USA Triathlon Announces Age Groupers Of The Year

USA Triathlon today recognized Coloradoans Danielle Kehoe and Drew Scott as 2012’s top amateur triathletes. These awards headline the announcement of the 2012 Age Group Triathletes of the Year, presented by Garmin, an honor awarded annually by USA Triathlon’s Age Group Committee.

USA Triathlon will announce its 2012 Duathlon, Junior and Elite Athletes of the Year later this week.

Read the complete announcement from USA Triathlon below.

“The process of selecting the USA Triathlon Athletes of the Year was lengthy and challenging because of the large number of outstanding triathletes who were eligible,” said Steve Sutherland, chair of the USA Triathlon Age Group Committee Athlete of the Year Subcommittee. “These talented athletes keep setting the performance bar higher and higher. It was an honor and a pleasure to be able to select our Athletes of the Year from this group and we congratulate them all.”

Last season marked a breakthrough for Scott (Boulder, Colo.), the son of six-time Ironman world champion Dave Scott. He finished first overall (including elites) at the Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake and also earned amateur wins at the Ironman 70.3 Boulder, Boulder Peak and Rev3 Anderson. Scott was second overall at USA Triathlon Olympic-Distance Nationals.

Kehoe (Arvada, Colo.) capped a memorable 2012 by finishing as the second female amateur – and first American – at the Ironman World Championship in 9 hours, 51 minutes, 7 seconds. She also was the first female amateur at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, Ironman St. George, Boulder Peak and the Boulder Sprint.

Masters Triathlete of the Year honors went to Christopher Thomas (Easton, Conn.) and Ellen Hart (Denver, Colo.). Thomas was the top masters finisher at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and was fourth in his age group (first American) in Kona. He also was the top masters finisher at Timberman 70.3, Eagleman 70.3 and was the first amateur at the Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island.

Meanwhile, Hart was the first 50-plus finisher at Ironman 70.3 Worlds and topped her age group at USA Triathlon Olympic-Distance Nationals. She was the No. 5 female amateur at Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake and placed second her age group at the Ironman World Championship.

Grand Masters Triathlete of the Year accolades were claimed by Jon Adamson (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Beatrice Burns (Hamden, Conn.). Adamson won his age group at USA Triathlon Olympic-Distance Nationals and Ironman 70.3 Worlds. He also ranked as the top 70-plus athlete at a number of events, including Eagleman 70.3.

After winning Olympic-distance and sprint national titles on back-to-back days at the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, Burns won her age group at the Ironman World Championship, setting a course record by 26 minutes in the process. She also topped her age group at a number of other events, including Rev3 Quassy.

The 2012 USA Triathlon Age Group Athletes of the Year and honorable mention selections are as follows:

Men’s Triathlete of the Year: Drew Scott (Boulder, Colo.)
Honorable Mention: Grant Bovee (Denver, Colo.), Brian Duffy (West Chester, Pa.), Dan Hedgecock (Minneapolis, Minn.), Adam Otstot (Williamsburg, Va.), Adam Webber (Denver, Pa.)

Women’s Triathlete of the Year: Danielle Kehoe (Arvada, Colo.)
Honorable Mention: Lauren Barnett (Dallas, Texas), Ruth Brennan Morrey (Rochester, Minn.), Haley Chura (Atlanta, Ga.), Michelle LeBlanc (The Woodlands, Texas), Catherine Sterling (West Boylston, Mass.)

Men’s Masters Triathlete of the Year: Christopher Thomas (Easton, Conn.)
Honorable Mention: Doug Clark (Morristown, N.J.), Patrick High (Lake Placid, Fla.), Greg Taylor (Yankton, S.D.), Dave Slavinski (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Kyle Welch (Sunnyvale, Calif.)

Women’s Masters Triathlete of the Year: Ellen Hart (Denver, Colo.)
Honorable Mention: Adrienne LeBlanc (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Amy McGrath (Spring Branch, Texas), Deanna Newman (Birmingham, Ala.), Steph Popelar (Parker, Colo.), Peggy Yetman (Leesburg, Va.)

Men’s Grand Masters Triathlete of the Year: Jon Adamson (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Honorable Mention: Roger Little (Bedford, Mass.), Michael Orendorff (Pueblo, Colo.), Dave Robinette (Centennial, Colo.), Bob Scott (Naperville, Ill.), Rick Simpson (Plover, Wis.)

Women’s Grand Masters Triathlete of the Year: Beatrice Burns (Hamden, Conn.)
Honorable Mention: Lauren Binder (Portland, Ore.), Elizabeth Brackett (Chicago, Ill.), Cherie Gruenfield (Cathedral City, Calif.), Donna Smyers (Adamant, Vt.), Laura Sophiea (Atlanta, Ga.)