete of the Year honors. Ellis enjoyed a breakout season in 2011 by winning three Ironman events over an eight-week span and placing 15th at the Ironman World Championship. After being injured when struck by a car while cycling in March 2010, Rapp completed his comeback story last year with victories at Ironman Canada and the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. Up-and-coming athletes Kelly Whitley (Geneva, Ill.) and A.J. Baucco (Willoughby Hills, Ohio) were named Rookies of the Year. In addition to snagging Junior Triathlete of the Year honors earlier this week, Whitley claimed rookie accolades for her debut on the professional circuit, which produced three top-seven ITU Pan American Cup finishes. Following an amateur win at Ironman 70.3 Florida, Baucco notched four top-15 elite finishes in 2011. His top showings were a fourth-place effort at TriStar111 Minnesota and a ninth-place finish at Galveston 5i50. Under-23 Athlete of the Year accolades went to 2011 under-23 national champions Kaitlin Shiver (Melbourne, Fla.) and Greg Billington (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Shiver, who was fourth at the ITU Under-23 World Championships, also was the runner-up in the 2011 USA Triathlon Elite Race Series and was the winner of the 2011 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship. Billington also recorded a fourth-place finish at ITU Under-23 Worlds and added a pair of top-six ITU Pan American Cup finishes. Additionally, USA Triathlon’s Age Group Committee and Duathlon Committee named Nicole LaSelle (Dayton, Ohio) and Matthew Russell (Scottsdale, Ariz.) Elite Duathletes of the Year for 2011. Russell and LaSelle claimed national titles at the USA Triathlon Elite Duathlon National Championship and went on to place fifth and ninth, respectively, at the ITU Elite Duathlon World Championships. For more information, please click here. {/exp:tagstripper:tagsToSave}
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National Champions Verzbicas, Whitley Claim 2011 USA Triathlon Junior Honours
USA Triathlon Junior Elite national champions Lukas Verzbicas and Kelly Whitley have been honoured for their remarkable 2011 seasons with USA Triathlon Junior Triathlete of the Year accolades. USA Triathlon will announce its Elite Athletes of the Year later this week. Verzbicas (Colorado Springs, Colo.) made national headlines in September 2011 when he captured gold at the ITU Junior World Championships to honour friend and teammate Kevin McDowell, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March 2011. Prior to winning the world title, Verzbicas was victorious at the USA Triathlon Junior Elite National Championship and the PATCO Junior Pan American Championships last year. Whitley (Geneva, Ill.) claims her second straight Junior Triathlete of the Year honor after finishing fifth at ITU Junior worlds and winning the USA Triathlon Junior Elite National Championship for her first career national title. She also made her elite debut and recorded three top-seven finishes in ITU Pan American Cups. Verzbicas and Whitley currently train in Colorado Springs, Colo., as members of the Elite Triathlon Academy. “Lukas’ and Kelly’s performances in 2011 put a spotlight on the rising tide of junior triathlon in the United States. It is not possible to race for the podium on the international stage if you aren’t tested by your peers at home,” said USA Triathlon Athlete Development Coordinator Steve Kelly. “The growing ranks of highly committed junior athletes ensures that the few who are fortunate enough to earn a spot to compete for a world title are race ready. And the presence of world-class juniors in our domestic events raises the bar for everyone else.” Additionally, Tom Edwards (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Holly Resh (Redlands, Calif.) were selected as 2011 Junior Duathletes of the Year by the USA Triathlon Age Group Committee and Duathlon Committee. Edwards won his age group and posted top-seven overall finishes at the Washington Crossing Sprint Duathlon and the LCCM Duathlon. Resh won her age group and placed fourth overall at the Camarillo Sprint Duathlon and was 15th among junior women at the 2011 ITU Duathlon World Championships in Gijon, Spain. Verzbicas and Whitley also headline USA Triathlon’s list of Junior Elite and Youth Elite All-Americans. This honor goes to the top up-and-coming triathletes in the United States and is based on their final national ranking and performances in top junior and youth draft-legal events. For more, please click here. {/exp:tagstripper:tagsToSave}
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Melissa Stockwell, JP Theberge Named USA Paratriathlon Athletes of the Year
USA Triathlon have honoured world championship medallists Melissa Stockwell and JP Theberge with its 2011 USA Paratriathlon Athletes of the Year. The accolades were selected by the USA Triathlon Age Group Committee. Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.) earns the women's annual honour for the second straight year after winning her second consecutive TRI-2 title at the 2011 ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Beijing, China. She led a US sweep of the TRI-2 podium in Beijing and also captured TRI-2 gold at the 2011 USA Paratriathlon National Championship at the Nautica New York City Triathlon. Women's USA Paratriathlon Athlete of the Year Melissa Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.) (HM) Sarah Reinertsen (Mission Viejo, Calif.) (HM) Patricia Walsh (Seattle, Wash.) Men's USA Paratriathlon Athlete of the Year JP Theberge (Carlsbad, Calif.) (HM) Andre Kajlich (Seattle, Wash.) (HM) Joel Rosinbum (Portland, Ore.) Theberge (Carlsbad, Calif.) claims men's accolades for the second time in three years after earning silver in the men's TRI-5 category at the 2011 ITU Paratriathlon World Championships. He was the TRI-5 gold medallist at the 2011 ITU World Championship Series London event. Theberge is a five-time world championship medallist. "With USA Paratriathlon Athletes of the Year Melissa Stockwell and JP Theberge leading the way, 2011 was yet another strong year for U.S. paratriathletes in domestic and international competition," said Steve Sutherland, chair of the USA Triathlon Age Group Committee Athlete of the Year Subcommittee. "We congratulate all these inspirational athletes and look forward to seeing the continued growth of this remarkable sport in the future. National champions Andre Kajlich (TRI-1, Seattle, Wash.) and Joel Rosinbum (TRI-4, Portland, Ore.) were honourable mention selections on the men's side. Kajlich was a silver medalist in his first-ever world championships appearance, while Rosinbum won gold at the 2011 ITU World Championship Series Madrid event. On the women's side, Sarah Reinertsen (TRI-2, Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Patricia Walsh (TRI-6, Seattle, Wash.) claimed honorable mention selections after earning silver and bronze, respectively, at the 2011 ITU Paratriathlon World Championships. Reinertsen also won gold at the 2011 ITU World Championship Series London event, while Walsh was victorious at the 2011 USA Paratriathlon National Championship. Historically one of the world's top paratriathlon nations, the US has earned more than one-fourth of all possible podium finishes at the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships since 2008. Paratriathlon will make its Paralympic Games debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016. USA Triathlon will announce its 2011 Age Group, Junior and Elite Athletes of the Year later this week. {/exp:tagstripper:tagsToSave}
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ITU President Marisol Casado speaks at Tri America Conference
ITU President Marisol Casado presented as a keynote speaker at the 2012 Triathlon America Conference in San Diego, California this week. Now in its second year, the conference is the first and only event solely dedicated to the business of triathlon. ITU Secretary General Loreen Barnett, ITU Director of Administration, Finance and Legal Antonio Arimany, ITU Executive Board member Melissa Merson and ITU Sport Director Gergely Markus were also in attendance at the industry event which ran from 19-21 February. Casado opened the conference with her presentation on ‘Triathlon, the Olympics and the role of the International Triathlon Union’. She began by recalling how San Diego had been the birthplace of triathlon in the 1970’s and marvelled at the pathway that lead to overcoming the many challenges to achieve a new pinnacle for the sport. Casado outlined the major goals that ITU is working hard to deliver which include, development of the sport to its fullest extent, governing of the sport, protecting the health of the athletes by having a comprehensive anti-doping programme and controlling the image of triathlon. “Our strategies to promote our sport must have a social agenda and is a goal that is central to our work. A positive, healthy image of our sport is the vehicle for athletes, who are the focus of the care, education and promotion," she said. Becoming a part of the Olympic programme in Sydney 2000--which Casado greatly attributes to the efforts of founding President of ITU and current Honorary President, Les McDonald and ITU Secretary General Loreen Barnett--triathlon is further growing. “Because of our growth as an Olympic programme sport, we can all expect an increase in visibility and exposure for all of us in the Triathlon family. The sport’s performance through our athletes is the greatest strength we have. “To speed up our growth as an Olympic sport we are working to have another event included in the programme – the mixed relay. This will have the double effect of impacting the participation of women. If all goes well, it will be included for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, where we will also make our debut on the programme of the Paralympic Games.” Casado was followed by a notable selection of speakers whose contributions have significantly impacted the triathlon industry including Rob Urbach, CEO of USA Triathlon who spoke on ‘USAT's Vision for the Future of Triathlon’. The conference also included educational breakout seminars and panels targeting retailers, manufacturers and event organisers. Olympic coach and ITU facilitator Gale Bernhardt along with Olympic medallist and triathlon legend Michellie Jones made up part of the panel discussing ‘Olympics and the Business of Triathlon’. Schedule highlights also featured the ‘State of the Sport’ panel with Merson, who serves on the ITU Executive Board, and is also Executive Director of National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity. In addition at the three day conference, Triathlon America honoured the best companies, programmes and athletes in the triathlon industry at the Triathlon America Awards Celebration. Further details on the conference can be found here Photo courtesy Paul Phillips / Competitive Image {/exp:tagstripper:tagsToSave}