The pros and elite amateurs that didn't race in Kona yesterday were in Dallas today for the inaugural running of the U.S. Open Triathlon and what day it was for Greg Bennett who won the race, the Series Championship and the Super Bonus prize money. On the women's side Sarah Haskins beat out series point leader Emma Snowsill for the win, Snowsill finished in fourth place behind Julie Dibens and Mirinda Carfrae.
Bennett's goal in every race is to win, but today’s race included an extra incentive, he had a chance to sweep the series and win the Super Bonus prize money of $300,000. It wasn't going to be easy as the other pros racing today had a chance at the first place prize money of $60,000. Once the race started Bennett managed to stay close to the lead on the swim and bike coming in to T2 behind Matt Reed. Once on the run Bennett took over the lead early and used his 30:46 10km split to lead him to victory. Filip Ospaly and Bevan Docherty who were 30 seconds behind Bennett at mile four on the run held on for second and third place respectively.
Overall with the win Bennett takes home total winnings of $420,000 ($60,000 for winning the event, $60,000 for the series point’s championship and a $300,000 bonus for sweeping the series). This seems like it would be the biggest payout in triathlon history. Earlier this year his wife Laura earned herself the biggest first place prize money of $200,000 with a win at the Hy-Vee Des Moines World Cup race in Iowa. According to the proposed prize purse breakdown for the 2007 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series Bennett has possibly earned over half a million dollars ($508,000) from racing in the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series this year. What an amazing way to supplement your yearly income with five triathlon races.
2007 U.S. Open Triathlon Results:
| Women | Men | |||
| 1 - Sarah Haskins (USA) | 1:55:45 | 1 - Greg Bennett (AUS) | 1:44:41 | |
| 2 - Julie Dibens (GBR) | 1:57:57 | 2 - Filip Ospaly (CZE) | 1:45:02 | |
| 3 - Mirinda Carfrae (GBR) | 1:59:11 | 3 - Bevan Docherty (NZL) | 1:45:13 | |
| 4 - Emma Snowsill (AUS) | 1:59:41 | 4 - Hunter Kemper (USA) | 1:45:29 | |
| 5 - Loren Uscilowski (CA) | 2:11:06 | 5 - Matt Reed (USA) | 1:46:49 |
Going into today's race Emma Snowsill was the series points leader by winning three of the four series races. Back in July Vanessa Fernandes won the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis so Snowsill didn't have a chance at the Super Bonus prize money today but she did have to win the series point’s championship and an additional check of $60,000.
Sarah Haskins pretty much lead from start to finish in today's race in Dallas just ahead of Julie Dibens who finished in second place and Mirinda Carfrae who managed to stay ahead of Snowsill in the end. It was reported later that Snowsill wasn't feeling well but with $120,000 on the line she did all she could. In the end Snowsill managed to walk away with $60,000 for the series points championship win even though she finished in fourth place. Haskins ended her season with a nice $60,000 paycheck winning the event.
Today's race also featured an Elite Amateur Championship which pits the top five female and male finishers from each series race against each other.
2007 U.S. Open Triathlon Elite Amateur Championship Results:
| Women | Men | |||
| 1 - Cathy Yndestad (MN) | 2:08:12 | 1 - Daniel Bretscher (IN) | 1:51:27 | |
| 2 - Laurel Wassner (NJ) | 2:09:47 | 2 - Philippe Kozub (MD) | 1:52:47 | |
| 3 - Renee Milton (CA) | 2:10:30 | 3 - Bruce Gennari (TN) | 1:56:48 | |
| 4 - Marnie Walth (ND) | 2:10:43 | 4 - Mark Harms (WI) | 1:57:09 | |
| 5 - Rebeccah Wassner (CA) | 2:11:06 | 5 - David Kahn (PA) | 1:57:27 |
The Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series was started back in 2006 by linking four of the most prominent Olympic distance triathlons in the U.S together in a point series championship race to the finish:
- Life Time Fitness Triathlon (Minneapolis)
- Nautica New York City Triathlon
- Accenture Chicago Triathlon
- Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon
Related Posts:
• NYC Tri, Ironman USA, Boulder Peak Tri, Vineman 70.3 Results
• Big Payday for Greg Bennett This Time
• Dallas to host the U.S. Open Triathlon Championship
