Posted: July 3, 2006

Triathlon: The Stars Will Shine At The “Best Of The US Championship” In September

(St. Paul, MN – 7/1/2006)–– BOUS organizers couldn’t be more pleased with quality of competition that will be on hand for the 2nd annual Best of the US Championship in Excelsior, MN on September 16.

Here is the field that has been assembled to date:

Hawaii: Benjamin Collins & Marion Summerer (Collins won the 2006 JAL Honolulu Triathlon; Summerer is the reigning female amateur Xterra World Champion.)

Florida: Bill Picciano & Lotte Branigan * (Picciano is one of the Southeast’s premier multisport pioneers. He’s won more than 40 races in his career. Branigan finished 2nd in the polling for 2005 USAT Female Triathlete of the Year and finished 2nd at last year’s BOUS Championship.)

Nevada: Phillip Glenn & Karen Lasko (Glenn is a decorated Xterra athlete; Lasko won her division at Ironman New Zealand in 2005.)

Virginia/Dc: Douglas Marocco & Lynn Scharf (The Virginia Qualifier was Scharf’s first triathlon. She played soccer at the University of Maryland. Marocco, a many-time All American triathlete and winner of 42 races in his career is an ex-marine and a cancer survivor. Much of his time is spent raising funds and awareness for Autism research.)

North Carolina: Cid Cardoso, Jr. & Marit Chrislock-Lauterbach (Cardoso owns and operates Insideout Sports and is a veteran of 17 ironman races. Chrislock-Lauterbach is a former member of the US Rowing Team. She became a triathlete two years ago and has was won a half dozen races to date.)

South Carolina: John Alvarez & Tracy Mckee (John and Tracy are two of their region’s most consistent performers. Both are frequent podium finishers.)

Utah: Dave Ference & Debbie Perry (Two of our sport’s best-kept secrets. Debbie has won 17 of the last 18 races she’s entered. Ference is a perennial podium finisher in regional events.)

Maryland: Philippe Kozub & Krista Schultz (An aspiring pro, Kozub is back after a five-year absence, one necessitated by seroius injuries. He was 3rd overall/1st amateur at the Capital of Texas Triathlon last May. Schultz is a former collegiate runner and has represented Team USA as both a triathlete and a duathlete.)

Kentucky: Barry Knight & Lisbeth Kenyon (Outstanding triathletes, Barry and Lisbeth are clearly their state’s premier mulisport athletes. At 41, Kenyon, who is the reigning Mideast Champion, could well become the first female master to reach the podium at the Best of the US Championship.)

Arizona: Brian Grasky & Karen Chequer-Pfeifer (The versatile Grasky has posted stellar results in tris, dus and Xterra events. The decorated Chequer-Pfeifer, 48, is a former pro who still holds her own against younger competition.)

Illinois: Dave Irion & Jennifer Garrison (Irion is one America’s most talented elite masters. Thus far in 2006, he’s posted at least two outright wins—Galena & Tri-Shark Classic—and a 2nd at Wisconsin Triterium. In 2006, Jennifer Garrison, formerly Jennifer Arbetman, was dominant at her qualifier and placed a close 2nd to pro Lauren Jenson at Elkhart Lake.)

New Hampshire: Ryan Kelly * & Sharon Johnson (Kelly is young and very talented. He represented NH at the BOUS Championship in 2005, too. Elite master Johnson, at 49, is the oldest advancing athlete to date.)

Vermont: Don Haddox * & Leslie Myers (Don also represented VT at the 2005 BOUS Champs. Restauranteur/entrepreneur Myers is as verstaile on the race course as she is in the business world. Best know for her long-course prowess, Myers is working on her speed and hopes to be podium-ready in September.)

New Mexico: Clay Moseley & Dina Pesenson (Moseley and Pesenson enjoy great regional success. Over the last five years in the the Southwest Challenge Series, America’s oldest and largest—27 races—multisport series, no one has won more races than Moseley.)

Iowa: Mike Morrison * & Christina Maravelas-Killian (Morrison cracked the top 10 at last year’s BOUS Championship. Maravelas-Killian is a perennial podium finisher in Heart of America Series racing.)

Kansas: Matt Morrow & Ginny Lee (Morrow has yet to commit. Lee has won the last two editions of the Flint Hills Triathlons. She also won the 2005 Topeka Tinman and was 2nd overall at the ’05 Midwest Meltdown Half Ironman.)

Oklahoma: Daniel Agnew, 19 & Christina Wolfe (Agnew is a rising star and Wolfe is a newly established one, though she’s only been a triathlete for two years. In 2006, she won the Memphis in May Triathlon, Route 66 Triathlon and the Ozark Valley Triathlon.)

Alabama: Jason Frey & Lori Goldweber * (Alabama will be very well represented this year. Frey and Goldweber are no strangers to the Winners Circles in their region.)

Delaware: David Luscan & Michelle Fields

Missouri: Sam Yount & Jillian Peterson (Yount is a former professional and Peterson, a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Missouri, is astar in the making.)

Connecticut: Chris Thomas & Lisa Dunn (Lisa Dunn is one of many elite masters that will race in Excelsior in September. She has been setting high standards in her region for many years.)

Rhode Island: James Anderson & Amy Rice (Anderson is a talented newcomer. Rice, 44, is a star. Forget her age, we’d be surprised if she doesn’t reach the podium in September.)

Montana: Jeremy Oury * & Kristina Hiltabrand (Oury and Hiltabrand win on a consistent basis in their region.)

Wyoming: Dan Weatherbee & Rachael Casper

South Dakota: Samuel Dannenbring, 18 & Kathy Grady

Idaho: Kelly Williamson & Karrn Gustafson (Kelly won the Wildflower Half Ironman earlier this season. Gustafson rarely finishes out of the top 3.)

Wisconsin: Mark Harms & Cyndi Bannink * (Thus far in 2006, Harms is undefeated in regional racing. Bannink, Harm’s girlfriend, has won two of the three races she’s entered thus far this season. Bannink placed 9th in last year’s BOUS Championship.)

Indiana: Adam Truex & Chris Wickard (Truex is young and ever-improving; he’s landed in the winner’s circle several times over the last year and a half. Wickard has long been one of Indiana’s best.)

Mississippi: John Noblin & Katie Povolo (Noblin wins a lot of races in his region. A Wisconsin transplant, Povolo has racked up countless podium finishes in her career.)

Tennessee: Bruce Gennari * & Ginger Smith (Gennari is a former USAT Athlete of the Year and placed 4th at last year’s BOUS Championship. A relative unknown outside her region, the talented Smith may turn heads at the Championship in September.)

Arkansas: Beau Theriot & Anna Sanders (Have you heard of these athletes? If not, know this: the top 10 men and women receive awards at the BOUS Championship. Don’t be surprised if these talented folks are among that group.)

Colorado: Craig Greenslit * & Wendy Mader * (Mader, the reigning 30-34 World Champion, and Greenslit won the Fastest State Team Competition at last year’s BOUS Championship.)

Minnesota: Brian Bich * & Cathy Yndestad (Bich, a three-time Honorable Mention USAT Athlete of the Year, placed 3rd at last year’s BOUS Championship. Yndestad is a two-time Minnesota Triathlete of the Year nominee.) Pennsylvania: Chris Ganter * & Heather Housenecht * (Ganter and Housenecht raced admirably at last year’s BOUS Championship. Housenecht missed the top 10 by one place in 2005. Don’t be surprised if she cracks the top 5 this time around.)

Texas: Russell Avery & Amanda Russell, 15 (Remember the name Amanda Russell! Only 15, she’s been racing for almost four years already and her results are impressive.)

West Virginia: Derek Clark * & Hannah Vernon

Note:
* Also represented their state in 2005.
Names of unconfirmed athletes are italicized

The Best of the U.S. Amateur Triathlete Competition is produced by Midwest Events, LLC of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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