Duathletes Heat up Richmond, Virginia
1,200 athletes competed in the 2009 USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championship
RICHMOND, Va.
(April 26, 2009) -
Battling through temperatures that reached
the low 90s, close to 1,200 duathletes ran
and biked their way through the streets of
downtown Richmond, Va., at the USA Triathlon
Duathlon National Championship on Sunday,
April 26.
The Championship event was part of the second
day of the USAT National Duathlon Festival
that featured off-road races on Saturday and
closed Sunday with on-road races for youth,
juniors and adults.
"I finished. That's always a good thing,"
said Greg Tuck, 47, of Mechanicsville, Va.
"It was a very nice course. I really enjoyed
it."
Hundreds of spectators cheered on the
competitors along the course, which wove
through Richmond and the scenic parks and
bridges near the James River. The Festival
near the transition area provided a great
venue for family and friends to enjoy food,
live music and fun [and plenty of water] as
they waited for their loved ones to cross the
finish line.
Twenty-six athletes earned national titles on
the 10k run, 38k bike, 5k run event, with
Nicholas Sterghos, 22, of West Point, N.Y.,
and Suzanne Huelster, 35, of Riverton, N.J.,
finishing with the overall best times of the
day. Sterghos won the men's 20-24 age group
by rounding the course in 1:49:02, while
Huelster took the women's 35-39 age group in
2:06:08, just edging Crystal Anthony, 29, of
Beverly, Mass., who finished in 2:06:16.
Anthony won the women's 25-29 age group.
"I went to school here at the University of
Richmond, so it was kind of a homecoming for
me and my family. I hadn't been here in a
long time," said men's 30-34 age group winner
Eneas Freyre, 33, Norwalk, Conn. "The bike
course was nice; it was fast, which I like.
And I recognized the roads, so I had no
problems. The run course was a little
challenging with some of the corners. It was
a great venue. The people are really
friendly. It's nice to come down here and
visit."
Providing inspiration to the spectators and
other competitors were four athletes
competing in the physically challenged
division. Patricia Collins, 40, of
Alexandria, Va., was the top female finisher
in the category, with David Kyle, 37, of
Athens, Ala., taking the men's title.
Aside from the individual national titles,
USAT also recognized masters and grandmasters
winners for both men and women. Grandmasters
titles went to Greg Pelican, 50, of Bethel,
Conn., and Ellen Hart, 51, of Denver, Colo.,
while Jeff Miller, 42, of Lewistown, Pa., and
Kristine Kuss, 41, of Polly Drummond, Del.,
were the masters champions.
"This was so fun. Especially for someone
whose weak link is the swim. This was
awesome. The bike course was so fun, going
over the bridges. You never got bored," said
Hart, who had only done one duathlon before
today. "It's really different from triathlon
in how you unroll the ball of yarn, your
energy level to get through to the end.
Knowing that the run is still last is a great
feeling, when you pull on your running shoes
for the last time. I will do this again.
"At three miles of the first run, I switched
to another gear. Then I worked really hard on
the bike and put the hammer down as best as I
could on the last 5k. It worked out really
well."
The age group athletes competing in the USAT
Duathlon National Championship were seeking
national titles, but also spots on Team USA
and the chance to compete at the ITU Duathlon
World Championship in Concord, N.C., in
September. The top-12 in each five-year age
group will compete for the United States at
the event.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championship
10k run, 38k bike, 5k run
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Female Physically Challenged: Patricia
Collins, 40, Alexandria, Va. 3:11:50
Male Physically Challenged: David Kyle, 37,
Athens, Ala., 2:42:36
M18-19: Alex Hopkins, 19, Blacksburg, Va.,
2:01:06
M20-24: Nicholas Sterghos, 22, West Point,
N.Y., 1:49:02
F20-24: Randall Wintermantel, 22, West Point,
N.Y., 2:12:28
M25-29: Daniel Moss, 28, Simpsonville, S.C.,
1:52:19
F25-29: Crystal Anthony, 29, Beverly, Mass.,
2:06:16
M30-34: Eneas Freyre, 33, Norwalk, Conn.,
1:50:22
F30-34: Amy Farrell, 32, Saranac Lake, N.Y.,
2:13:00
M35-39: Todd Wiley, 39, Pipersville, Pa.,
1:52:46
F35-39: Suzanne Huelster, 35, Riverton, N.J.,
2:06:08
M40-44: Jeff Miller, 42, Lewiston, Pa.,
1:54:27
F40-44: Kristine Kuss, 41, Polly Drummond,
Del., 2:10:34
M45-49: Chris Giordanelli, 45, Simpsonville,
S.C., 1:54:57
F45-49: Kristin Villopoto, 49, Chapel Hill,
N.C., 2:11:32
M50-54: Greg Pelican, 50, Bethel, Conn.,
2:00:52
F50-54: Ellen Hart, 51, Denver, Colo.,
2:08:26
M55-59: Fred Galata, 58, Omaha, Neb., 2:07:15
F55-59: Cheryl Hart, 55, Louisville, Ky.,
2:09:29
M60-64: Steve Ruckert, 60, Woodbine, Md.,
2:07:08
F60-64: Anne Viviani, 60, Arlington, Va.,
2:51:28
M65-69: Tony Marshall, 65, Chula Vista,
Calif., 2:15:39
F65-69: Ann Erickson, 67, The Woodlands,
Texas, 2:35:33
M70-74: James Girand, 72, Palo Alto, Calif.,
2:37:38
F70-74: Sharon Roggenbuck, 71, Hillsborough,
N.C., 3:17:57
M80-84: Edwin Bixenstine, 83, Kent, Ohio,
3:07:14
Full
results for all Duathlon Festival
races.
Find out more
about the event.
Here's what other athletes had to say about
the day's events:
The course was tough; the heat was tough. But
I think we rallied our club. We made a big
push to get people down here. I think we had
at least 50 folks down here for the race.
It's a pretty awesome day. It was a local for
us. Only two hour drive, so that was nice.
--Joe Coyne, 31, Washington, DC [DC Triathlon
Club]
I liked it better this year than last year. I
liked the run with the waves. I loved going
off at 7:30. It's great (to win age group). I
passed the guy I had to beat with about two
and a half miles left on the run. I knew I
probably a stronger runner. The city is
great. I love it. It's pretty close to a
second home. It's a beautiful city.
--Steve Ruckert, 60, Woodbine, Md.
It was a good experience, a little harder
with the heat than I thought it would be. By
the time I finished the bike and started the
run, it wasn't bad. It was set up well. The
organizers did a fantastic job. I'll
definitely do it again.
--Jeff Luke, Richmond, Va.
It was tough. This was my first duathlon. I'm
glad I started early. I'm very glad to have
done it and completed it. I'm glad it's over.
I did it!
--Dawn Eberhart, Richmond, Va.
I really liked the course a lot. It was
challenging. It wasn't dangerous. It was
clean. You can't control the weather. The
volunteers were great. Everyone has been
super. I had one of the worst races ever, but
I still have a smile on my face. It's a
really neat city. Everyone's been really
cool.
--Johnny King-Marino, 48, Doylestown, Pa.
It was very challenging and hot, but a great
event. I've done two duathlons before, but
they were shorter. And this was my first
Nationals. I love the challenge and being out
here with all the other athletes. It was
great.
--Lenora Mariner, 54, Midlothian, Va.
About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the national
governing body for triathlon - the fastest
growing sport
in the U.S. - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and
winter triathlon in the United States. USAT
sanctions
2,500 races and connects with more than 115,000
members each year, making it the largest
multisport
organization in the world. In addition to its
work with
athletes, coaches, and race directors on the
grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and
support to elite athletes competing at
international
events, including World Championships, Pan
American Games, and the Olympic Games.
Read more news from USAT.
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USA Triathlon
Jason Mucher
Communications & Media Relations Manager
phone:
719-597-9090 ext. 105
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