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Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee wins again in Yokohama Japan

Yokohama, Japan  - Great Britain's Jonathan Brownlee started his season in a now familiar way in Japan, as he led from almost start to finish in an all-round perfect performance at ITU World Triathlon Yokohama. 

Just last month Alistair Brownlee made his 2013 ITU debut in San Diego, and blew away the field there despite not being confident of his run form. In Yokohama it was a similar story, except Jonathan had the added complication that his layoff was because of an ankle injury. That made his performance even more impressive, as he showed no signs of weakness on the run, burning off Spain's Javier Gomez and Portugal's Joao Silva over 10km to record his fifth career series win in a time of 1 hour 44 minutes and 59 seconds.
 
Brownlee was emotional afterwards as he revealed that he thought his entire season would have to be ruled out because of that injury.
 
"At the start of the year I was told I wouldn't be racing at all this season, so I got a bit emotional towards the end because this year I thought I wouldn't be here at all," he said. "I thought the season was over two months ago."

Gwen Jorgensen wins ITU World Triathlon Series in Yokohama

Yokohama, Japan - If San Diego hinted at it, Yokohama has well and truly confirmed the USA's Gwen Jorgensen as the leading contender in 2013, as she took back to back ITU World Triathlon Series titles and the overall series lead in Japan on Saturday.
 
Conditions played a huge part with constant rain and cooler temperatures making for a treacherous race at times, with numerous crashes on the bike. But it was Jorgensen who reigned supreme, first running down Emma Moffatt (AUS) and Jodie Stimpson (GBR) and then simply flying off into the distance to win by 14 seconds in a time of 1 hour 57 minutes and 5 seconds.
 
Jorgensen initially stayed back after the first lap of the run, but pulled out another negative split 10km to pull back in the difference in the final lap and said it played out to her race plan.
 
"I wouldn't say it was a repeat of San Diego, there were different conditions out there today, a choppy swim and the rain on the bike, but it was an exciting race for sure," Jorgensen said. "I just started the run and to be honest I was a little worried those girls really took it out fast and I just tried to focus on my race. I just tried to maintain pace the whole way."

Jan Frodeno and Alicia Kaye take the win at St. Anthony’s Triathlon

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (April 28, 2013) – Two first-time winners were crowned champions of the 30th Anniversary St. Anthony’s Triathlon on Sunday. Jan Frodeno and Alicia Kaye crossed the finish line on their way to topping one of the largest and best pro fields in the race’s history.

Frodeno, 32, is no stranger to winning, having come in sixth place in the 2012 London Olympics and winning a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “I was nervous about coming here, especially when it came to the run because that’s not my strong card,” Frodeno of Germany said. “The other guys kept the pressure on.”

Keeping Frodeno on his toes was Ivan Vasiliev of Russia, who came in second place, and Hunter Kemper of Colorado Springs, Colo., who placed third.

Kaye, 30, said that she felt strong throughout the day, but the women also kept the pressure on and she never had a huge lead. “The gap did not change much throughout the race,” Kaye of Clermont, Fla., said. “I can’t describe how it feels; it’s so emotional to win this race.”

Following Kaye were Nicky Samuels of New Zealand in second and Emma Moffatt of Australia in third, who was running her first St. Anthony’s Triathlon and her first 5150.

Saucony helps Boston Bombing victims with new Lace Medallion

LEXINGTON, MA (April 23, 2013) − In an effort to inspire runners to honor and support the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, Saucony has created the #BostonStrong Lace Medallion to be offered as a fundraiser for The One Fund Boston. The two-sided medallion features the viral hashtag and unity motto #BostonStrong on one side and a custom-designed, laced-up heart icon on the other.
 
Runners can obtain the #BostonStrong Lace Medallion for five dollars per pair. For every pair of medallions purchased, Saucony will donate 100% of sales to The One Fund Boston, established by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
 
Consumers can pre-order the #BostonStrong Lace Medallions at saucony.com beginning Wednesday, April 24th. Medallions will be available to ship within three to four weeks.
 
Consumers are also encouraged to go to onefundboston.org to make a direct donation.

Olympic champ Alistair Brownlee wins Omegawave World Triathlon in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee of Great Britain closed with a remarkable 10-kilometer run split to cruise to the elite men's victory at Saturday's Omegawave World Triathlon San Diego at Mission Beach.

After exiting the water second - behind American Tommy Zaferes (Santa Cruz, Calif.) - and pushing the pace for much of the bike, Brownlee took charge of the race on the first lap of the run. The two-time ITU world champion secured the win thanks to a 29 minute, 30 second run split to finish with at time of 1:47:16 on the 1,500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run course.

Julie Moss amoung three other inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Three outstanding multisport athletes who helped define the landscape of triathlon as it is known today were formally inducted into the fifth class of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Thursday at the Bahia Resort Hotel.

Nearly 200 friends, family members and multisport dignitaries gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of age-grouper Missy LeStrange, paratriathlon pioneer Jim MacLaren and the iconic Julie Moss, all of whom have made their mark on the still-growing triathlon community.
 
"Being the fifth year of our Hall of Fame, what makes it even more magical is the fact that we have so many of the previous inductees in the room, and so much energy and passion for the sport," said Chuck Graziano, chair of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame Committee. "It was an amazing night and an amazing experience, and I congratulate those inductees who were here tonight receiving their awards."

Massimo Cigana & Radka Vodickova win inaugural Laguna Lăng Cô – Vietnam Airlines Triathlon

Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, 14 April 2013 – Italian Massimo Cigana and Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic added to their Asian triathlon credentials by becomiinaugural Laguna Lăng Cô – Vietnam Airlines Triathlonng the first male and female Champions at the inaugural Laguna Lăng Cô – Vietnam Airlines Triathlon 2013, each recording sub-three hour race finishes at the new Laguna Lăng Cô integrated resort in central Vietnam.

Ryan Fisher (AUS), Ai Ueda (JAP) sweep to debut ITU World Cup wins in Ishigaki

Ishigaki, Japan (April 14, 2013) - Japan's Ai Ueda and Australia's Ryan Fisher both claimed breakthrough ITU World Cup wins in Japan on Sunday. In the 18th consecutive year of the ITU World Cup event on this Japanese island, Ueda claimed her first World Cup gold ahead of team mates Yuka Sato and Juri Ide, making it a clean sweep of the podium for the home nation. In the men's race, it was Fisher's first World Cup win, with Ireland's Bryan Keane claiming silver from Australia's Dan Wilson, both posting their best performances this year.

Four Peat for CO: Colorado Clinches Fourth Consecutive Collegiate Nationals Team Title

TEMPE, Ariz. - Three-time defending champion University of Colorado added another team title to their collection Saturday at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships. Colorado also won the men's team title and the women's team award went to California, while the Elite Triathlon Academy bested the Mixed-Team Relay field.
 
Colorado scored 3,926 combined points, edging out second-place team California by only two points. The CU Buffs have been dominant since 2010 and have now taken four consecutive team awards back to Boulder, Colo. California scored 3,924 points, and UCLA was third with 3,727.

The Colorado men had three finishers in the top eight, scoring 1,986 points for yet another men's championship. California earned runners-up honors with 1,926 points, and Michigan took third place with 1,897 points.

Anne Haug (GER) wins opening ITU World Cup in Mooloolaba, Australia

Mooloolaba, Australia (March 17, 2013) -  Anne Haug (GER) continued on in 2013 where she left off last year, the 2012 World Triathlon Series grand final winner taking out the opening ITU World Cup of the year in a hot and windy Mooloolaba today.
 
Haug showed her strength on the bike and run to destroy a quality field, leaving Jodie Stimpson (GBR) and local hope Emma Moffatt (AUS) in second and third place with 2012 world number 3 Andrea Hewitt (NZL) in fourth.
 
Moffat had the locals cheering when she emerged from the swim leg in first place, in the process taking the US$500 bonus. She had good company though, with Hewitt, Rebecca Clarke (NZL), Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS), Simone Ackermann (NZL), Aileen Reid (IRL) and Stimpson (GBR) in the lead group.

Javier Gomez takes 13th career victory with win at ITU World Cup Mooloolaba

(Mooloolaba, Australia (March 16, 2013) -  Javier Gomez moved to second on the all time list of ITU World Cup triathlon wins with his 13th career victory on a stunning day in Mooloolaba on Australia's Sunshine Coast on Saturday, running through and then away from the field with ease as the popular Spaniard laid down an early marker for 2013.
 
The Queensland coastal holiday hotspot turned on a stunning day to welcome in the first ITU World Cup of the 2013 season, with the water temperature a tropical 27 degrees and the air temperature nudging 30.
 
Gomez coped brilliantly in the conditions however, surprising given he has struggled throughout his career on such days. Matt Chrabot (USA) and Peter Kerr (AUS) battled stride for stride for the minor placings, with the American finishing two seconds ahead of the Oceania Champion, who picked up his first ITU World Cup podium.
 
Gomez was delighted with his strong early season display; all the more so given he did not taper at all for his race today.

Groff, Shoemaker Sprint to Podium Finishes at Clermont ITU Pan American Cup

CLERMONT, Fla. - London Olympian Sarah Groff earned the women's victory, and Jarrod Shoemaker raced to third on the men's side to lead the United States at Saturday's Clermont (Fla.) ITU Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup at Lake Louisa State Park.

Groff (Hanover, N.H.) notched a time of 1 hour, 17 seconds on the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5-kilometer run course to earn her third career ITU Pan American Cup win. Olympian Helle Frederiksen of Denmark was second in 1:00:23, while Kaitlin Donner (Gainesville, Fla.) rounded out the women's podium in 1:00:31.

London Olympians Mario Mola of Spain and Richard Murray of South Africa went one-two on the men's side in 53:56 and 54:12, respectively. Shoemaker (Clermont, Fla.) earned his third straight podium finish in his hometown race, taking third in 54:20.

Less than a week after finishing second at the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco, Groff again displayed strong early season form with her second podium finish in as many weeks. She was among a lead group of four, including American Sara McLarty (Clermont, Fla.), out of the water and rode with the leaders throughout the 20k bike. Groff posted the day's fastest 5k split (17:43) en route to a six-second victory over Frederiksen.

The 2013 ITU USA draft-legal race season starts this weekend in Florida

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Nine London 2012 Olympians, including American standout Sarah Groff, highlight the start list for Saturday's Clermont (Fla.) ITU Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup at Lake Louisa State Park.

Held in conjunction with the Draft Legal Challenge at Clermont, the event features a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run for the approximately 80 top international athletes slated to compete. The women's elite race is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern, followed by the men at 11:30 a.m. Eastern. 

On the women's side, Groff (Hanover, N.H.), who has been training locally in Clermont, headlines the U.S. contingent. In addition to her fourth-place finish in London last summer, she finished as the top American (seventh) for the second year in a row in the ITU World Triathlon Series rankings. She placed second at the March 3 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.

Other U.S. women to watch include two-time USA Triathlon Under-23 Athlete of the Year Kaitlin Donner (Gainesville, Fla.) and 2012 collegiate national champion Marissa Ferrante (Palo Alto, Calif.). Clermont residents Lauren Goss, Alicia Kaye and Sara McLarty may enjoy a home course advantage.

Gomez and Jackson Escape from Alcatraz in first place

San Francisco – (March 3, 2013) Battling cold temperatures and choppy currents, more than 2,000 amateur and professional athletes took the plunge into the 51 degree water of San Francisco Bay to compete in the 2013 Escape from Alcatraz™ Triathlon on Sunday, March 3, with 2012 London Summer Olympics Silver Medalist Javier Gomez from Spain winning the prestigious race.

Heather Jackson from the USA took the first place position amongst the women. Both Gomez and Jackson are first time escapees. Featuring a 1.5 mile swim from Alcatraz Island to the shore, an 18-mile bike ride and an eight-mile run through San Francisco, this race is considered one of the most difficult triathlons in the world.

Erbenova & Andreev repeat as ITU Winter Triathlon World Champions

Madrid, Spain (February, 24 2013) - Reigning champions Helena Erbenova (CZE) and Pavel Andreev (RUS) defended their world championship titles on Saturday at the 2013 Cogne ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships.
 
Erbenova led the elite women's race line to line to stamp out her second title. She blasted away straight from the start, rounding the first of three run laps in the top position, alongside teammate Sarka Grabmullerova (CZE).

LeStrange, MacLaren & Moss Named to USA Triathlon Hall of Fame

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Top age-grouper Missy LeStrange, groundbreaking paratriathlete Jim MacLaren and the iconic Julie Moss comprise the fifth induction class of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, the multisport National Governing Body announced today.

The three inductees will be honored at a banquet Thursday, April 18 at the Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego to open the ITU World Triathlon San Diego race weekend. Tickets to this exclusive event, which has sold out in each of the past four years, are on sale now via Active.com.