Posted: May 17, 2007

Triathlon: Elite Update: McLarty Says 'Aloha'

Triathletes Set to Compete at Elite Nationals in Honolulu, Hawaii COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 17, 2007) -- Throughout the 2007 season, elite triathlete Sara McLarty will be providing pre- and post-race updates on the events she competes in with other USAT National Team members. Check back periodically to read Sara's perspective on life as an elite triathlete. This week, Sara is off to Honolulu, Hawaii for the 2007 USAT Elite National Championships. Thursday and Friday, a majority of the USAT elite athletes will be flying halfway across the Pacific to Honolulu to race for the '07 title of Elite American Triathlon National Champion. Sarah Haskins- Kortuem will be defending her title from last year but the big story is that the men's title is up for grabs! Hunter Kemper, multiple National Champion and Olympian, will not be on the starting line due to a hip injury! Last year, I was part of the Under-23 National Team that traveled to the Honolulu ITU race on May 14th. Sarah Groff, Jasmine Oeinck and I formed a break- away pack on the swim. We continued to build our lead on the bike; despite my impressive wipe-out at the turn-around! On the run leg, I was the first to fall off the pace and then Jasmine pulled away from Groff during the last mile for her first professional win. We filled the podium with Americans! In the men's race, there were no successful breakaways during the swim or bike so it came down to the run. The lead pack consisted of 5 men at the halfway point, 4 men with 2 miles to go, and just Manuel Huerta, Haven Barnes, and Mitch Dean with one mile to go. Manny put in a surge that knocked Haven off the pace but it was too far from the finish line and Dean had the final gear for the win. The story was quite similar a few months later in Long Beach, California for the National Champs, except for the significant difference in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean which resulted in a wetsuit-legal swim. This time it was Sarah Haskins and I on a successful breakaway during the swim. We worked like mad together and gained time on the chase pack (with no crashes) heading onto the run. From the first few steps, it was easily Haskins' race to win on the flat boardwalk. I hung on for a runner-up position and the U23 National title. The men came off the bike in a large pack and Hunter Kemper ran away from everyone. Andy Potts was next across the line, followed by Matt Reed and eventually Manny Huerta who captured the Men's U23 Title. This year, the race in Hawai'i is not just giving out the title of Elite National Champion. The first American man and woman across the finish line will receive an automatic slot onto the 2007 Pan American Games Team (competing in Rio, Brazil in July)!! The Honolulu Triathlon is also the first stop of the "Haul to the Wall" series, sponsored by Speedo and USA Triathlon, designed to showcase America's top and future triathlon stars in draft-legal racing. In '06, Haskins- Kortuem and Jarrod Shoemaker finished the ITU race in Westchester, New York with the most points and the series win, and I continued my habit of being runner-up with the second most points for women:)! Basically, there is a LOT up for grabs on Sunday on Waikiki Beach and I can't wait for the 6am start! The race actually closes down some of the main roads leading in and out of Waikiki Beach and the Honolulu Airport, so we get to race during the least busy time of the week on Sunday morning. This start time also takes us out of the brutal mid-day heat and sunshine that makes Hawaii famous. Personally, I enjoy the 6am start because I am just as famous for collapsing in the heat and sunshine! Before I get back to packing my race gear for the weekend, I would like to quickly thank USA Triathlon for all the fantastic opportunities they provide for our Olympic quest. About USA Triathlon USA Triathlon is the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 2,000 races and connects with more than 90,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. Website: USATriathlon.org.