Runner's and Triathlete's Web News--Triathlon: Zeiger is Weekend Winner

Runnersweb.com Posted: April 4, 2003

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 2, 2003) - U.S. elite triathlete Joanna Zeiger got her 2003 season off to a strong start with a victory Sunday at the Amatique Bay International Triathlon Union (ITU) International Triathlon in Guatemala.

Zeiger (Baltimore, Md.), who also won this event in 2002, finished the Olympic distance course (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run) in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 20 seconds. Julie Pittsinger, a former U.S. elite who now competes for Canada, was second in 2:22:46 and Yaricel Romero of Cuba was third in 2:28:53.

Allison Hardy (Arden, N.C.) was fourth.

In the men's race, 2002 U.S. elite national champion Seth Wealing (Remington, Ind.) was the top U.S. finisher in fourth. Argentina's Daniel Fontana won the race in 2:01:14. Paulo Miyashir of Brazil was second in 2:02:07 and Giberto Gonzalez of Venezuela was third in 2:03:23.

Wealing was followed by Christoph O'Donnell (Cambridge, Mass.) in fifth and Marcel Vifian (Santa Rosa, Calif.) in sixth.

On Sunday in Mexico, Alexis Waddel (San Ramon, Calif.) placed second at the Valle de Bravo International Triathlon, finishing the Olympic distance race in 2:29:45. Eugenia Barrera of Mexico was first in 2:25:32 and Lauren Groves of Canada was third in 2:31:14.

Kelly Rea of Marietta, Ga. finished fifth.

In the men's race, Chris Valenti (Boulder, Colo.) led the U.S. team by placing fourth in 2:10:05. The winner was Javier Rosas of Mexico in 2:06:59. Bruno Arochi of Mexico was second in 2:08:14 and Carlos Probert of Mexico was third in 2:09:59.

Jeff Sneed (La Canada, Calif.) was sixth and Jim Carothers (Denver, Colo.) was seventh.

Complete results from both events are posted at www.triathlon.org.

The ITU elite triathlon season begins in earnest next Sunday with the first World Cup race of 2003 in Ishigaki, Japan. The U.S. team there will consist of world No. 1 Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), Laura Reback (North Palm Beach, Fla.), Becky Gibbs Lavelle (San Jose, Calif.) and Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.).

The following weekend is the first stop in the USA Triathlon Race to Athens elite series. The St. Anthony's ITU World Cup Triathlon on April 26 in St. Petersburg, Fla., will feature all the top U.S. triathletes including Barb Lindquist, Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.), Laura Reback, Joanna Zeiger, Susan Williams (Denver, Colo.), Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.), Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.), Victor Plata and Mark Fretta (Portland, Ore.).

Complete start lists are posted at www.triathlon.org.

The 2002 Monster Challenge ITU International Triathlon will be shown on the Outdoor Life Network at noon on Friday, April 4. The race was the U.S. qualifier for the world championships and featured many top U.S. elites.