Posted: June 7, 2006

Multisport: Triathlon Season Set To Begin In Boulder

Top Pros Among 1,200 Expected Athletes

BOULDER, CO (June 7, 2006) A sold out field of 1,200 athletes will compete in the 2nd Annual 5430 Sprint Triathlon on June 18, 2006 at the Boulder Reservoir in Boulder, CO. Among those expected to race are last week’s Escape from Alcatraz Champion, Matt Reed (ranked #7 in the world in 2005) and Laura Bennett, currently ranked #2 in the world by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). The race consists of a ½ mile swim, 17 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run.

“The Inaugural 5430 Sprint was such a huge success last year with 1,000 athletes, we decided to give a few more the opportunity to see why Boulder is truly the “Mecca of Triathlon” in the United States,” says Barry Siff, Race Director. Just as an example as to the caliber of triathletes currently residing and training in Boulder, Siff points to the fact that most of the Australian National Team is in Boulder, as well as winners of this year’s Ironman Arizona, St. Croix 70.3 Ironman, Baja 70.3 Ironman, and perennial stars like Simon Lessing, Joanna Zeiger, Cam Widoff, Michael Lovato and many others.

Last year’s Sprint Male Champion, Bucky Schafer of Englewood, CO, will return to defend his title. The 2005 Women’s Champion, Erin Ford of Columbus, OH, is not returning; but, 2nd place, Wendy Mader of Fort Collins, CO, is back and will be testing herself against the likes of Bennett and other top women.

In addition to the race at the front of the pack, some 30 participants will be competing as part of “Team in Training,” an organization aimed at raising funds for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma research. The race, itself, is part of the broader “Boulder Triathlon Series,” which also includes the Boulder Peak Triathlon on July 23 and the 5430 Long Course Triathlon on August 13. Over $50,000 in prize money is awarded during the Series, as well as a significant amount of money committed to 5430 Sports’ designated charity, ALS TDF, a Boston-based research organization working toward a cure for ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Major Sponsors of the Boulder Triathlon Series include the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, Gatorade, Clif, and Zoot Sports. For more information on 5430 Sports events, visit the web-site at 5430sports.com or call or email Barry Siff at 303.442.0041 or Save to del.icio.us

Comment on this story.

Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest