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- ARCHIVED NEWS 2006
- Winter Triathlon Nationals to serve as Pan American Championship
Colorado Springs, CO
- October 29, 2006 - The 2007 USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship will also serve as the Pan American Championship for the International Triathlon Union and the Pan American Triathlon Corporation.
- The February 4th event, hosted by Devil’s Thumb Ranch, just outside Winter Park , Colo. , and produced by 5430 Sports, will feature an 8k trail run 15k mountain bike, and 10k cross country ski.
- "It's really exciting to have the Pan American Championship in Colorado this winter. Until this event, the only other ITU winter triathlon race that has been held in North America was a World Cup held in Canmore , Canada in 2003,” said Neal Henderson , head of USAT’s Winter Triathlon Taskforce. “This will give an opportunity for American athletes to measure themselves against other world-class winter triathletes before heading to the ITU world championships in Italy in March."
- The top athletes in the sport should be on hand to compete as the event will also serve as a world championship qualifier for age groupers and elites. The top two in each age group will qualify for worlds in Flassen , Italy on March 4.
- Already popular in Europe for years, winter triathlon has seen growth in the U.S. and Canada of late, especially as competitive triathletes find that Nordic skiing offers a great off-season cross training workout. There is also an international push to add winter triathlon to the list of sports for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. For more information about the sport, visit: http://www.usatriathlon.org/MultiSport101/Sports/WinterTriathlon.aspx.
- 5430 Sports is a leading developer and organizer of sport-based events. With a focus on multisport endurance races, 5430 produces high quality, premiere races for the beginner, as well as elite competitors.
- USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States . USAT sanctions 1,800 races and connects with more than 70,000 members each year, making it the largest multi-sport organization in the world.
- Please visit USA Triathlon’s web site at www.usatriathlon.org.
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- Winter Triathlon Comes to Colorado
Colorado Springs, CO
- October 5, 2006 - With autumn rolling in across the country, the race schedules for most multisport athletes are coming to a close. But for those involved in the up-and-coming sport of winter triathlon, the competition is still ahead.
- Those winter triathletes will get to showcase their skills on the national level in February when Devil's Thumb Ranch, just outside Winter Park, Colo., hosts the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship.
- The event is set for Sunday, February 4 and will feature an 8k trail run 15k mountain bike, and 10k cross country ski.
- Devil's Thumb is the ideal location for the event, says race director Barry Siff of 5430 Sports. "It's exciting to bring the sport back in a big way to Colorado," says Siff, who has produced over a dozen winter triathlons since 1998, including the 2002 USAT National Championship. "Devil's Thumb has built its reputation as one of the premier Nordic skiing centers in the Rockies . There are miles and miles of gorgeous trails for all levels. The transition area is viewable from the large windows in the lodge. The logistics are perfect for the site, plus you have the beautiful backdrop of the Rockies."
- The top athletes in the sport should be on hand to compete as the event will also serve as an International Triathlon Union Continental Cup event and as a world championship qualifier for age groupers and elites. The top two in each age group will qualify for worlds in Flassen , Italy on March 4.
- "Devil's Thumb Ranch is excited to host the winter triathlon series and work with 5430 Sports which has an excellent reputation in event organization," says Heather VandenBrock, director of sales at Devil's Ranch. "We are very pleased to be involved with the growth of winter triathlon and looking forward to the events."
- Devil's Thumb and 5430 Sports will offer a race preview with an event on Sunday, January 14. The course for that event will be shorter: 5k run, 10k bike, 8k ski.
- Already popular in Europe for years, winter triathlon has seen growth in the U.S. and Canada of late, especially as competitive triathletes find that Nordic skiing offers a great off-season cross training workout. There is also an international push to add winter triathlon to the list of sports for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. For more information about the sport, visit: www.usatriathlon.org/Winter_Triathlon.htm
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- Boulder Triathlon Series Concludes with 5430 Long Course Half-Iron Distance Triathlon
Brian Daniel - Parker, Colorado
- August 24, 2006 - Although the day would be a long one by any athlete’s standards, the conditions Sunday, August 13, 2006 were just about perfect for taking on a half-iron distance triathlon. To start things off right, as the seven waves of athletes gathered on the beach at the Boulder Reservoir, a slow moving group of morning clouds kindly obscured what is typically a blinding sunrise that stays directly in each swimmer’s line of sight for the first 750 meters of the swim. Added to that pleasantry were temperatures that peaked in the mid-80s and a gentle breeze that cooled off the runners in the later part of the day.
- As usual at a 5430 Sports sponsored event, skydivers and hot air balloons got the day underway and the pros took to the water just after 6:30 a.m. Separated by 5 minute increments, all of the seven waves of athletes had entered the water by just after 7:00a.m. Now, just because the race has swim waves does NOT mean that the swim in Boulder is non-contact sport. First-time half-iron distance triathlete J.J. Rams indicated more than a few feet and arms inadvertently collided with him, but still felt the need to keep up with his part of the day’s camaraderie - “I think I drank enough reservoir water to make it a shorter swim for the waves behind me... you know, just doing my part to help out my fellow competitors!”
- Once they had completed the 1.2 mile loop in the reservoir, the racers exited the water and ran up the sandy beach for about 200 meters to the transition area for a quick change out of the wetsuit and onto the bike (and for most racers, the opportunity to don a pair of dry socks, a dry jersey and some cycling gloves). The pros were out in force on this day, and with the likes of Craig Alexander (last year’s winner, 1st overall at the Australian Long Course Championship 2006; 1st overall at the St. Croix 70.3 Triathlon 2006; and 1st overall at the Life Time Fitness Triathlon 2005), Cameron Widoff (6th overall - Ironman World Championship 2004, 8th overall Ironman World Championship 2003, 1st overall Ironman USA 2000), and Joanna Zieger (1st place Ironman Brazil 2005, 2nd place Life Time Fitness Triathlon 2005, 4th place 2000 Summer Olympic Games Triathlon) leading the way, it was sure to be a great race for the nearly $20,000 in prize money at stake.
- Immediately out of T1, the athletes tore out of the reservoir’s private drive and begin the attack of the 2-loop 56 mile course that would take them both to the edge of the Rocky Mountain foothills and through scenic farmland surrounding the reservoir. The one thing about the bike course at this event is that, while it does not share the same “killer” hill that greets the riders during the first third of the Boulder Peak (Old Stage Road), it is nonetheless a hilly course from the time one leaves the reservoir until about the 13 mile mark. Thereafter, the riders enjoyed a fairly flat and fast section of road from west to east across the top of the rectangular course as well as a smooth southern trek along the backside. Due to some high thin cloud cover, the sun was not nearly as blazingly hot as it had been in years past, but was still out with enough force to burn right through even the most liberally applied sunscreen.
- Off the bike, the racers re-entered the transition area and exchanged cycling gear for a hat, running shoes and a handful of energy gels or other sustenance before heading out on the 13.1 mile half-marathon run. Almost mirroring the layout of the topography of the bike course, the 2-loop run (which occurred almost exclusively on hard packed dirt roads) began as a hilly endeavor only to straighten out at around the half-way point and end up with a nice little downhill before starting all over again. As the day progressed, and as the hours went by, the temperature began to rise, but it never got uncomfortable.
- The first athletes finished in just under 4 hours and the last ones finished in just over 8. On the faster end, and in an effort to acquire one of the Jodee Siff one-of-a-kind trophies associated with placing in your age group, racers from every walk of life and of almost every age pushed themselves to the limit and showed, once again, that swimming, biking and running are just a great way to spend one’s Sunday morning and afternoon. Top male amateurs included Tim Hola (4:09:34 5th overall - 1st M30-34); Eric Peterson (4:11:42 7th overall - 1st M35-39); and Jordan Jones (4:14:11 11th overall – 1st M25-29). The women’s amateur race featured Marlo Crosby (4:34:19 2nd woman overall – 1st F35-39); Tracy Stewart (4:37:08 3rd woman overall – 1st F25-29) and Emily Deppe (4:39:12 5th woman overall – 2nd F25-29).
- Not to be forgotten, the professionals went head to head for a generous purse that paid both men and women 1st - $3,500, 2nd - $2,500, 3rd - $1,500, 4th - $800 and 5th - $500. The top men were Craig Alexander (1st - 3:55:18); Cameron Widoff (2nd - 3:58:17), and Courtney Ogden (3rd - 4:03:03). On the women’s podium, the top three were Joanna Zieger (1st - 4:27:34), Carole Sharpless (2nd - 4:37:28) and Karen Melliar-Smith (3rd - 4:39:22). Results for all competitors can be viewed at www.timberlinetiming.com.
- All in all, it was a great day for a race and, as usual, Barry Siff and 5430 Sports pulled it off with style and with great professionalism and respect for every racer in attendance. What’s not to like about a group of people who spend countless hours preparing for and creating a great atmosphere, organizing vendors who provide great food and great beer, and present a race where one can enjoy high competition and great friendships at the same time? In short, 5430 Sports has created a fantastic series with its Sprint (held in June), the Boulder Peak Olympic distance race (held every July) and the 5430 Long Course (held every August).
- Triathletes, whether first timers or veterans of the sport, can all rejoice that such a great series of events exists – especially since they all take place at the same venue (and are available for registration at a discount if you sign up for all three races). Having the chance to participate in progressively longer events at the same locale is very rare and the racers living in or near Boulder, Colorado should be extremely grateful to Barry and 5430 Sports for providing this unique opportunity.
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- 2006 Boulder Triathlon Series Comes To a Dramatic Conclusion
- August 18, 2006 - As the 2006 Boulder Triathlon Series comes to a close, the titles and spoils of "series winner" are handed out to 30 athletes in overall and age group categories.
- Overall amateur champions Wendy Mader (Fort Collins, CO) and Tim Hola (Highlands Ranch, CO) will both receive $2,500 for their accomplishments in the three races that make up the Series, sponsored by 5430 Sports of Boulder, CO.
- Starting with the 5430 Sprint Triathlon, the series also includes an incredibly popular Olympic Distance (the Boulder Peak Triathlon,) and concludes the season with the Half-Ironman distance 5430 Long Course. Points from each of these races counted towards who will become the overall champion of the series, and receivers of part of the phenomenal prize purse. With one of the largest age group prize purses in North America – over $15,000 - the Boulder Triathlon Series is a regional favorite.
- Coming into the final race of the season last weekend, the women's field was a toss-up between Mader, Emily Deppe, and Teri Cady. Mader bested the other women, but not by much. Deppe finished second, with a prize of $1,500, and Cady finished on the top of the 30-34 age group, winning a $250 gift certificate to a local tri-sport store. Mader, USA Triathlon’s 2006 National Champion in the 30-34 age group, calls the Boulder Triathlon Series, which she also won in 2005, “the anchor of my race season.”
- Placing third overall in the women's overall category was Diane Ridgway, who won - and dominated - all 3 races in her 55-59 age group. “Diane getting third overall reflects 5430's commitment to rewarding age group excellence and not simply the fastest amateurs,” said Barry Siff, the Series Race Director.
- On the men's side, 2005 Amateur Athlete of the Year (Triathlete Magazine) Tim Hola won out over a two-way tie for second between Jordan Jones and Cameron Dye. Jones and Dye will split the $2,500 prize money from second and third places. Hola needed a win at the 5430 Long Course to solidify his place at the top, and that is just what he did. “You just never know what will happen in a four plus hours of racing; but, fortunately, everything seemed to click,” said Hola. “I was so exited – not only to win, but to be part of such a successful, challenging, and fun series of triathlon races.”
- In a great showing from all of the age group athletes, each of these age group champions have won a $250 gift certificate to either Boulder Running Company, Bike Source, Fleet Feet Sports, or Runners Roost, all great local triathlon supporters:
- 14-19: Kira Newman, Trevor Reeves
- 20-24: Ashley Wiren, Josh Shadle
- 25-29: Tracy Stewart, Nicholas Cady
- 30-34: Teri Cady, Kirk Framke
- 35-39: Steph Popelar, Kevin Konczak
- 40-44: Kathleen Steffe, Michael Hagen
- 45-49: Margie Williams, Kenny Leader
- 50-54: Kris Skiles, Jim Fuller
- 55-59: Barbara Kostner, Michael Orendorff
- 60-64: Simon Butterworth, No Female Eligible
- 65-69: Judith Smythe, Johnny Chapin
- Athena/Clydesdale: Sarah Chimelski, Randy McLain
- In addition, triathletes who competed in all 3 races of the Series were eligible for some fabulous random prizes including airline tickets, a 3-day stay at Steamboat Springs and the Steamboat Grand (including lift tickets), and Zoot wetsuits.
- Points were awarded and accumulated for all 3 of the Series events, as follows: 10 points for winning one's age group, 8 for second, 6 for third, then 5-4-3-2-1 (for 4th - 8th). In addition, bonus points of 3, 2, and 1 were added to the overall age group winners. Competitors must have raced in at least 2 races in the Series to be eligible.
- The three races that comprise the Boulder Triathlon Series include the 5430 Sprint Triathlon in June, the Boulder Peak Triathlon in July, and the 5430 Long Course Triathlon in August. Nearly 4,000 triathletes competed in the 3 events in 2006. In addition, over $37,000 in professional prize money was awarded this year in the Boulder Peak and 5430 Long Course races. Leanda Cave (Great Britain) and Craig Alexander (Australia) won the Boulder Peak, with Alexander winning again at the Long Course, along with Joanna Zeiger of Boulder.
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- Festive 15th Anniversary Boulder Peak Triathlon Provides Excitement and Challenge for 1650 Registered Athletes
- By Brian Daniel, Local Colorado Editor, Transition Times
- Monday, July 24, 2006 - The morning was just about as perfect as you could want for the start of the 15th Annual installment of the famed Boulder Peak Triathlon. As everyone checked and double checked their gear for the last time and headed down to the start line, skydivers performed aerial acrobatics, the star spangled banner played and doves were released to set the stage for the triathlon that has been ranked behind only Wildflower, the Ironman World Championship in Kona and Escape from Alcatraz as the 4th best large triathlon in the United States (not bad company to be in).
- The water in the Boulder Reservoir was calm, the sky was clear, the temperature was nearly perfect and the 1650 registered entrants were ready to get things started when the first gun went off and the lead wave of competitors took to the water. In total, 11 waves of athletes waited their turn and, as the large crowd counted down the seconds, began their 1500 meter swim at 5 minute intervals.
- Overall, the fastest person out of the water was Cameron Dye, a Boulder resident, who completed the task in 18 minutes, 51 seconds. With both professional and amateur athletes taking part in the event, and with many different waves of athletes reaching the transition area at different times, knowing just where one stood in the overall rankings was difficult, but the competitors simply pushed themselves as hard as they could for as long as they could in hopes of either placing in their age group or, for the pros, winning a piece of the $20,000 purse.
- After the 1500 meter swim in the reservoir, the athletes made their way through the transition area for the first time and headed out on one of the toughest Olympic distance bike courses a triathlete may ever encounter. Leaving transition, the racers began the 42 kilometer (26.1 mile) trek by heading south out of the reservoir and then headed west on Jay Road toward the Front Range and Lee Hill Road. After pedaling roughly 6 miles at a fairly constant incline of about 1% (just enough so that you never really get to rest), the road turned up, and let me tell you I mean UP. As the route nears the intersection of Lee Hill and Old Stage roads, the pavement kicks up to about an 8% grade... then 10%. As the athletes passed through the intersection, they were treated to a nice little 15% grade incline for the duration of the main climb of the day. Old Stage Road is famous, or infamous as the case may be, for its 600 foot vertical climb that is crammed into just 2/3 of a mile. To put this in perspective, that incline gradient is almost twice as steep as the steepest climb at the Tour de France this year (the 8.7% Col de Joux-Plane, which was the last climb in Stage 17, the day Floyd Landis made his mark on history and clawed his way back into the Tour after suffering a 10 minute loss only 24 hours prior thereto).
- With Old Stage Road out of the way (and after making sure they maintained the newly imposed 35 mph speed limit on the initial descent down the backside of Old Stage), the racers enjoyed many miles of downhill and flat terrain much of which was punctuated by an incredible stretch of newly paved asphalt that had the feeling of riding on glass. Thereafter, the athletes took on a few rolling hills, cruised into T2 and then headed out on the 10k (6.2 mile) run. Thanks in part to the smooooth and well maintained Left Hand Canyon roadway and the newly resurfaced sections of Nelson Road, many people saw themselves post personal bests in the bike portion of the competition. Greg Krause of Littleton, however, posted the best bike split with a time of 59 minutes, 52 seconds (an average speed of 26.1 miles per hour).
- The run at the Boulder Reservoir leaves T2 and travels along a paved section for about 1/2 mile before taking the athletes onto the dirt and gravel packed dam road. After just over 2 miles of running along the reservoir, the route then continues out along the "Canal of Certain Death" (so named because of all the signage indicating that if you enter the canal you will suffer CERTAIN DEATH) and then makes its way back along the same route to the main transtition/finishing area. Understandably, no athletes were seen cooling themselves in the canal. Not that it wasn’t an idea that crossed some racers’ minds – the temperature by the time the run was in full swing had reached the 90s and the sky was cloud free. With no shade on the course, the sweltering runners found themselves happily reaching for any one of many cups of water and/or Gatorade made available to them by the hundreds of smiling volunteers. Thanks to a great race support system, just when you thought you were in need of some hydration, 5430 Sports had a station set up to deliver just that (and made sure that ice was available in abundance as well). Armed with the fruits of the aid stations set up at every mile, the hot and weary competitors were able to top off their tanks and contiue their quest toward the finish line. Posting the fastest run split, Craig Alexander used a 33:17 10k time to pull into first place overall for the race and claim the prize for first pro athlete across the line.
- Upon the completion of the run, the athletes were rewarded with an ice soaked finisher’s towel wrapped around their shoulders (ahhhhh), and were then provided with a seemingly never ending supply of iced drinks, water, Gatorade, pasta, salad, bread, beer and other tasty treats. Following the last competitor's crossing of the finish line, an awards ceremony gave recognition to the first, second and third place racers in every age group (and provided each person with an incredible one-of-a-kind trophy, painstakingly created and produced one at a time by Jodee Siff). 5430 Sports also provided checks payable to the first 10 places in both the Men’s and Women’s professional category (along with prime’s amounting to $250.00 for the first out of the water, $250.00 for the first to the top of Old Stage, and $1,000.00 for the first pro across the finish line).
- In the Men’s Pro/Elite Category, the top three racers were:
- 1. Craig Alexander – 1:56:18
- 2. Brian Fleischmann – 1:56:35
- 3. Stephen Hackett – 1:57:13
- In the Women’s Pro/Elite Category, the top three racers were:
- 1. Leanda Cave – 2:12:45
- 2. Mary Beth Ellis – 2:15:39
- 3. Anna Hamilton – 2:16:46
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- Black Bear Slows Down Athlete In Triathlon
- By Shaun Boyd, CBS4 News
- Monday, July 24, 2006 - A woman from Denver hit a black bear Sunday on the Boulder Peak Triathlon and still managed to complete the course.
- Sabrina Oei was bicycling on the grueling course through Boulder's Lefthand Canyon and making good time when a bear suddenly appeared.
- "It was sort of galumphing across the street," Oei said. "I tried to slow down as much as I could but I pretty much broadsided it going about 35 miles per hour. I couldn't believe it had happened, I mean, who hits a bear?"
- Oei flew over her handle bars, hit the pavement and slid along the road. She incredibly got up and got back on the saddle.
- "I had no broken bones, I could breathe fine, everything was pretty much in working order," Oei said. "I was more shocked and sort of humored then anything at the time."
- If she was in shock, others were in disbelief.
- "The people I was running with when I went past, they'd see my back and say 'what happened' and I'd throw out, 'I hit a bear' and they'd say 'yea that's a great story,'" Oei said.
- "I just couldn't stop laughing."
- Barry Siff, the race director, said the race draws the world's top tri-athletes, but Oei is in a category of her own.
- "This was a very tough course to come back up after an accident and do 15 to 20 more miles on the bike, than run a 10K," Siff said. "She's quite a person."
- The bear run-in cost her about 35 minutes but she managed to finish the race in 3 hours and 6 minutes, placing her at 72nd in her age group of 144 athletes.
- "You never expect this to happen," Oei said. "There are 1600 athletes in the entire triathlon and to be that one woman who gets hit by a bear is pretty unbelievable."
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- Racing at The Rez
- By Crane Lemon, Colorado Daily Staff
- Monday, June 19, 2006 - On a gorgeous summer day, Boulder Reservoir was at full capacity for the 5430 Sprint Triathlon, which drew more than 1,200 athletes from across the nation and prompted race officials to call it a huge success.
- The event, now in its second year, is one of three races comprising the Boulder Triathlon Series, all of which are staged by Boulder-based 5430 Sports.
- The series has three races of progressively longer distances. The next race is the Boulder Peak, which is entering its 15th year of existence and was recently named the fourth best triathlon in the nation by Inside Triathlon Magazine. The Boulder Peak, which takes place on Sunday, July 23, is an Olympic-distance triathlon consisting of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 42K bike ride and 10K run.
- The last race in the series is the 5430 Long Course Triathlon. As the name suggests, the course gets a little longer, increasing to a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run. The Long Course is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 13.
- Sunday's race, which is the first and shortest event in the series, saw athletes from 40 states and several other nations compete in a half-mile swim, 17-mile ride and 3.1-mile run.
- Race director Barry Siff was beaming afterward. “I'm feeling really great about it,” he said. “It was a phenomenal event that really went very smoothly.”
- Australian native and Boulder resident Stephen Hackett won the race in a course-record time of 1 hour, 6 minutes and 55 seconds. Though Hackett competes in triathlons as a professional, this race, as well as the other two in the series, is geared toward amateur athletes.
- “The Boulder Series is all about the age-groupers, not the professionals,” Siff said. “Our pro fields are as strong as any triathlon in the world, but our goal with the series as a whole is to really just encourage participation in the sport.”
- Wendy Mader, an amateur from Fort Collins, won the women's division in 1:16:14.
- More than $16,000 in cash and prizes from sponsors is to be given out to the top finishers in the series. The overall male and female winners from each age group in the series receive $2,500.
- The results are based on a cumulative points scale, with 10 points for the first-place finishers in each race, eight for second-place, six for third, and then five, four, three, two and one for places four through eight. Athletes must compete in at least two of the three events to be eligible for the overall prize.
- When deciding where to start a triathlon company, Siff said choosing Boulder was an easy choice.
- “Boulder is the mecca of triathlons in the U.S and possibly the world, period,” he said. “Boulder is filled with pros that come here during the summer to train because of the altitude, the environment and the community as a whole.”
- Siff credits the City of Boulder and the residents for creating such an atmosphere.
- “Boulder has absolutely everything you could want as an athlete,” he said. “There is a very supportive community with excellent trails for running and biking. We have excellent massage therapists. On top of all of that, the people at the Boulder Reservoir and the City of Boulder are all very supportive, and we appreciate that a great deal.”
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- Runners-up Move Up at 5430 Sprint Triathlon
Mader, Hackett Claim Victories
- By Joshua Lindenstein, Daily Camera Sports Writer
- June 19, 2006 - Forgive Wendy Mader if she seemed a bit reserved at the finish line after winning the second annual 5430 Sprint Triathlon at Boulder Reservoir on Sunday morning.
- Afterall, she thought she'd won the women's portion of the race last year only to learn during the awards ceremony that an athlete in another age group wave had beaten her.
- So even though all unofficial reports indicated she'd won Sunday, the 33-year-old amateur from Fort Collins was happy to wait for the first-place trophy presentation for confirmation of her feat.
- "My goal is always to win my age group," Mader said. "You don't know about the overall until the final results (are posted).
- "This is very nice."
- Mader finished the half-mile swim, 17-mile bike and 3.1-mile run in 1 hour, 16 minutes and 14 seconds for a 15-second win over Boulder's Emily Deppe, who was actually the first woman to cross the finish line since she started in the earlier 25-to-29 age group wave.
- Stephen Hackett, a pro from Australia who is living and training in Boulder for the third summer in a row, also improved on a runner-up finish in last year's Sprint. He led wire-to-wire in the men's race, winning easily in a time of 1:06:55.
- Sunday's race under perfect Colorado blue skies kicked off the Boulder Triathlon Series, which also includes the Boulder Peak Triathlon in July and the 5430 Long Course Triathlon in August.
- The wins were firsts for both Mader and Hackett in the series after multiple near misses the past couple of years.
- After placing second overall in the Sprint last summer, Mader went on to finish third in the Peak and eighth in the Long Course. Hackett was second at the Peak in 2004, second in the Sprint and fifth at the Peak last year.
- "It's nice to see Steve win," race director Barry Siff said. "He's done all of our races the last few years."
- Both the men's and women's fields were missing the pre-race favorites.
- Laura Bennett, the second-ranked female in the world, pulled out of the race due to a flu bug that had gotten the best of her over the weekend.
- Matt Reed, of Boulder, who won the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon two weeks ago, didn't race because of a tight schedule that had him slated for five races in a seven-week span. Defending men's champion Bucky Schafer, who also lives in Boulder, decided Sunday morning to only do the swim portion of the race after injuring his calf in a track workout on Wednesday.
- Not that the race, which is more geared toward amateur competitors anyway, wasn't a success. Siff estimated that close to 300 of the 1,200-plus racers were competing in their first triathlons, and Hackett's time bested Schafer's winning time from last year by exactly two minutes.
- "I was looking forward to racing (Reed and Schafer) to see how long I could hold on to them," Hackett said. "It's hard to tell where you're at (fitness-wise) when you don't have them there to race with. But it was nice to get the win."
- Hackett, 33, built about a 100-yard lead on the swim, and the only thing that slowed him down was a mishap in which the motorcycle escorting him along the bike portion of the race missed the final turn toward the transition, taking Hackett briefly off course.
- "I was following the motorbike and he apparently went to get out of my way and went straight, and I just followed him thinking he was taking me into the transition," Hackett said. "I panicked and tried to turn real quick and lost my bike shoe. But it was okay because I only had 50 meters to get to the (transition) anyway."
- Fifty meters and plenty of distance between him and the rest of the field.
- "I got off the bike with a comfortable lead so I was able to cruise it in," Hackett said.
- Marek Dvorak — not the University of Colorado tennis player by the same name — crossed the finish line second but earned third place after 35-to-39 age grouper Craig Greenslit of Berthoud covered the course in 1:09:00 to beat Dvorak by 19 seconds.
- Mader, who won the 30-to-34 age group world championship last summer, had a bit more competition, despite racing in a different wave than Deppe.
- Mader led her age group out of the water but traded the lead with Fairview High cross country coach Teri Cady a couple of times on the bike before overtaking Cady for good a little more than a half-mile into the run.
- Cady who was racing for the first time since giving birth to her daughter, Morgan, in November, finished in 1:17:44 for third place overall.
- "I knew I'd have to put some time on her on the bike to have a chance, and I didn't put any time on her," Cady, 33, said of Mader. "She's a good runner and I'm just not that fit right now. I've been training but it's mostly been behind the baby jogger."
- Mader was happy to have Cady's competition pushing her.
- "It really helped me to know she was ahead of me or slightly behind me, because the 25-to-29ers, the younger age groups, I can't even think about," Mader said. "I just have to compete with my wave."
- This year, that strategy worked to perfection — officially.
- 5430 Sprint Triathlon At Boulder Reservoir Half-mile swim, 17-mile bike, 3.1 mile run
- MEN'S OVERALL
- 1. Stephen Hackett, Boulder, 1 hour, 6 minutes, 55 seconds; 2. Craig Greenslit, Berthoud, 1:09:00; 3. Marek Dvorak, Boulder, 1:09:19; 4. Blake Becker, Madison, Wis., 1:10:05; 5. Jordan Jones, Denver, 1:10:17; 6. Will Iaia, Lone Tree, 1:10:40; 7. Kirk Framke, Denver, 1:10:41; 8. Michael Hagen, Colorado Springs, 1:10:47; 9. Cameron Dye, Boulder, 1:10:50; 10. Lars Finanger, Boulder, 1:11:00.
- WOMEN'S OVERALL
- 1. Wendy Mader, Fort Collins, 1:16:14; 2. Emily Deppe, Boulder, 1:16:29; 3. Teri Cady, Boulder, 1:17:44; 4. Tracy Stewart, Golden, 1:20:33; 5. Kylie Ramsey, Highlands Ranch, 1:21:00; 6. Steph Popelar, Parker, 1:21:15; 7. Kathleen Steffe, Castle Rock, 1:22:24; 8. Susanne Achtenhagen, Boulder, 1:22:26; 9. Julie Hudetz, Boulder, 1:22:52; 10. Jocelyn Petrella, Denver, 1:22:57.
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- Boulder Peak Triathlon Receives Ranking of #4 Triathlon in United States
- Boulder, CO (January 2006) - 5430 Sports, leading developer and organizer of sports based events, announced today that the ‘Boulder Peak Triathlon,’ one event in the organizations signature series, the ‘Boulder Tri-Series,’ has received Inside Triathlon magazine's distinguished ranking of fourth best triathlon in the United States. This news comes just one year after USA Triathlon, the governing body of the sport, named the ‘Boulder Peak’ the “Best Large Triathlon” of 2004.
- The announcement comes as the organization is preparing to open registration for the 2006 ‘Boulder Tri-Series’ on January 1. The ‘Boulder Tri-Series’ events include the ‘5430 Sprint Triathlon,’ ‘Boulder Peak Triathlon’ and the ‘5430 Long Course Triathlon.’ The organization also produces the ‘Steamboat Springs Triathlon’ which successfully debuted in 2005. Three of the four triathlons sold out in 2005. As the Series receives increased attention due to rankings and additional press coverage, 5430 Sports anticipates that every race will fill to capacity in 2006.
- With over $50,000 in cash prizes, award winning race courses, an enormous expo and numerous reputable sponsors, the Series continues to attract many of the top professionals in the world, as well as some of the best age group athletes in the U.S. 5430 Sports donates a portion of the profits from each of their Series races to charitable organizations which appeal to athletes who compete in the Series events.
- Inside Triathlon’s rankings put the ‘Boulder Peak’ Triathlon just behind ‘Escape from Alcatraz’, ‘Wildflower’, and the ‘Hawaii Ironman World Championships.’ Barry Siff, Race Director and owner of 5430 Sports said, “5430 Sports is thrilled to learn of Inside Triathlon magazine’s ranking of the ‘Boulder Peak.’ This not only puts us in the company of some of the nation’s best races, it also demonstrates that 5430 Sports is succeeding at our goal of putting on high quality, safe races that create athletic opportunities for thousands of people from all corners of the globe.”
- 5430 Sports recently announced that the Denver Newspaper Agency, publishers of the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, will be among the platinum sponsors of the 5430 Sports Boulder Tri-Series.
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