Posted: March 6, 2005

Triathlon: Oscar Galindez mauls at Mar del Plata, sets course record

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (March 6, 2005) South America's Numero Uno, Oscar Galindez (BRA/ARG), today earned his second consecutive title and broke the course record he set last year by more than three minutes, winning the Half ISS Triathlon (1.9 km S/90 km B/21.1 km R) at Mar del Plata by more than seven minutes, in 4:00.29.

Professionals and age-groupers braved wetsuit-legal weather on the Atlantic Ocean for today's classic Half ISS Triathlon, an Ironman Brazil qualifier and one of the most popular middle-distance races on the continent. Choppy waters and misty skies made for a more challenging morning, but world-class pros like Galindez, Cristian Pioli, Martin Sturla, and Juan Mutti pushed hard nonetheless and gave a great show at the spectator-friendly, multi-lap venue. According to one official on site, 5,000 to 7,000 fans attended.

"It was a very difficult race today. Oh, my gosh, the wind was strong and it was always changing directions," Galindez said in a phone interview after the race. "I'm really happy and satisfied, and proud of this race." He exited the water a close second place, but hammered the pedals early on, destroying the field over the 90 km bike course.

Galindez, sponsored by Reebok, Memorial, Oakley, Profile Design, Ironman Wetsuits, Litespeed-Ciclovece, Zipp Speed Weaponry, and OG sportswear, will return to his home in Santos, Brazil, to prepare for the Reebok/PowerBar Triathlon Long Distance race at Ubatuba, Brazil, April 3rd. It will be his last long-distance event before heading to Ironman Brazil, in Florianopolis, where he hopes to best his 2004 second place and reclaim his 2003 champion title.

South America's most successful and well-liked triathlete, Galindez is a native of Cordoba, Argentina, and has been racing triathlon since 1983. Among many other titles, he's a two-time bronze medallist at the Pan-American Games, Pan-American and South American champion, Sydney 2000 Olympian, Ironman Brazil champion, and Half-Ironmans Pucon and Mar del Plata champion. To learn more about Oscar Galindez and to follow him throughout the year, visit www.oscargalindez.com. To see OG Design's new, high-tech, fitness and racing apparel, visit www.OG-Design.com.

For more information on the 2005 Half ISS Triathlon and full race results, visit www.atletas.info.