Following a year filled with dramatic finishes and memorable performances, USA Triathlon is pleased to announce the 2011 Age Group Athletes of the Year, presented by Garmin, an honor awarded annually by USA Triathlon’s Age Group Committee and Duathlon Committee.
USA Triathlon will announce its 2011 Junior and Elite Athletes of the Year later this week.
“The depth of talent in this year’s Athlete of the Year candidate pool was astonishing, reflecting the growth of triathlons and duathlons and the dedication of the individual athletes,” said Steve Sutherland, chair of the USA Triathlon Age Group Committee Athlete of the Year Subcommittee. “The Athlete of the Year Subcommittee is proud to bestow these accolades to the awardees.”
Curt Chesney (Boulder, Colo.) and Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.) garnered Masters Triathlete of the Year honors. Chesney earned the honor for the second straight year after posting the top age-grouper performance at the 2011 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Henderson, Nev., and ranking as the No. 3 amateur at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the fourth overall amateur and top U.S. age-grouper at the Ironman World Championship. Williams, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2004, was the top overall finisher at the 2011 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship in Burlington, Vt., and won her age group at ITU Long Distance Worlds. Adam Webber (Denver, Pa.) and Christine Anderson (Boulder, Colo.) claimed Triathlete of the Year honors. Webber brought home amateur wins in 2011 at the Hy-Vee 5150 Triathlon, St. Anthony’s Triathlon and Ironman 70.3 Texas. Anderson was the first elite amateur at the Chicago Triathlon and was the top amateur finisher in both the Wildflower Triathlon Olympic-distance event and Ironman 70.3 Boulder.
Duathlete of the Year accolades went to Eneas Freyre (Norwalk, Conn.) and Gail Kattouf (Greenville, S.C.), who swept the 35-39 age group standard-distance world titles at the 2011 ITU Duathlon World Championships in Gijon, Spain. Freyre was the top overall age-grouper at worlds and took third overall at 2011 Duathlon Nationals in Oro Valley, Ariz. Kattouf was the women’s overall winner at Duathlon Nationals and Long Course Duathlon Nationals.
Last year’s Duathletes of the Year, Dave Slavinski (Point Pleasant, N.J.) and Ann Davidson (Portland, Ore.) claimed Masters Duathlete of the Year titles for 2011. Slavinski was the top overall finisher at 2011 Duathlon Nationals and Long Course Duathlon Nationals and went on to earn bronze in the 40-44 standard-distance event at the 2011 ITU Duathlon World Championships. Davidson was the women’s 45-49 standard-distance winner at Duathlon Worlds and was second at Duathlon Nationals.
Michael Orendorff (Pueblo, Colo.) and repeat winner Laura Sophiea (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) were recognized as Grand Masters Triathletes of the Year. Orendorff was the male Grand Masters winner at 2011 Age Group Nationals and placed seventh in the 60-64 age group at Ironman 70.3 Worlds. Sophiea was the women’s 55-59 winner at the Ironman World Championship and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Keith Woodward (Stowe, Vt.) and Patty Peoples-Resh (Redlands, Calif.) were selected as the Grand Masters Duathletes of the Year. Woodward was second in the 60-64 age group at Duathlon Nationals and placed sixth at standard-distance Duathlon Worlds. Peoples-Resh was the women’s 55-59 champion at Duathlon Nationals and sprint-distance Duathlon Worlds.
The 2011 USA Triathlon Age Group Athletes of the Year and honorable mention selections are as follows:
Men’s Triathlete of the Year
Adam Webber (Denver, Pa.)
(HM) Curt Chesney (Boulder, Colo.), Brian Duffy (West Chester, Pa.), Mark Harms (Madison, Wis.), Rudy Kahsar (Boulder, Colo.), Christopher Thomas (Easton, Conn.)
Women’s Triathlete of the Year
Christine Anderson (Boulder, Colo.)
(HM) Christina Jackson (Oceanside, Calif.), Sarah Piampiano (Cumberland, Maine), Catherine Sterling (West Boylston, Mass.), Beth Walsh (Encinitas, Calif.), Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.)
Men’s Masters Triathlete of the Year
Curt Chesney (Boulder, Colo.)
(HM) Brian Bich (Duluth, Minn.), Curt Eggers (Henrietta, N.Y.), Eben Jones (New Canaan, Conn.), Greg Taylor (Yankton, S.D.), Miguel Tellez (Aventura, Fla.)
Women’s Masters Triathlete of the Year
Susan Williams (Littleton, Colo.)
(HM) Susanne Davis (Carlsbad, Calif.), Jeanne Debonis (Brecksville, Ohio), Ellen Hart (Denver, Colo.), Deanna Newman (Birmingham, Ala.), Teresa Rider (Boulder, Colo.)
Men’s Grand Masters Triathlete of the Year
Michael Orendorff (Pueblo, Colo.)
(HM) Roger Brockenbrough (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Ben Ewers (North Oaks, Minn.), Lew Hollander (Bend, Ore.), Bob Scott (Naperville, Ill.), Steven Smith (Granger, Ind.)
Women’s Grand Masters Triathlete of the Year
Laura Sophiea (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
(HM) Lauren Binder (Portland, Ore.), Elizabeth Brackett (Chicago, Ill.), Madonna Buder (Spokane, Wash.), Carol Gephart (Hamilton, Mich.), Diane Ridgeway (Arvada, Colo.)
Men’s Duathlete of the Year
Eneas Freyre (Norwalk, Conn.)
(HM) Daniel Hedgecock (Minneapolis, Minn.), Matthew Payne (Columbia Heights, Minn.), Dave Slavinski (Point Pleasant, N.J.)
Women’s Duathlete of the Year
Gail Kattouf (Greenville, S.C.)
(HM) Kirsten Chapman (Edmond, Okla.), Ann Davidson (Portland, Ore.), Kara Middendorf (Tucson, Ariz.)
Men’s Masters Duathlete of the Year
Dave Slavinski (Point Pleasant, N.J.)
(HM) Stephen Dupree (Boulder, Colo.), Scott Hajicek (Lakewood, Colo.), Kevin O’Connor (Corcoran, Minn.)
Women’s Masters Duathlete of the Year
Ann Davidson (Portland, Ore.)
(HM) Kirsten Chapman (Edmond, Okla.), Janet Howard (Clackamas, Ore.), Kristin Villopoto (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Men’s Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year
Keith Woodward (Stowe, Vt.)
(HM) Steve Ruckert (Woodbine, Md.)
Women’s Grand Masters Duathlete of the Year
Patty Peoples-Resh (Redlands, Calif.)
(HM) Judy Richwine (San Marcos, Calif.)
HM – honorable mention