Impressive Weekend for TYR Athletes

To many, Sunday is a day to rest. For our athletes, this past Sunday was a day to reign. Andy Potts championed over 2,000 of the world’s finest triathletes at the infamously grueling 2009 Accenture Escape from Alcatraz in San Francisco, CA, taking the title for the third time in his career. The three peat victory for the former Olympian and Ironman 70.3 World Champion was clenched during his pack-leading 45:40 split on the bike leg, and ended with a final time of 2:07.25. USA’s Becky Lavelle took third on the women’s side, emerging first through the strong currents from Alcatraz Island to the shore in 32:40. She finished the race in 2:24:00. TYR logos were found on the top five finishers on the women’s side at the Ironman 70.3 Kansas, where Great Britain’s Chrissie Wellington won the event with a time of 4:14.52. A punctured tire couldn’t slow the two-time Kona Ironman World Champion down from having the second fastest time on the bike leg (2:26:51). Australian Pip Taylor earned a second place finish behind Wellington after starting the morning off with quick speed, sprinting out of the water in 24:17. She crossed the finish at 4:19.42. Six-time Ironman Joanne Lawn from New Zealand had a late surge in her run after coming out eighth from the bike, rounding out the top three. Out on the east coast, Desiree Ficker of the United States finished third at the 70.3 Ironman Eagleman in Cambridge, Maryland with a time of 4:28:13. Her run split of 1:24.17 kept her on the heels of her challengers, each former world champions, to solidify her place on the podium. Further down the coast, head coach Bill Rose of Mission Viejo Nadadores celebrated the victory of his past and current swimmers. The Open Water Festival in Fort Myers Beach, FL, set the stage for Rose’s former athlete to clench a spot on the World Championship team for the USA in the men’s 10K race. In the women’s 5K distance, a current Nadadores swimmer finished first, vindicating Rose’s coaching expertise. Representing TYR overseas, Fraser Cartmell from Great Britain placed 3rd overall at the UK Ironman 70.3 in Wimbleball, UK. It was his front speed in the swim portion (23.34) that kept him in the front pack, crossing the finish line at 4:20.37. Sunday evening concluded at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix in Santa Clara, CA where Mary DeScenza swam to victory in the 200m butterfly, touching at 2:08.78. Amanda Weir would have a strong finish to the meet, placing second in the 50m freestyle at 25.33. Both will gear up for World Championship Trials, scheduled to start July 7th in Indianapolis, IN. After a successful weekend, it's back to work.