Wolfe, Dussault Claim USAT Winter Triathlon National Titles

Mike Wolfe and Rebecca Dussault took advantage of near-perfect conditions Sunday to claim national titles at USA Triathlon’s Winter Triathlon National Championship at Homestake Lodge.

Wolfe (Helena, Mont.) covered the 5-kilometer run, 10-kilometer mountain bike and 5-kilometer cross-country ski course in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 20 seconds to outdistance the field by more than three minutes.

Joining Wolfe on the men’s podium were fellow Montana athletes Matt Seeley (Polson, Mont.) and Landon Beckner (Helena, Mont.), who finished in 1:13:31 and 1:13:34, respectively.

On the women’s side, Dussault (Gunnison, Colo.) claimed her third USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship title in the last four years in 1:16:10. The 2010 winter triathlon world champion also finished fifth overall – regardless of gender – to earn the women’s title by more than five minutes.

Last year’s women’s national champion Emma Garrard (Park City, Utah) was second in 1:21:22, while Nicole Freedman (Jamaica, Mass.) grabbed third in 1:25:13.

Wolfe and Dussault got off to strong starts by posting the day’s fastest run splits en route to their victories.

The top three overall finishers earned the right to represent the U.S. in the elite race at the 2012 ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Jämijärvi, Finland, on March 24-25. Additionally, the top three competitors in each age group qualified for Team USA for Winter Worlds.

Held in conjunction with the fourth annual Powder Hound Winter Triathlon, Sunday’s Winter Nationals event was contested under bright sunshine with temperatures in the mid 40s.

The USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship was originally slated for the Gunstock Winter Triathlon on Jan. 22 in Gilford, N.H., but USA Triathlon was forced to relocate Winter Nationals in late December 2011 due to a lack of snow on the East Coast.

2012 USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship
(Powderhound Winter Triathlon, Butte, Mont.)
5k run, 10k mountain bike, 5k cross-country ski

Men’s Top-10 Finishers
1. Mike Wolfe (Helena, Mont.), 1:10:20 ($750)
2. Matt Seeley (Polson, Mont.), 1:13:31 ($450)
3. Landon Beckner (Helena, Mont.), 1:13:34 ($300)
4. Ryan Scott (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:15:13
5. Cory Soulliard (Hamilton, Mont.), 1:16:45
6. Chuck Dumke (Missoula, Mont.), 1:18:15
7. Michael Stearns (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:18:40
8. David Hoffman (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:21:16
9. Wesley Furlong (Missoula, Mont.), 1:25:48
10. Ted Wood (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:26:17

Women’s Top-10 Finishers
1. Rebecca Dussault (Gunnison, Colo.), 1:16:10 ($750)
2. Emma Garrard (Park City, Utah), 1:21:22 ($400)
3. Nicole Freedman (Jamaica, Mass.), 1:25:13 ($350)
4. Julie Zickovich (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:31:38
5. Darcy Foley (Sturbride, Mass.), 1:32:47
6. Ingrid Lovitt (Missoula, Mont.), 1:41:14
7. Kathryn Babbin (Bozeman, Mont.), 1:45:08
8. Kaylee Uibel (Kalispell, Mont.), 1:47:42
9. Rebecca Duffy (Bartlett, Ill.), 1:56:13
10. Becky Hochstein (Bozeman, Mont.), 2:00:27

Race report provided by USA Triathlon.