International Field Competes At Events DC Nation's Triathlon

Boasting one of the most international fields in the event’s history, Events DC Nation’s Triathlon welcomed athletes from 17 countries, 45 states and the District of Columbia today for its eighth annual race around the nation’s capital.

The prestigious event, known for its scenic course that winds through the National Mall and Memorial Parks, includes a 1.5K swim in the Potomac River and a 40K two-loop bike course through the streets of Washington before finishing with a 10K run through the city’s historical landmarks.

Although there isn’t a professional field in the race, elite amateurs and age groupers went head-to-head in a competitive field of around 3,000 athletes. First to cross the finish line was Gregory Dierksen, 27, from Brookline, Mass., whose sprint to the finish edged out his next closest competitor by seconds. He won with a time of 2:02:44 with second place going to Harry Goudy, 30, of Severna Park, Md., with a time of 2:02:49.

“Washington, D.C. is an awesome city and I love coming down here, seeing the monuments in our nation’s capital. It’s a beautiful place to have a race,��� said Dierksen, who finished third overall last year and was the first swimmer out of the water in today’s race. “I did my first Ironman this summer and I think the distance training really helped my bike time a lot. I was able to stay out in front and hang with Harry on the run. I’m very pleased at the result.”

Jessica Koltz, 24, of Chenango Bridge, N.Y., took first place in the women’s race with a time of 2:14:30, followed just a minute later by Liz Whitely, 28, of Washington, D.C. with a time of 2:15:42.

“Last year was my first time at Nation’s. I just started participating in triathlons last summer,” noted Holtz, a collegiate swimmer who finished seventh last year and was also first out of the water among women. “The swim was nice because that’s my strongest leg. It was cool to have two loops on the bike this year so you knew what to expect on the second loop.”

PHOTOS: 2013 Events D.C. Nation’s Triathlon

Nation’s Triathlon holds the honor as America’s most popular triathlon event as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. It is managed by Triathlete.com’s parent company, Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), and Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Through its partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program, participants have raised more than $13 million for blood cancer research and patient service programs since its inception.

“This year’s event features one of the most international fields we have ever hosted,” said Molly Quinn, Vice President of Triathlon Events at CGI. “Our new title partnership with Events DC and our airline partnership with Etihad Airways are helping us attract triathletes from across the world to what is the premiere multi-sport event in the U.S.”

The event also features several races-within-a-race, including a Gryphon Technologies Military Challenge, open to active duty military and veterans, CQ-Roll Call Congressional Challenge, open to federal and Hill employees, the First Responders Challenge, open to police, firefighters and other first responders, and the Etihad Airways Tri Club Challenge, for triathlon club members from across the country.

Top finishers from the Gryphon Technologies Military Challenge were Nicholas Brown, 31, from Arlington, Va., with a time of 2:10:20 and Sara Dasso, 35, of New Braunfels, Texas, with the U.S. Army who finished with a time of 2:23:34.  In the CQ-Roll Call Congressional Challenge, William Vancise, 30, an employee of the Department of Homeland Security from Potomac, Md., took first with a time of 2:11:33 and Amy Adcock, 44, an employee of the Department of Justice and FBI from Alexandria, Va., finished first with a time of 2:27:43. In the First Responder’s Challenge, police officer Patrick Leonard, 46, of Falls Church, Va., took first with a time of 2:14:59 and firefighter Kaitlyn Robinson, 29, of Huntington Station, N.Y., came in first with a time of 2:28:47.

The winners of the Etihad Airways Tri Club Challenge were Mike Stanek, 29, from the Bike Rack Multisport Team Club in Washington, D.C. with a time of 2:10:52. Monica Robbers, 42, of the DC Tri Club from Arlington, Va., came in first with a time of 2:21:53. Representatives from Etihad Airways presented both Stanek and Robbers with round-trip airfare to Abu Dhabi, and free entry into the sister triathlon in that city, also sponsored by Etihad Airways, Tri Yas.

For complete results from the 2013 Events DC Nation’s Triathlon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, visit NationsTri.com.

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