Clydesdale and Athena National Champions Crowned Sunday in Grand Rapids
Jun 2015 USA Triathlon
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Eighteen age-group triathletes raced their way to national titles on Sunday at the 2015 USA Triathlon Clydesdale and Athena National Championships, competing across three distances as part of the Grand Rapids Triathlon set at Thornapple River.
National titles were awarded in three age categories per gender at the event: 39 and under (Clydesdale and Athena), 40-54 (Athena), 40-59 (Clydesdale), 55+ (Athena) and 60+ (Clydesdale). Nearly 150 athletes competed in the National Championship event in one of three triathlon distances: the long-distance 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run, the Olympic-distance 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run, and the sprint 600m swim, 20k bike, 5k run.
Shawna Glasser (Henderson, Nev.), who won the Athena 39 & Under national title at the sprint distance in 2014, raced in the long-distance triathlon on Sunday and posted the fastest overall time among the Athena competitors in 5 hours, 50 minutes, 15 seconds. Sarah Girven (Las Vegas, Nev.) won the Athena 40-54 division in 5:53:29, the second fastest overall time, and fellow Athena 40-54 competitor Marianne Baker (Gobles, Mich.) had the third fastest time in 5:59:55. Jamie Walden-Mather (St. Charles, Ill.) won the Athena 55-plus division in 7:13:47.
On the men’s side, Michael Wallace (Everett, Wash.) won the overall Clydesdale title and the 40-59 title in 5:08:59. Keith O’Connell (Greer, S.C.), also a 40-59 competitor, finished second overall in 5:10:29, and Dan MacLachlan (Wilson, N.C.) captured the Clydesdale 39 & Under title with the third-fastest overall time of 5:18:13. Ron Wilson (Troy, Mich.) claimed victory in the 60-plus division in 7:38:45.
Leslie Battle (Warwick, R.I.) successfully defended her overall Athena title at the Olympic distance, also capturing the Athena 40-54 title in 2:36:51. Also competing in the 40-54 division, Stephanie Fleming (Okemos, Mich.) was second overall in 2:43:52 and Amy Christena (Livona, Mich.) was third overall in 2:45:59. Sarah Jackman (Brownsburg, Ind.) won the Athena 39 & Under division in 2:48:37 and Diane Morrow-Kondos (Tulsa, Okla.) was the Athena 55-plus champion in 3:59:33.
Jack Nunn (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) won the overall Clydesdale Olympic-distance title and the 39 & Under division in 2:15:20. Owen West (Old Greenwich, Conn.) posted a time of 2:19:34 to win the Clydesdale 40-59 division and finish second overall. Daniel Ankrum (Waterloo, Iowa) was third overall and second in the 39 & Under division in 2:20:14. Howard Palay (Waynesville, N.C.) picked up top honors in the Clydesdale 60-plus division with a time of 3:09:34.
In the sprint race, Laura Crower (Sanford, Mich.) claimed the overall Athena title, clocking in at 1:15:56. Crower also won the Athena 39 & Under division. CC Rowe (Austin, Texas) was second overall and in the Athena 39 & Under division in 1:20:21, and fellow Athena 39 & Under competitor Michelle Flick (Amelia, Ohio) was third overall in 1:22:44. The Athena 40-54 winner was Kristen Simpson (Greenwood, Ind.), who posted a time of 1:23:33, and Laurie Walsworth (Muskegon, Mich.) won the Athena 55-plus division in 1:30:09.
John Hartpence (Defiance, Ohio) posted a time of 1:07:57 to win the overall Clydesdale title and the Clydesdale 40-59 division in the sprint race. Clydesdale 39 & Under winner Michael Coffman (St. Louis, Mo.) had the second-fastest time of the day in 1:13:51, and Ryan Phillips (South Burlington, Vt.) finished third overall and second in the Clydesdale 40-59 division in 1:15:14. Robert Schmidt (Hinckley, Ohio) took home the Clydesdale 60-plus title in 1:37:45.
Clydesdale and Athena competitive divisions are based on weight minimums outlined in the USA Triathlon Competitive Rules. Athletes competing in the Clydesdale division must be a minimum of 220 pounds and athletes in the Athena division must be a minimum of 165 pounds. The Clydesdale and Athena National Championships were designated an independent National Championship event in 2014, becoming the 14th event to award national titles to age-group athletes at a variety of disciplines and distances.
USA Triathlon Clydesdale and Athena National Championships
Complete Results
Long-Course Triathlon
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run
Overall Female: Shawna Glasser (Henderson, Nev.), 5:50:15
Overall Male: Michael Wallace (Everett, Wash.), 5:08:59
Athena 39 & Under: Shawna Glasser (Henderson, Nev.), 5:50:15
Clydesdale 39 & Under: Dan MacLachlan (Wilson, N.C.), 5:18:13
Athena 40-54: Sarah Girven (Las Vegas, Nev.), 5:53:29
Clydesdale 40-59: Michael Wallace (Everett, Wash.), 5:08:59
Athena 55+: Jamie Walden-Mather (St. Charles, Ill.), 7:13:47
Clydesdale 60+: Ron Wilson (Troy, Mich.), 7:38:45
1,500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run
Overall Female: Leslie Battle (Warwick, R.I.), 2:36:51
Overall Male: Jack Nunn (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 2:15:20
Athena 39 & Under: Sarah Jackman (Brownsburg, Ind.), 2:48:37
Clydesdale 39 & Under: Jack Nunn (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 2:15:20
Athena 40-54: Leslie Battle (Warwick, R.I.), 2:36:51
Clydesdale 40-59: Owen West (Old Greenwich, Conn.), 2:19:34
Athena 55+: Diane Morrow-Kondos (Tulsa, Okla.), 3:59:33
Clydesdale 60+: Howard Palay (Waynesville, N.C.), 3:09:34
600m swim, 20k bike, 5k run
Overall Female: Laura Crower (Sanford, Mich.), 1:15:56
Overall Male: John Hartpence (Defiance, Ohio), 1:07:57
Athena 39 & Under: Laura Crower (Sanford, Mich.), 1:15:56
Clydesdale 39 & Under: Michael Coffman (St. Louis, Mo.), 1:13:51
Athena 40-54: Kristen Simpson (Greenwood, Ind.), 1:23:33
Clydesdale 40-59: John Hartpence (Defiance, Ohio), 1:07:57
Athena 55+: Laurie Walsworth (Muskegon, Mich.), 1:30:09
Clydesdale 60+: Robert Schmidt (Hinckley, Ohio), 1:37:45
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
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