Race Weekend Preview: From Lake Tahoe To Beijing

Preview a busy weekend of triathlon action around the world.

Ironman Lake Tahoe

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 – Lake Tahoe, Calif.
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

The highly anticipated inaugural Ironman Lake Tahoe (registration for which sold out in less than a day) will take place this Sunday. Pros will be competing for their share of a $75,000 pro prize purse and for valuable points in the 2014 Kona Pro Rankings. Approximately 2,700 athletes from 30 countries will be racing.

Pro Race
With this race being so close to Kona, the pro field is filled with athletes who didn’t (or chose not to) qualify for Kona this year. In the men’s race, Aussie Joe Gambles highlights the pro list—he’s the 2010 Ironman Wisconsin champion, a multiple 70.3 champion and recently got on the podium at the 70.3 world champs in Vegas. His toughest competition will come from Maik Twelsiek (GER), a three-time Ironman champion who was the runner-up on the speedy course at Ironman Austria this year; Aussie Chris McDonald, a four-time Ironman champion; and Paul Ambrose, a two-time Ironman champion and two-time 70.3 champion. Also, France’s Romain Guillaume, the 2012 Ironman Mont-Tremblant champ, has a good shot at the podium in Lake Tahoe.

In the women’s race, topping the start list is Canadian super-cyclist Angela Naeth, who’s had an impressive career in the 70.3 scene, with six 70.3 titles. This will be her Ironman debut, so while she’s certainly a solid racer, it’s hard to predict how her first 140.6 will go. Her toughest competition will come from Great Britain’s Catriona Morrison, a two-time Ironman champion and multiple 70.3 champion who’s on her way back up after having Achilles surgery last year; Jessica Jacobs (USA), a three-time Ironman champion; and Dede Griesbauer, an Ironman champ who’s finished top 10 at the Ironman World Championship three times (2007-2009).

RELATED – Course Recon: Ironman Lake Tahoe

Pro Men
Joe Gambles (AUS)
Matthew Russell (USA)
Maik Twelsiek (GER)
Chris McDonald (AUS)
Justin Daerr (USA)
Arland Macasieb (PHL)
Christian Brader (GER)
Christophe Bastie (FRA)
Alejandro Santamaria (ESP)
Petr Vabrousek (CZE)
Ernst Moser (AUT)
Aubrey Aldy (USA)
Matthew Sheeks (USA)
Douglas MacLean (USA)
Nicolas Hemet (FRA)
Matt Lieto (USA)
Kevin Taddonio (USA)
AJ Baucco (USA)
Boris Stein (GER)
Patrick Jaberg (SUI)
Evgeniy Nikitin (RUS)
Peter Kotland (USA)
Jim Lubinski (USA)
Martin Lamontagne Lacasse (CAN)
Derek Garcia (USA)
Rob Woestenborghs (BEL)
Richard Allen (USA)
Wes Anderson (USA)
Romain Guillaume (FRA)
Paul Ambrose (AUS)
Kirill Kotsegarov (EST)
Michael Davidson (RSA)
Henrik Oftedal (NOR)

Pro Women
Jessica Jacobs (USA)
Catriona Morrison (GBR)
Angela Naeth (CAN)
Dede Griesbauer (USA)
Elizabeth Lyles (USA)
Kat Baker (AUS)
Asa Lundstrom (SWE)
Julia Bohn (GER)
Katherine Bruck-LaGala (USA)
Heidi Sessner (GER)
Natasha Van Der Merwe (USA)
Jenni Plane (USA)
Ann Ciaverella (USA)
Monique Grossrieder (SUI)
Danielle Kehoe (USA)
Shiao-Yu Li (TWN)
Jordan McAmmond (USA)
Jennifer Lentzke (USA)
April Lea Gellatly (USA)
Jeanne Collonge (FRA)

RELATED – Tour Guide: North Lake Tahoe

Beijing International Triathlon

Saturday, Sept. 21 – Beijing, China
1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run

This Saturday’s race will take place at the Qing Long Lake Park in the district of Fengtai. The race is put on by IMG Worldwide and is part of the Escape to Alcatraz Triathlon Series—slots to the 2014 Alcatraz race will be awarded to the top 50 men and women. The course starts with a 1.5K swim in the heart of Qing Long Lake Park; a challenging 40K bike through the quaint villages of Fengtai and up Qian Ling Mountain, the highest peak in Southwest Beijing; and a 10K run along stone paths, wooded trails and beautiful bridges showcasing the unique architecture of the area.

Pro Race
Both ITU and long-course athletes will be racing in Beijing this weekend for their share of the $100,000 prize purse. In the men’s field, the man to beat will be Olympic silver medalist Javier Gomez (ESP), who just captured his third ITU World Championship in London last weekend. His toughest competition will probably come from countryman Mario Mola, who just raced to a third place at the London Grand Final and third place in the overall series. Other top competition includes former Olympian Greg Bennett, former Olympian Matt Reed (USA) and three-time Ironman 70.3 UK champ Fraser Cartmell.

In the women’s race, 2012 Olympian Sarah Groff (USA) is the favorite, as she’s returning to defend her title. If she’s healthy, Olympic silver medalist Lisa Norden of Sweden will be her toughest competition, though she’s been battling an injury in her foot all summer. Other top athletes include Olympians Laura Bennett (USA) and Ricarda Lisk (GER), and seven-time Ironman New Zealand champ Joanna Lawn (NZL).

RELATED PHOTOS: Pre-Race From Beijing International

Pro Men
Javier Gomez (ESP)
Matt Reed (USA)
Fraser Cartmell (GBR)
Greg Bennett (USA/AUS)
Mario Mola (ESP)
Brian Fleischmann (USA)
Graham O’Grady (NZL)

Pro Women
Sarah Groff (USA)
Lisa Norden (SWE)
Laura Bennett (USA)
Ricarda Lisk (GER)
Joanna Lawn (NZL)
Jenna Parker (USA)
Carolina Routier Canigueral (ESP)
Zhang Yi (CHN)

Life Time Tri Tempe

Sunday, Sept. 22 – Tempe, Ariz.
1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run//0.75K swim, 20K bike, 5K run

The seventh running of Life Time Tri Tempe will take place this Sunday, and will offer both sprint- and Olympic-distance races. The races will start from Tempe Beach Park, and the swims will take places in man-made Tempe Town Lake that is typically very calm. Water temperature is usually a balmy 80 degrees. The bike course travels on a relatively flat, urban course and the run is a 3.1-mile loop around Tempe Town Lake with views of Arizona State University and the developing landscape of Tempe. Historically, the weather on race day features highs in the low 90s and lows in the mid-60s.

Pro Race
This is the first year the race is part of the Life Time Tri Series and features a heavy pro component. The man to beat this Sunday will be Cameron Dye, the 2012 Toyota Cup champion who’s been nearly unstoppable the last two seasons in Olympic-distance non-drafting races. His top competition will come from athletes such as Ben Collins (USA), who’s had wins at Nautica South Beach and the Giant Eagle 5150 this season; Olympian Jarrod Shoemaker (USA); and Olympian Stuart Hayes (GBR). Also racing will be long-course athletes such as T.J. Tollakson (USA) and Bryan Rhodes (NZL).

In the women’s race, Alicia Kaye (USA) is the favorite, as she’s raced well at Olympic-distance races all season and finished an impressive sixth at the stacked Hy-Vee 5150 Elite Cup a few weeks ago. Her toughest competition will come from Lauren Goss (USA), who’s made a name for herself on the Rev3 circuit; swimming stud Sara McLarty (USA); and Danish Olympian Helle Frederiksen, who was the runner-up at Life Time Tri Chicago last month.

Men
Cameron Dye (USA)
Ben Collins (USA)
Jarrod Shoemaker (USA)
Stuart Hayes (GBR)
Chris Foster (USA)
Kevin Everett (USA)
Jon Bird (CAN)
Barrett Brandon (USA)
Nathan Dressel (USA)
Sam Holmes (USA)
Eric Lagerstrom (USA)
Luke McGuire (USA)
Dustin McLarty (USA)
Jason Pedersen (USA)
Bryan Rhodes (NZL)
James Seear (AUS)
Jason Smith (USA)
T.J. Tollakson (USA)
Chris Wiatr (USA)
Alex Willis (USA)

Women
Alicia Kaye (USA)
Lauren Goss (USA)
Sara McLarty (USA)
Abby Geurink (USA)
Jillian Petersen (USA)
Helle Frederiksen (DEN)
Fernanda Bau (BRA)
Lauren Brandon (USA)
Amanda Hahn (USA)
Kristi Johnsson (USA)
Leanna Lee (CAN)
Maxine Seear (AUS)
Nicole Truxes (USA)

Rev3 Branson

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 – Branson, Missouri
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run//1500-meter swim, 25-mile bike, 6.2-mile run

This Sunday’s inaugural Rev3 Branson will feature both Olympic- and half-iron-distance races. The races will start with a swim in the crystal-clear Lake Table Rock, then move to a closed-road bike course along scenic highways with mountain views and some technical ascents and descents. The run course will have athletes wind through historic downtown Branson for great spectator viewing.

Pro Race
Professional triathletes will be competing on the HalfREV (half-iron-distance) course for their share in the $50,000 prize purse. Both the men’s and women’s races are pretty open. Top competitors for the title include Kevin Collington (USA), who’s had a great season with second place at the competitive Ironman 70.3 St. George and is fresh off a sixth-place finish at 70.3 worlds; Leon Griffin (AUS), a multiple 70.3 podium finisher and winner of the 2013 Rev3 Maine (an Olympic-distance race); Ben Hoffman (USA), who broke the course record at Ironman Coeur d’Alene this summer; and Eric Limkemann (USA), the Rev3 Williamsburg Half champion. Other top athletes who could make the podium include 2012 Rev3 Series champion Richie Cunningham (AUS) and David Thompson (USA).

In the women’s race, Kelly Williamson (USA) is probably the woman to beat, as she won the half-iron-distance Rev3 Williamsburg earlier this season and was the runner-up at the 2012 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Other top competitors include Olympic-distance non-drafting specialists Rebeccah and Laurel Wassner (USA); two-time 70.3 champion Tenille Hoogland (CAN); and Radka Vodickova (CZE).

Pro Men
Andreas Dreitz (GER)
Ben Hoffman (USA)
Chris Leiferman (USA)
Dan Hedgecock (USA)
Dan McIntosh (USA)
Daniel Tigert (USA)
David Thompson (USA)
Eric Limkemann (USA)
Jared Milam (USA)
Jeff Paul (USA)
Kevin Collington (USA)
Kyle Leto (USA)
Leon Griffin (AUS)
Mario de Elias (ARG)
Michael Poole (NZL)
Mike Caiazzo (USA)
Nick Brodnicki (USA)
Paul Eicher (USA)
Richie Cunningham (AUS)
Ritchie Nicholls (GBR)
Robert Duncan (USA)
Steve Rosinski (USA)
Thomas Maliszewski III (USA)
Viktor Zyemstev (UKR)

Pro Women
Emily Cocks (USA)
Janet Edwards (USA)
Jennifer Speildenner (USA)
Jennifer Tetrick (USA)
Jessica Jones (USA)
Kathy Rakel (USA)
Kelly Williamson (USA)
Laurel Wassner (USA)
Lesley Smith (USA)
Malaika Homo (USA)
Megan Riepma (USA)
Nina Kraft (GER)
Rachel McBride (CAN)
Radka Vodickova (CZE)
Rebecca Witinok-Huber (USA)
Rebeccah Wassner (USA)
Sue Huse (CAN)
Tenille Hoogland (CAN)

RELATED: Rev3 Adds Branson To 2013 Schedule

LeadmanTri Bend

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 – Bend, Ore.
2.5K swim, 106K bike, 12K run//5K swim, 223K bike, 22K run

The second running of the LeadmanTri Bend will feature a new course. The race kicks off with a swim in Cultus Lake, then heads around Mount Bachelor with stunning views along the way and finishes around the Tetherow Golf Club.

RELATED: We Raced It! Life Time Leadman Epic Tri Bend

TriRock San Diego

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 – San Diego, Calif.
1500-meter swim, 22-mile bike, 6-mile run//500-meter swim, 11-mile bike, 3-mile run

Home of the original TriRock event and in the city that was the birthplace of triathlon, TriRock San Diego is the largest triathlon event in the city of San Diego. The race features a calm, protected swim in San Diego Harbor, a flat and fast bike course with views of the harbor and pass through the 32^nd Street Naval Base, and a run course with views of the San Diego Harbor and U.S.S. Midway.

PHOTOS: TriRock San Diego

Xterra USA Championships

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 – Ogden, Utah
1.5K swim, 28K mountain bike, 10K trail run

This year’s Xterra USA Championship race will feature 50 pros, making it the deepest and arguably strongest elite field in race history. It includes everyone ranked in the top 10 of the Xterra U.S. Pro Series minus only Will Kelsay, who was hit by a car while riding his bike a few weeks ago. It features three of the top four men and four of the top five women from Xterra Worlds last year and collectively, this bunch has won 34 of the 48 Xterra World Tour championship titles this season. The pros will race at Snowbasin Resort in Ogden, Utah on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. MDT.

Read the complete preview.