Posted: August 13, 2004

Triathlon: Timberman Tri to start 2,200 athletes, world-class pros

GILFORD, New Hampshire (August 13, 2004) – In only its fourth year, Endorfun Sports LLC’s Timberman Half-Iron Triathlon Festival weekend will start 2,200 athletes in its half-iron and sprint distance triathlons, among them, world-class professionals Michael Lovato, Travis Kuhl, Todd Wiley, Karen Smyers, Andrea Fisher, Gollnick, Kim Loeffler, Courtney Bennigson, Amanda Gillam, and others. Due to injury and the recent, sudden passing of his father, world champion and 2003 Timberman champion Peter Reid this week withdrew his name from the starting list.

In addition to attracting some of the world’s best pro triathletes, amateurs are drawn to this rolling hills course in the forest, voted 2003’s Best Large Triathlon in the U.S., because it is the biggest race of the Audi allroad quattro Series, USA Triathlon’s New England Long Course Championship, a qualifier for the new U.S. Half Triathlon Championship, and a qualifier for the USAT National Age-Group Championship and the International Triathlon Union (ITU) 2005 Long Course World Championships. Timberman Half-Iron Triathlon is also a qualifying race for Ironman Florida and Ironman Canada.

"We wanted to grow Timberman into a world-class race weekend and our participants, qualifier designations and sponsors have gotten us there. We knew from the beginning that we had to offer something unique, a special experience for the participants, and it’s paid off,” says Keith Jordan, race director. “By volume alone, it shows that the middle distance and independent races are healthy.”

Set in New Hampshire's picturesque Lake Winnipesaukee region, at Ellacoya State Park, participants will find fresh air, crystal-clear water, and rolling hills over wooded, scenic terrain. The two-day expo will feature the triathlon-popular Active Release Technique body tuning, pancake breakfast and carbo-loading pasta party. According to Jordan, that should be enough to set athletes at ease from any walk of life, but once the race gets going, he says, they’ll need all the support they can get from the costumed volunteers and live rock band, Phil N’the Blanks, to get through the challenging course. Post-race celebrations on Saturday and Sunday include a pizza party, barbecue, concert and nighttime awards ceremonies.

The event started in 2001 as a one-day race. This year, Timberman will be a whole weekend festival with the sprint triathlon held on Saturday, and the half-iron triathlon on Sunday. Timberman Triathlon Festival takes place August 21-22, 2004, at Ellacoya State Park in Gilford, NH.

Sponsors include Audi, Laconia Athletic and Swim Club, Fuel Belt, Final Kick Sports, Eastern Mountain Sports, Carb-BOOM Energy Gels, Clif Bar, Orca Wetsuits, Aegis Bicycles, Zoot Sports, Nutfield Spring Water, New Balance, Melnick's Shoe and Athletic Center, MetroCast Cablevision, Lakes Region Cyclery, TriathlonBag, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt, Coors Light, Green Mountain Coffee, Vital Kneads Institute of Massage Therapy, Lakes Region Volkswage-Audi, The Citizen Newspaper, Rutter Media, Triathlete Magazine, Laconia Savings Bank, Village Bank and Trust, Jackson's Star Market, Pike Industries, Tracings Graphics and Screen Printing. For More information, contact www.timbermantri.com.