Media 2006...
2006 ITU World Cup Triathlon Series
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ( Nov. 20 2006 ) The 2006 ITU World Cup triathlon series has come to a close and fans of American elite triathlon racing should be proud of the accomplishments of the athletes who wear “USA” on their chests.
American athletes finished 3rd (Andy Potts) and 5th (Hunter Kemper) on the men’s side and 4th (Laura Bennett) on the women’s side and finished on the podium 12 times in 15 events...
Also scoring World Cup points with top 20 finishes in 2006 were Brian Fleischmann, Doug Friman, Joe Umphenour, Matt Reed, Seth Wealing, Victor Plata, Manny Huerta (2006 USAT U23 National Champion), Julie Swail, Sarah Groff, Rebeccah Wassner, Sara McLarty (2006 USAT U23 National Champion), Jasmine Oeinck, and Becky Lavelle.
2006 "Haul to the Great Wall"Series Results
Rye, N.Y., (Sept. 17) -- The second annual USA Triathlon Haul to the Great Wall Series wrapped up in impressive fashion at the ITU Westchester Pan American Cup Triathlon in Rye, N.Y., in September, with Jarrod Shoemaker and Sarah Haskins winning both the race and the series championships in the process.
Shoemaker (Sudbury, Mass.) came into the Westchester race tied with Manny Huerta (Colorado Springs, Colo.) for the overall series lead, but grabbed his second win of the four races to claim the title. Huerta, the USAT U23 National Champion, finished eighth at Westchester and second in the series.
Haskins (Colorado Springs, Colo.), the 2006 USAT Elite National Champion, was in third place following the first three events, but had a strong race at Westchester to get her second win of the series and grab the overall title. Sara McLarty (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who came into the race atop the points standings, faced mechanical problems on the bike and finished 12th at Westchester and second in the series.
Hamburg BG Triathlon World Cup
HAMBURG, Germany (September 10, 2006 ) -- Under sunny skies in downtown Hamburg, Germany, world number one ranked Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal was able to beat out a stellar international women’s field for her eleventh straight triathlon world cup win in a row. Fernandes’ time of 1:53:11 was 11 seconds faster then her closest rival Debbie Tanner of New Zealand and third place Laura Bennett of the United States, who was a further minute and 14 seconds back.
After finishing second one week ago at the 2006 Triathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, Fernandes was on good form to win today’s preview of next year’s world championships, which will be held on the same course in late August. The world-class field of athletes brought a total of 310,000 cheering spectators onto the course over the two days of competition, officials estimated.
“The crowd is so great and it was good to be back today and have a good race,” commented Bennett, who hasn’t raced here since 2002. “They [the crowd] really do lift you and the German’s are great at lifting you.”
After the 1,500 metre wetsuit swim in Alster Lake a small group of women including Fernandes, Tanner, Bennett, Liz Blatchford of Great Britain, Emma Moffat of Australia and German favourite Joelle Franzmann exited the water just behind American swimming prodigy Sara McLarty.
These seven women quickly formed a lead group at the front of the bike and worked well together over the flat and fast bike course. By the end of the 8-lap, 40 kilometre bike leg this small pack was able to put a 90 second gap between themselves and the large chase pack of 26 athletes. With some of the sport’s best runners in this small lead group it was only a question of what three would stand on the podium.
Immediately onto the 4-lap 10 kilometre run it was Fernandes and Tanner who separated themselves from the rest of the field and ran neck in neck for the first 7 kilometres. Both women had something to prove after being favourites going into last weekend’s world championships where a disappointing run left Fernandes with the silver medal and a bike crash left Tanner in 23rd spot.
With the win Fernandes stays atop of the 2006 BG Triathlon World Cup standings. Franzmann and Canadian Lauren Groves remain in second and third after their results today.
Only Emma Carney has won more world cups in a row with 12 consecutive world cup wins in the early 90's. Fernandes could equal this record in Beijing in two weeks time.
2006 ITU Triathlon World Championships - Lausanne
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Sunday, September 3) -- American elite athletes led at one point or another in each of the four races, but they could not work their way onto the podium at the 2006 ITU Triathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland on Sunday.
Thirty U.S. athletes joined hundreds of others from around the world for the championships in the men's and women's Senior Elite and men's and women's Under-23 races in Lake Geneva and along the crowded streets of Lausanne. More than 60,000 spectators lined the course on a beautiful sunny day.
Top finishers for the U.S. included Hunter Kemper (7th in men's elite), Laura Bennett (8th in women's elite), Manny Huerta (6th in men's U23) and Jasmine Oeinck (7th in women's U23).
Women's U23
The full-day of racing started with the women's U23 event, where Sara McLarty (DeLand, Fla.) once again proved that she is one of the top triathlon swimmers in the world. She came out of the water with a 40-second advantage and was all alone on the bike for three laps, before a chase pack that included teammate Jasmine Oeinck (Littleton, Colo.) closed the gap.
Aquathlon Championships
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (August 30, 2006 ) -- In a preview of this weekend’s ITU Triathlon World Championships, two hundred athletes dawned their wetsuits for a 1,000 metre swim in the green waters of Lake Geneva. This was followed by a two-lap, five kilometre run along the Lausanne boardwalk in front of the Olympic Museum.
The American McLarty used her swimming strength to win her first-ever Aquathlon World Championships in a time of 30:49. Canadian and Under23 competitor Elspeth McGregor finished second with Great Britain’s Maria Barrett taking the final podium spot. Their times were 31:23 and 32:10 respectively.
As expected, McLarty used her open water swimming skills to gain an early and insurmountable lead of 53 seconds after the swim segment in Lake Geneva. Second out of the water were McGregor and Emma Davis from Great Britain. But there was no catching McLarty as she continued to hold her gap for the two-lap run, cruising home to make back-to-back wins for the USA after Sheila Taormina’s triumph in Gamagori, Japan last year.
Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup
Tiszaujvaros, Hungary (August 14, 2006 USAT) -- USA Triathlon U23 national champion Sara McLarty led the American women at the 2006 Tiszaujvaros BG Triathlon World Cup with a 16th place finish in a time of 1:58:21, while the reigning men's U23 champion Manny Huerta had the top U.S. finish in the men's race with a solid 20th place (1:45:43).
McLarty braved the high waters and strong currents in a non- wetsuit swim, beating everyone out of the water and leading eventual winner Joelle Franzmann (GER) by five seconds heading into T1.
On the bike course, McLarty and Franzmann opened a 40 second gap on the rest of the field, but were losing time by the beginning of the second lap. McLarty decided to go alone while Franzmann dropped back and waited for the chase pack. The pack reeled in McLarty, but she stayed on the back of the pack and together, they extended their lead over the rest of the field by two minutes.
On the run course Franzmann quickly regained the lead with Mariana Ohata of Brazil going with her. The two ran together for the majority of the race. With one kilometer to go, Franzmann made her move and Ohata was unable to respond. Franzmann captured the victory in 1:55:40 while Ohata finished second with a time of 1:55:55. Leanda Cave (GBR) managed to beat-out France's Carole Peon to take the final podium spot (1:56:00).
American Julianna Batizy-Morley finished in 46th place with a time of 2:08:36, while Michelle Lindsay was forced to drop out on the bike leg and did not finish.
2006 Bridgeport ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup
Inside Triathlon (August 6, 2006 - Adam Campbell) -- A crop of the world's best young talent toed the line August 5 in Bridgeport, Connecticut for the third round of the Haul for the Great Wall series, which also served as an ITU Continental Cup race, at the Park City Mossman triathlon. The race saw Under-23 World Champion Jarrod Shoemaker and Canadian National Team athlete Kathy Tremblay overcome the hot and windy conditions to finish on the top step of the podium.
Replacing the challenging Bellingham, Washington course, the Connecticut venue offered challenges of it's own. The swim was non-wetsuit, with the water at 76 degrees and the day proved hot, with temperatures soaring into the mid-80's. Combined with steady crosswinds on the bike and little shade on the run, several athletes succumbed to the conditions.
In the women's race, resident team athlete and swim favorite Sara McLarty lead out of the water in 18:36 with Kathy Tremblay and Sarah Groff on her feet. They were followed by a group of seven athletes who exited a minute down. Despite an attempt by McLarty to stay clear, the chase group soon swallowed up the three early leaders. The crosswinds and strong efforts by Margaret Shapiro and McLarty meant the lead group kept the effort and tempo high. Near the end of the ride, Shapiro, Tremblay and McLarty were able to open a small gap on the group going into the run, which proved decisive in deciding the podium. The fleet footed Tremblay quickly took the lead and held strong for the win, finishing in a time of 2:01:29. McLarty, showing an improved running leg finished 30 seconds back in 2:02:00 with Shapiro crossing the line a further 13 seconds in arrears.
The top run of the day went to Under-23 athlete Anna Hamilton of New Zealand. The young Kiwi ran her way from the second chase group into fourth place with a 38:30 closing leg. With her consistent finishes, McLarty continued her impressive climb up the overall series standings.
ITU World Cup Corner Brook
from Stephen Bourdeau of the ITU on July 24, 2006A gray, misty day welcomed the world's top triathletes to the final edition of the Corner Brook BG Triathlon World Cup. The elated crowds watched young phenom and world ranked number one Vanessa Fernandes from Portugal win her tenth straight and Kris Gemmell from New Zealand win only his second world cup on the gruelling but scenic course...
Early in the swim, world ranked open-water swimmer, Sara McLarty from the USA and team mate Sarah Haskins built a lead of almost a minute on a large group containing Fernandes, Dittmer, Cortassa, Lauren Groves (CAN), Emma Moffatt (AUS), Julie Swail (USA) and Becky Lavelle (USA). On the bike course the two Americans would keep their lead on the seventeen member chase group for the entire six-laps, coming into second transition over one minute ahead.
Once on the gruelling run course, it was Fernandes who quickly pulled away from the rest of the chase group and catching Haskins and McLarty by the three kilometre mark. After this it was a race for second place. Dittmer and Moffatt ran together for most of the run but as the course went on, it was Moffatt who faded over the last two kilometres and fell to a fast approaching Cortassa...
Haskins Earns Her First U.S. Elite Titles In Long Beach
Inside Triathlete, Long Beach, California (June 27, 2006) -- In April, rising star Haskins backed up her second-place finish at last year's Boston Triathlon and breakthrough win at the 2005 Los Angeles Triathlon with a strong second place to Becky Lavelle at the 2006 St. Anthony's Triathlon. But the 25-year-old really underlined her newfound star status this past Sunday when she took the U.S. women's elite championship in 1:58:43, which earned the St. Louis, Missouri native $4,500 total prize and bonus money. Haskins' second-best 36:10 final 10km run gave her a 62-second margin over Sara McLarty, her fellow U.S. national team member, and a one-minute-43-second margin over third-place Canadian Lauren Groves.
Haskins disputed the pre-race grumbling that Long Beach's flat terrain would not provide a challenge, saying, "The bike was challenging. Once you are out there, it's pretty windy and there were a few climbs that take your legs out. Working with Sara (McLarty), it felt more like a time trial than pack-riding and I gave it everything I had."
That effort left behind three-time ITU world championship medalist and current ITU world No. 2 Laura Bennett in fourth, top U.S. elite competitor Julie Swail in fifth and former U.S. elite champion Becky Lavelle in ninth.
In the protected, 72-degree waters, recent NCAA swim star McLarty decided to lay back and save energy, putting in a conservative 19:16 swim-far off her 2004 Olympic Trials form that gave her a fourth place in the 400-meter freestyle. Out of the water, she was only three seconds up on Haskins, 20 seconds up on Suzanne Weckend, and a minute up on dangerous rivals Becky Lavelle, Groves, Bennett, Swail, Rebecca Wassner and Sarah Groff.
McLarty and Haskins then teamed up for a 1:00:35 breakaway that left them a minute up on the chase pack. But on the run, the former Tulsa University cross-country star soon broke free of NCAA swim champ and still-evolving runner McLarty.
"Sarah Haskins is an amazing cyclist and I definitely knew she would be an ally on the bike," said McLarty, who made a career breakthrough in her running just three weeks earlier with a third-place overall finish at Escape From Alcatraz. "I knew she would outrun me and I was OK with that. I just wanted to have a strong finish and I think I did that."
Indeed she did. Haskin's quick run earned her the victory, but McLarty's 37:10 10km was only a minute slower, good enough to hold off the rush of Canadian Lauren Groves, who had the day's fastest run in 36:03 while finishing third, 45 seconds behind McLarty.
Although in the hunt for the national title and the main prize purse, McLarty also won the Under-23 division, subsequently earning a coveted spot at the U-23 world championship in Lausanne, Switzerland this September. USAT men's resident team member Manuel Huerta also earned an U-23 slot with his first in Under-23 victory and overall 11 th place finish in 1:50:37.
TRIATHLON: Kemper Wins Sixth National Title, Haskins Wins First
LONG BEACH, Calif -- Sarah Haskins had to contain her joy a second or so after winning her first title. Then she grabbed her roommate Sara McLarty and friend Lauren Groves (Canada) for hugs and to pose for photos after they placed first, second and third, respectively.
The event, second of five races of the Haul to the Great Wall Series, serves as a 2008 Olympic Trials qualifier. Athletes accumulate points to earn a berth to the trials and eventually the games in Beijing, China. The race also served as an International Triathlon Union Continental Cup event.
On the women's side, Haskins (1:58:43), McLarty (1:59:41) and Groves of Canada (2:00:26) out-shone everyone else. After swimming in water temperatures of 67 degrees, and a bike run, Haskins separated herself from McLarty over the run portion of the race to surprise a field that included top contenders Laura Bennett (No. 2 in the world), Julie Swail, and last year’s national champion Becky Lavelle.
McLarty, who finished second in the elite women's division, also won the Under-23 title ahead of Jasmine Oeinck of Colorado Springs and earned a spot for the U23 World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, as did Huerta in the male division.
"The bike was more challenging," Haskins said. "Once you are out there, it's pretty windy. There were a few climbs that took your legs out. With (McLarty and I) working together, it was more like a time trial. I gave it everything I had."
After Oeinck fell off the pace during the swim, Haskins and McLarty rode and ran tactically to the top two spots. (Jason Mucher - USA Triathlon)
Haul to Great Wall moves on to Long Beach
Triathlete Magazine (June 14, 2006) -- Long Beach, California is the next destination in USA Triathlon’s five-city 2006 Haul to the Great Wall Series, and the event is bringing in the big names among U.S. elites, as the June 25 race is serving as the elite and U23 national championship and an ITU Continental Cup race.
Among the athletes scheduled to compete are two U.S. men ranked in the World Cup top 10: Hunter Kemper (No. 2) and Andy Potts (No. 10). World Cup regulars Brian Fleischmann, Matt Reed, Seth Wealing, Joe Umphenour and Tim O’Donnell are also on the start list, as is a strong field of young athletes, led by Jarrod Shoemaker and Haven Barnes. Athens Olympian Victor Plata will also be in action.
For the women, the field includes world No. 2 Laura Bennett, as well as Becky Lavelle, Julie Swail, Margaret Shapiro and a list of up-and-coming athletes in Jasmine Oeinck, Sara McLarty, Jenna Shoemaker, Sarah Haskins and Jennifer Spieldenner...
The series of intermediate-distance triathlons – now in its second year – allows triathletes and spectators to get their first look at who might be competing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Each race is sanctioned by USAT and the International Triathlon Union (ITU). The ITU world-rankings system is used as part of the qualification process for the Olympics.
Accenture Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon
SAN FRANCISCO, California (June 5, 2006) -- Sara McLarty, who beat Andy Potts and all the men in the swim at an ITU World Cup in Japan earlier this year, did not best the men in the mostly sunny Escape From Alcatraz swim. But McLarty’s 29:12 was better than all but seven men, 66 seconds better than next best woman, Joanna Zeiger, and 72 seconds faster than former NCAA star Becky Lavelle.
While McLarty could be expected to hold to a leading spot through the bike, the question remained - could the young swim star develop a run?
Bursting with good energy, Lavelle passed McLarty at Mile 8 after a climb. “She got me back on the downhill after the Cliff House restaurant - she’s fearless,” said Lavelle of her young rival. “I took her back on the flats and kept the power on.” Lavelle had a lead of about 2:30 at T2 after her race best 51:56 ride, 2:44 better than Zeiger and 3:10 better than McLarty. McGlone, whose world class form was apparently tapped out after stunning, dominating wins at Wildflower and Florida Ironman 70.3, faded from contention with a dispirited 57:10 ride, while McLarty hung tough with a 55:06 mark.
Bennett, who traded the lead of the pack chasing McLarty on the swim, saw Lavelle ride into the distance, then caught a bad break when her chain became derailed and lost a spot to Zeiger. Bennett, who had been focusing on building a huge aerobic base rather than her old reliance on speed work, cut through the field on the run, passing Zeiger at Mile 1, then caught the stubbornly hard-charging McLarty at the sand ladder and cruised to second place finish 66 seconds back. “I like my fitness at this point,” said Bennett. “But Sara is doing fantastic. She has this big aerobic base and she’s working hard on her bike and run. Coming from a swimming background, she’s going to keep training and she’ll train weight off and adapt. It took me a few years, but I did it.”
Recently retired American triathlon legend Barb Lindquist, who has been acting as McLarty’s mentor in her work as a USAT Under 23 national coach, was equally enthusiastic. “Sara is over the moon and I am really excited for her,” said Lindquist. “She’s learning how to run. And as a mentor who faced some of the same challenges, we can really relate. I’m sharing my experiences and the things I had to learn. I really believe it will happen for her. She works hard and she’s patient, too.”
In Lavelle’s wake were three-time ITU World Championship medalist and current ITU World Number one Bennett in second, 2000 Olympian Joanna Zeiger in fifth and red-hot half Iron star and Canadian Olympian Samantha McGlone in sixth. In the breakthrough performance of the day, new U.S. under 23 star Sara McLarty, a top NCAA swimmer from Florida, finally mastered her run to take third place on the podium. “I’m over the moon,” said McLarty, who ran an honorable seventh best 53:52 over the tough 8-mile course - just 28 seconds slower than Lavelle, and 2:22 slower than McGlone’s day’s best. “Thanks to my coach Cliff English and the rest of the staff at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, it was a different story today on the run.”
Lavelle, too, was impressed with McLarty’s race. “Today she proved she is an all around triathlete. For sure. This is a strength course and she’s obviously very strong and she’s definitely coming on. ” (Excerpts from report filed by Timothy Carlson)
S 1.5mi./ B 18 mi./ R 8 mi.
New Course for Honolulu Triathlon Brings Fast times
Honolulu Advertiser (May 15, 2006) -- Jasmine Oeinck, 21, of Littleton, Colo., won the women's race in 1:56:51. Oeinck and Dean each won $3,000.
A total of 784 competitors started yesterday's race, which was the first major swimming sporting event in the area since the March 24 rupture of a city sewer main in Waikiki that spilled more than 48 million gallons of raw sewage into the Ala Wai Canal.
The Honolulu Triathlon also featured a new course to alleviate traffic concerns in East Honolulu. The previous course went from Kapi'olani Park to Hawai'i Kai and back. Elite athletes yesterday recorded the fastest finishing times in the three-year history of the Honolulu event because of the new, predominantly flat and windless course.
Oeinck said she broke away from Sarah Groff when the runners reached the Magic Island footpath. "I said, 'If I die, I die,' " Oeinck said of her late surge. "At least I'll be at the finish soon."
Groff, 25, won $2,500 for second. Sara McLarty, 23, took third (1:58:08, $1,800), Julie Swail, 33, placed fourth (1:59:37, $1,500) and Lisa Mensink, 29, finished fifth (1:59:59, $1,200).
Yesterday's Honolulu competition was one of four International Triathlon Union points races in the United States. Elite athletes earn points for World Cup triathlon competition. (Brandon Masuoka)
New Course for Honolulu Triathlon Brings Fast times
Star Bulletin (May 15, 2006) -- Jasmine Oeinck, 20, of Littleton, Colo., was the top female finisher with a time of 1:56:51. She credited her opponents -- second- and third-place finishers Sarah Groff and Sara McLarty -- as her key to success.
The three communicated together on the cycling portion of the race, the strongest event for each, and rotated the lead. When it was time to ditch the bikes and run to decide the winner, though, it became every person for herself.
"Sarah Groff and McLarty were great to run with, we really pushed each other," Oeinck said. "With like a (kilometer to go) I just said, 'If I die, I die.' I probably didn't lead 'til the footpath coming in to the finish (on Magic Island). Sarah Groff and I were working really well on the run, just feeding off of each other. I was very fortunate to have her there." (Brian McInnis)
St. Anthony's Triathlon
St. Petersburg, Florida (April 30, 2006) -- St. Anthony's kicked off its 23rd annual triathlon early Sunday morning in downtown St. Petersburg with the bang of a shotgun and a heavy breeze. The first wave of professional male competitors entered the 74-degree waters of Tampa Bay at 7 a.m. By the time the last wave of relay teams entered the water at 9:05 a.m., the wind picked up to heavy gusts making the swim portion a vision of white caps for the strong and determined competitors.
Becky Lavelle, 32, of Los Gatos, CA, defended her 2005 St. Anthony's Triathlon title by bringing home another win at 2:00:04. Lavelle was in fifth place after the swim, but made up valuable time on the bike and run. “Today was one of the roughest swims I can recall,” said Lavelle. “The windy conditions also made it tough on the bike. But the bike is my strength and that is where I made up the most ground.”
Sarah Haskins, 25, of Colorado Springs, CO, earned her highest pro finish to date with a time of 2:00:48. Leanda Cave, 28, of Gloucester, Great Britain, came in third at 2:01:25.
(Note: results for Sara McLarty, 23, 9th place, 02:03:57)
Rescue '06 World Lifesaving Championships
Records not an obstacle for Sara
GEELONG, Australia (February 15, 2006) -- AMERICAN Sara McLarty stole the show on day three of the Rescue 2006 Championships yesterday, smashing two world records in the 200m obstacle swim in the pool. The Florida-based athlete shaved almost a second off the world record mark in the morning heats in a time of 2 mins 10.70 secs and then won gold in a time of 2:10.34 in the final. It capped off a perfect day for the Americans in the 200m obstacle swim, with Blaine Morgan taking gold in the men's event, upstaging highly-fancied German.
Stars & Stripes : US's Sara McLarty set two world records
AMERICAN Sara McLarty stole the show on day three of the Rescue 2006 Championships yesterday, smashing two world records in the 200m obstacle swim in the pool.
International Life Saving Federation World Lifesaving Championships
Rescue 2006 was contested on February 10-26 in Lorne, Victoria, Australia. This international championship, held every two years, is comprised of several competitions including events for National teams, Interclub teams and Masters competitors in events such as ironman / ironwoman, board rescue, rescue medley, Taplin relay and many more ocean, beach and pool events.
Congratulations to the US National Team, whose members finished seventh overall in Australia, only 3 points out of 6th place, 6 points out of 5th place, and 12 points out of 4th place (with 32 teams competing).
This is USA’s best finish ever at a world championships held in a foreign country since pool and surf competitions were combined. It ties our best finish at Daytona in 2002. It was tough competition, but the team did a great job. World record times were turned in by Blaine Morgan and Sara McLarty.
