Talented Field Headed To USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals

Published April 9, 2010 04:42PM

Several of multisport’s top up-and-coming talents will be among the nearly 900 competitors representing more than 100 college clubs at the 2010 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship on Saturday, April 17 in Lubbock, Texas.

Four of the six overall medalists from the 2009 Lubbock race, including the top three women’s finishers, are scheduled to toe the starting line next week at Buffalo Springs Lake.

Highlighting the championship field will be defending women’s champion Jessica Broderick of the University of Colorado, Boulder, who won last year’s title in 2:18:35. Fellow 2009 medalists Ashley Morgan of the U.S. Military Academy (second) and Julie Rechel of the University of Richmond (third) are expected to challenge Broderick’s repeat bid. Morgan was the women’s 18-24 age group champion at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships last November.

Additionally, Alex Weber of Texas A&M was sixth in the female 16-19 age group sprint distance world championship at last year’s ITU Grand Final in Gold Coast, Australia, and also could challenge for the women’s title.

On the men’s side, Colorado’s Cedric Wane is the top returning finisher from 2009. He was third a year ago in 2:01:42 – just 29 seconds out of first place.

The USAT Collegiate National Championship has been a springboard to success for some of the nation’s top triathletes. USA Triathlon Project 2012 team members Steve Sexton and Kevin Collington, as well as Project 2016 team members Barrett Brandon and Amanda Felder, were collegiate national champions in recent years.

In addition to individual success, competing student-athletes will be gunning for the overall team national championship, won by the U.S. Naval Academy in 2009. The team aspect of this event creates a unique atmosphere, rarely found in triathlon competition.

“Excitement is at an all-time high for this event,” said Jeff Dyrek, USAT’s national events director. “We have an extremely talented field of individuals and teams that will make for yet another thrilling day of triathlon action in Lubbock.”

The Olympic-distance Collegiate National Championship, which features a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10k run, gets underway at 9 a.m.

The Collegiate Sprint Triathlon, comprised of a 500m swim, 17.6-mile bike and 5k run, will start at 12:30 p.m. Nearly 300 competitors have signed up for the sprint event.