Triathlon News & Notes: Flora Duffy Day, Awards for Super League, and An Octogenarian Dream Team
A look at some of the news we’ve picked up in the sport over the past seven days.
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Super League Triathlon lands industry award
It was a big week for Super League Triathlon (SLT). On Sunday, the fast-paced event, featuring the world’s best short-course stars, took to the streets of London for its 2021 season. Then, on Tuesday, the group walked away with top honors in the Cutting Edge category at the Sports Industry Awards for their Arena Games during the pandemic. The awards celebrate innovation and excellence in the athletic arena. Super League CEO and Co-Founder Michael D’hulst accepted the award at a glitzy ceremony in London, noting his pride in pulling off a successful series, especially during a pandemic. “We committed to push forward and launch a cutting edge event like the Arena Games in the face of adversity,” he said. “That is what we stand for and why as a team we are successful in re-defining triathlon.” SLT next head to Munich for another race on Sunday.
RELATED: What is Super League Triathlon, Anyway?
Flora Duffy gets public holiday in her name, is “forever golden”
Flora Duffy continues to bask in the glow of being an Olympic gold medalist: On Friday, Bermuda declared Oct. 18 “Flora Duffy Day” in recognition of her success as her country’s first-ever Olympic champion. And earlier this week, the 33-year-old shared that she received a custom bike from Specialized, her sponsor. The S-Works Tarmac bike, dubbed “Forever Golden,” features golden outlines on the rim of the Roval wheels and a frame finished in what looks like white marble. While Duffy’s bike is one-of-a-kind, mere mortals can buy a similar steed for $14,000.
Team USA comes out on top in Olympic, Paralympic triathlon medal count
With seven combined Olympic and Paralympic triathlon medals in Tokyo, the U.S. earned more medals in the sport than any other country, reported USA Triathlon. The record-setting medal count—which included three gold, three silver and one bronze—boosted the standings from the Rio 2016 Games by one medal each in both the Olympics and Paralympics. “International success by our elite athletes not only helps fuel interest and participation in the sport,” said John Farra, USA Triathlon High Performance General Manager, “but also serves as one of the markers that our high performance athletes and programs are on track and provides the next generation of athletes an important target and objective to work toward.”
Filipino former pro triathlete recovering from bike accident
Arland Macasieb, a former pro triathlete from the Philippines, is in stable condition following a serious accident in which he was hit and then dragged by a car while riding his bike in Fairfield, New Jersey on Saturday, Sept. 4. According to local reports, the driver of a custom 1959 Chevrolet Corvette hit Macasieb—who competed on the Filipino National Team before becoming a successful Ironman athlete, exercise physiologist, bike fitter, and coach—and then dragged him by about 100 feet before stopping (the driver was charged with having an unsafe vehicle, careless and reckless driving, and making an unsafe lane change.) A Go Fund Me has been established for Macasieb, 46, as he recovers from extensive injuries which will require a “series of surgeries” according to his family’s updates.
Octogenarian “Dream Team” completes sprint triathlon
Proving that you’re never too old to “tri,” a trio of octogenarians completed the Smiley Sprint Triathlon in Clemmons, North Carolina last weekend. Dubbed the “Dream Team 255” (the number representing their combined ages), the squad of 86-year-old Philip McKenzie, 80-year-old Michael Davidson, and 89-year old Dwayne Daggett combined to finish the 300-meter swim, 20K bike, and 5K run, respectively. And Dream Team 255 is not done yet. “We made a commitment,” Daggett said after the race. “One year from now, we’ll get together and do it again.”
Podcast Notes
- Listen to the amazing story of paratriathlon gold medalist Brad Snyder in his own words, alongside his guide—and 2016 Olympian—Greg Billington on The Triathlete Hour.
- Dede Griesbauer, whose many titles include Ironman champ, Ultraman winner, and, most-recently, race commentator, heads to the Triathlon Taren podcast to share more about herself and going (very) long.
- Don’t miss World Triathlon’s chat with paratriathlon gold medalist Susana Rodriguez, who is blind and a doctor who has fought on the frontlines of the pandemic in Spain.
- Triathlete correspondents Brad Culp and Tim Hemming weigh in on the Collins Cup and its longevity on The Triathlon Brick Session.
- Canadian pro Jackson Landry shares his Collins Cup experience on The Real Triathlon podcast (which he hosts).
- American pro Jackie Hering has been busy this week: She’s on both IMTalk (with fellow pro Emma Pallant-Browne), as well as the Zwift Power Up podcast.
- Coach-to-the-pros David Tilbury Davis chats about his work with Lionel Sanders among other topics on The MX Endurance podcast.
- Get to know more about Tamara Jewett, the speedy track star turned triathlete who just won Timberman 70.3, on the IronWomen podcast.