Posted: April 12, 2007

Triathlon: Desiree Ficker Returns To Second Annual RYKA Iron Girl Texas Triathlon

April 12, 2007 (Tarpon Springs, FL) – Today, Iron Girl announces that world-renowned Ironman athlete, Desiree Ficker, will return to compete, for a second consecutive year, in the RYKA Iron Girl Texas Triathlon scheduled for July 22, 2007. Ficker crossed last year’s inaugural finish line with a time of 1:02:23 stating, “I really enjoyed the race. To be racing among all women and to see how supportive they were with each other was truly incredible. The support I received on the course made this a great experience.” Ficker, a current resident of Austin, TX, is most widely known for her second place finish at last year’s Ford Ironman World Championship held on October 21st in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Referred to as triathlon’s next generation, she has earned top finishes at Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events to include second place finishes at the 2006 Ford Ironman 70.3 California, Sport City Fitness Club Ironman 70.3 Baja and Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake, in addition to a third place finish at the 2006 Eagleman Ironman 70.3. Ficker has also taken back-to-back top ten finishes at the 2005 and 2006 Ford Ironman Arizona, placing second and fourth respectively. The RYKA Iron Girl Texas event will consist of a 500M Swim – 20K Bike – 5K Run and will take place at the former U.S. Olympic Triathlon Trials Course in Irving, TX, (Las Colinas) home to the Dallas Cowboys. The 2006 event attracted nearly 600 females and is expected this year to draw an even greater number of participants from the state of Texas and across the nation. Launched in 2004, Iron Girl has grown from two 10K/5K events to nine events nationwide, consisting of run/walk, duathlon and triathlon events. Women, ranging in age and fitness level, can become Iron Girls in locations such as: Clearwater, FL; Atlanta, GA; Denver, CO; Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. Iron Girl’s mission is to empower women toward a healthy lifestyle. The focus of the RYKA Iron Girl National Women’s Event Series is to provide women with a competitive platform; one that showcases the athletic abilities of seasoned athletes and novices alike. Iron Girl is supported by partners such as RYKA, Lady Foot Locker, Gatorade, Luna Bar, BOB Strollers and Aqua Sphere. Fundraising efforts will benefit the Ulman Cancer Fund to help support young adults living with and recovering from cancer. For more information on the RYKA Iron Girl Texas Triathlon, visit www.irongirltexas.com or www.irongirl..co.