Triathlon: Lindquist, Kemper to Say Aloha to Athens

HONOLULU, Hawaii (April 18, 2004) – Top-ranked U.S. elite triathletes Barb Lindquist and Hunter Kemper made life a little easier on themselves Sunday as each qualified for the U.S. Olympic triathlon team at the 2004 USA Triathlon Race to Athens – Honolulu.

Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), ranked No. 1 in the world, handled the Hawaii hills and heat to win the women’s race in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 21 seconds. Liz Blatchford of Australia was second in 2:07:33 and Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) was third in 2:07:36.

“I’m just really excited I get to represent the U.S. in Athens,” said Lindquist, who missed making the 2000 Olympic team when she succumbed to the heat at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Triathlon in Dallas. “The energy here was amazing. I really wasn’t nervous at all.”

Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.), ranked No. 3 in the world, stayed ahead of the pack with Lindquist on the swim and bike, but fell behind on the run and finished fourth. Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.), ranked No. 2 in the world, succumbed to the wind and the hills on the bike and finished 10th. Joanna Zeiger (Baltimore, Md.), a 2000 U.S. Olympic triathlete, had to drop out during the bike.

Kemper was second overall in the men’s race to Canada’s Simon Whitfield, the 2000 Olympic triathlon gold medalist, who won in 1:55:52. Kemper finished in 1:55:57 and Miles Stewart of Australia was third in 1:56:09.

“I was pretty tired when I got off the bike, but I got the run done. I got the job done,” Kemper said. “This course is very indicative of how Athens is going to be.”

Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) finished fifth overall and was the second American. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) placed ninth overall and was the third American.

Australians Greg Bennett, Richie Cunningham and Stewart held a lead on a pack of 15 mostly U.S. athletes for much of the bike. But the run spread out the field.

Thousands of fans and tourists lined the run course on Waikiki’s Kalakaua Ave., an area of shops, hotels and restaurants. However, to experience that, the athletes first had to endure choppy waters on the swim and steep hills on the bike. The course was chosen to mimic the one that athletes will face in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 25 (women) and 26 (men).

The Race to Athens – Honolulu was also an International Triathlon Union (ITU) points race and qualified U.S. athletes for the ITU Triathlon World Championships. This was important because the world championships in May in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, will be the next chance for U.S. athletes to qualify for the Olympic team. The United States can send six men and six women to world’s.

The top-three ranked U.S. men and women qualify for the world team automatically. The following teams will go to the world championships:

Women
Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.), Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.), Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.), Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.), Kelly Cook (Marietta, Ga.). Alternate: Jessi Stensland (San Diego, Calif.)

Men
Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.), Doug Friman (Tucson, Ariz.), Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.), Michael Smedley (Buchanan, Mich.). Alternate: Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.).

Sunday’s race is scheduled to be shown on Outdoor Life Network in May or June.

Complete results are available at www.honolulutriathlon.com.

2004 USA Triathlon Race to Athens – Honolulu - April 18, 2004; Honolulu, Hawaii (1.5k swim (2 laps); 40k bike (5 laps) 10k run (3 laps))

Women
1. Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho) 2:07:21; 2. Liz Blatchford (Australia) 2:07:33; 3. Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) 2:07:36; 4. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 2:09:07; 5. Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.) 2:14:10; 6. Brigitte McMahon (Switzerland) 2:15:11; 7. Evelyn Williamson (New Zealand) 2:15:56; 8. Kelly Cook (Marietta, Ga.) 2:16:06; 9. Jessi Stensland (San Diego, Calif.) 2:16:26; 10. Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.) 2:18:24

Other U.S. Finishers
11. Amanda Pagon (Glenn Dale, Md.); 12. Courtney Bennigson (Boston, Mass.); 13. Laurie Hug (Ambler, Pa.); 14. Patrice Wolfensberger (Knoxville, Tenn.); 15. Alexis Waddel (Seaside, Calif.); 16. Amanda Stevens (Enid, Okla.)

Men
1. Simon Whitfield (Canada) 1:55:52; 2. Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) 1:55:57; 3. Miles Stewart (Australia) 1:56:09; 4. Brad Kahlefeldt (Australia) 1:56:21; 5. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) 1:56:31; 6. Greg Bennett (Australia) 1:56:46; 7. Bryce Quirk (Australia) 1:56:54; 8. Simon Thompson (Australia) 1:57:01; 9. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) 1:57:25; 10. Michael Smedley (Buchanan, Mich.) 1:57:53

Other U.S. Finishers
11. Doug Friman; 12. Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.); 13. Andrew Kelsey (Cupertino, Calif.); 14. Seth Wealing (Fowler, Ind.); 15. Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.); 18. Marcel Vifian (Santa Rosa, Calif.); 20. Jeff Sneed (La Canada, Calif.) 2:06:04; 21. Mark Fretta (Portland, Ore.) 2:06:30

From USATriathlon.org.