Published June 21, 2011 09:09AM
Nearly 30 Americans are scheduled to compete in the Olympic-distance event.
Three-time Olympian Hunter Kemper and Seattle native and USA Triathlon Project 2012 program member Ben Collins highlight the start list for event No. 2 of the 2011 USA Triathlon Elite Race Series —Tri Monroe – Gateway to Adventure — set for Saturday, June 25 in Monroe, Wash.
Nearly 30 Americans are scheduled to compete in the Olympic-distance event, which consists of a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run. The event also serves as an International Triathlon Union Pan American Cup. A PATCO Junior Pan American Cup also will be contested.
Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) enters the Monroe event with a strong start to 2011 under his belt, including a victory at the Ishigaki ITU World Cup on April 17 in Japan. Collins (Seattle, Wash.) finished 14th in the series opener in Clermont, Fla., on March 5 and placed 10th at the June 12 Cartagena ITU Pan American Cup. Steve Sexton (Pilot Hill, Calif.), also a member of the USA Triathlon Project 2012 program, also is slated to compete.
In addition to Collins, other men’s athletes with Washington ties on the elite start list include Jeff Helmer (Snohomish, Wash.), Rusty Pruden (Kirkland, Wash.) — both newly minted elites — and Chris Tremonte (Redmond, Wash.).
On the women’s side, U.S. athletes to watch include Lauren Goss (Mount Pleasant, S.C.), Kelly Whitley (Geneva, Ill.) and Amanda Felder (Cupertino, Calif.), who finished eighth, 10th and 12th, respectively, at the series opener in Clermont.
Read more: USA Triathlon