There is another new Half Iron distance triathlon in the Northeast, this time in New Jersey. The event is being put on by the New Jersey Multisport Association and will also feature a Sprint distance triathlon. The course was carefully selected to provide some of the best course conditions the state has to offer.

Triathlon: JerseyMan Half Iron & Sprint Triathlon
When: Sunday, September 28, 2008 @ 8:00 AM
Where: Spruce Run Recreation Area, Clinton, New Jersey, USA
Divisions: Age Group, Clydesdales / Athenas, Relays
Website: www.njmultisport.com

Both races will take place at Spruce Run Recreation Area. The Half Iron distance race will consist of a 1.2mi Swim, 56mi Bike, 13.1mi Run while the Sprint distance triathlon will consist of a .6mi Swim, 18.5mi Bike, 3.1mi Run.

Course Description:
A beautiful one loop swim in sparkling clean waters of the Spruce Run reservoir for both the Sprint and Half Iron races, a breathtaking one loop scenic cycle leg through the best riding area’s of New Jersey. The Half Iron race will include a gorgeous 12 mile stretch of very flat and fast racing along the Delaware River and will travel through NJ’s only covered bridge! Truly a beautiful course that is not to be missed! This is followed by a one loop run through beautiful Hunterdon County, NJ.

A new end of season Sprint distance triathlon has been added to the 2008 triathlon calendar. The 1st annual City of Angels Triathlon encourages students, alumni, and the community at large to “throw down the gauntlet,” as all proceeds from the event will be donated to the UCLA & USC Triathlon Teams.

Triathlon: City of Angels Triathlon
When: Sunday, October 5th, 2008 @ 7:00 AM
Where: Dockweiler State Beach, Playa Del Rey, California, USA
Divisions: Pro / Elite, Age Group, Relays
Website: www.cityofangelstri.com

The sprint distance triathlon will consist of a 600me Swim, 20km Bike and a 5km Run. The race will be limited to 360 competitors.

Athletes can look forward to the typically calm surf and clean waters of Dockweiler State Beach. The bike course features wide roads with great pavement and ocean views from the Dockweiler bluffs. The run course is an out-and-back loop along the Dockweiler service road.

Registration opened on June 25th, 2008 for the 2009 running of Ironman Germany (Registration for Ironman Germany 2009 opens June 25, 2008), earlier than normal, actually even before this year’s race which takes place this weekend. It didn't take long before registration was closed at 2000 participants. It took less than 12 hours for this popular European Ironman race to fill up.

If you missed your chance to register for Ironman Germany 2009, you have another opportunity as organizers have only temporarily closed registration. As the norm is, registration will open the day after this year's race on July 7th, 2008 at 2:00 PM for an additional 500 triathletes. It is not clear at this time if the time stated (2:00 PM) is Frankfurt time or not as we have not received a reply to our email inquiry.

Register for Ironman Germany 2009 on July 7th, 2008 with this link.

The 2009 Ironman European Championship / Ironman Germany is set to take place on July 5th 2009. Visit the event website for additional information: www.ironman.de

A third registration opportunity will open in January 2009 for an additional 100 registrations but no details are available at this time on how and when this will take place.

The inaugural Ironman 70.3 Boise event drew more than 1,200 triathletes from around the world this past June. Now the date for the 2009 Ironman 70.3 Boise has been set, the triathlon will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2009. Organizers expect the 2009 event to attract nearly 2,000 competitors.

One MAJOR change for the 2009 Ironman 70.3 will be a 2:00 P.M. start in place of the traditional early-morning start normally used at most races. A later start time and evening finish will create a unique finish line experience in the dynamic BoDo District.

"We are excited to offer this new start time to our athletes, as we feel it will further enhance the overall event experience," said Steve Meckfessel, Ironman 70.3 Events Director. "The city of Boise has so much to offer participants and spectators." The mild June temperatures, low average humidity, cold-water swim and shaded run course make Boise an ideal venue for a later start time.

Registration will open on Monday, September 1, 2008 at www.ironmanboise.com.

Honolulu, HI (July 03, 2008) - For nearly two decades TEAM Unlimited has been churning out award-winning adventure television shows and today, with the launch of XTERRA.TV, a comprehensive collection of those videos will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with on-demand XTERRA programming.

From the beaches of Maui to the summits of the Sierra Nevada, XTERRA's award-winning television shows bring you thrilling outdoor adventures and world-class multisport racing.

Viewers can check in to see what's happening in the world of outdoor sports by tuning in to an XTERRA Adventures or Eco Adventure television show, watch some of the classics from years past, see highlight videos from races that just happened, and even access live programming from the XTERRA World Championship.

Browse through the site and you'll find feature length programs like the XTERRA USA and World Championships, action sports clips showcasing everything from kayaking to kite surfing and moto-X to martial arts, plus destination features from Saipan, New Zealand, Nevada, and other world-class locales.

Chris McCormack and Chrissie Wellington are the winners of Ironman Germany (Ironman European Championship). On a fast day, on a fast course both World Champions put up very impressive times. McCormack broke the 8 hour barrier with a sprint to the finish line with a time of 7:59:55. Wellington was on pace to break Paula Newby-Fraser's 1994 record time of 8:50:53 (at Ironman Europe) but took her time coming down the finish shoot to finish just 31 seconds behind the mark with a time of 8:51:24, the second fastest time ever in a women´s race, amazing in only her 4th Ironman race ever.

The much talked about and anticipated race between Ironman World Championship Chris McCormack, Normann Stadler and Faris Al-Sultan again fizzled in the end as Stadler had to pull out before the race because of illness. No problem, Al-Sultan was still up for a head-to-head battle with McCormack and it showed as his reported bike average was over 40km/hours through the first 61km. Al-Sultan maintained the lead with his fast bike until Macca took the lead around 130km. From the point on Al-Sultan faded as Macca gained. Al-Sultan ended the day with a DNF. Macca gained the lead back from second place finisher Eneko Llanos around the 34.5km mark to take the victory, Llanos had passed McCormack around the 25km mark when he showed signs of struggling. Llanos just missed breaking the 8 hour mark by 49 seconds, a great race for him. Defending champion Timo Bracht finished in 3rd place today.

Rookie sensation, if that's what you can still call her after only her fourth Ironman races, Wellington dominated pretty much from start to finish and finished with a 26 minute gap. Defending champion Nicole Leder after struggling through the second half of the bike managed to run her way from sixth place to second place overall, .
 
2008 Ironman Germany (Ironman European Championship) Results:

The first race in the 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series is set to take place this weekend with the Life Time Fitness Triathlon scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at Lake Nokimis in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What a race it will be as more than 40 of the top professionals will battle for the $250,000 prize purse. Call it a "mini-preview" of the race to come in August as the field includes 11 athletes bound for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Defending champions and Beijing bound Emma Snowsill and Greg Bennett will return to defend their titles. In 2007 Bennett won it all with the richest payday (Greg Bennett Wins the $300,000 Bonus in Dallas) by winning the U.S. Open Triathlon race, the Series Championship and the Super Bonus prize money. Snowsill won three of the five series races to win the Series Championship in 2007.

The Life Time Fitness Triathlon begins and ends Lake Nokomis in beautiful Minneapolis. The bike course runs along the Mississippi river and around Lake Harriet before returning to the Lake Nokomis transition area. Athletes then run two loops around Lake Nokomis with a race to the finish line. The female and male winners will each take home $60,000; one of the sport's top prize purses.

Here is a preview of the professional field:

WASHINGTON, DC (July 8, 2008) - The Nation's Triathlon announced today the launch of the 1st Annual Nation's Triathlon Congressional Challenge. Members of Congress and their staff, and federal employees are invited to form teams to compete in The Nation's Triathlon, an Olympic distance triathlon taking place Sunday, September 14, 2008 and featuring a 1.5k swim in the Potomac River, 40k bike course through downtown D.C., and a 10k run along Washington, DC's monumental corridor.

According to Charles Brodsky, founder of the Nation's Triathlon, "Participating in The Nation's TriathlonR Congressional Challenge is a great way for federal employees to showcase their competitive spirit and their support for a fit and healthy lifestyle. As a world class triathlon and the only one to take place in the nation's capital, we are pleased to welcome the participation of the people who make Washington, DC a world class city."

Teams can include one, two or three competitors who would divide the various legs of the race (run, swim, bike) and must be comprised of Members of Congress and/or their staff. Offices will compete against each other for the fastest times in each event as well as overall.

The challenge is open to all Hill staff and federal employees, including those who work for Administration offices and the White House. The race is sold out, so this is the only chance for federal employees to sign-up.

Mitchelton, QLD (July 10th, 2008) - If you are looking for a warm up event for the upcoming triathlon season, the Straddie Salute on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland may just fit the bill.

This is not your traditional triathlon though, with an offroad course designed to take your breath away – literally! The course starts with a 600m ocean swim and is followed by an 18km cycle on the island’s 4WD & sealed roads. The last leg is a 9km run along one of the most scenic coastal trails in Queensland. It is being billed as “an adventure in nature’s playground”.

Race director, John Guise, says the event is more about “fun than serious competition” but being at the start of the 08/09 triathlon season it’s also an ideal training event for more dedicated triathletes.

The Straddie Salute will be held on Sunday October 12th and coincides with the migration of the last of the humpback whales as they travel south on their annual pilgrimage. North Stradbroke Island is renowned for it’s common sightings with locals reporting frequent whale breaches within a few hundred metres of the shore. The island is 40 minutes drive plus a 50 minute ferry ride from Brisbane.

Dear Athlete,

It is with deep regret that I write to inform you that the 2008 Donner Lake Triathlon has been canceled due to poor air quality caused by the recent and ongoing fires in the Sierras and Butte County.

For the past several days, we have been closely monitoring the air quality in the Truckee region and have posted this information on our website. We have been in contact with numerous service organizations and health officials to determine if we should proceed with the event and have been advised not to. This morning we were highly disappointed that the Air Quality Index had taken a drastic turn for the worse and the air in Truckee was deemed unhealthy.

Through conversations with various officials regarding the fire, the predicted winds and the update from the Tahoe National Forest Service, the local fire is not projected to be contained and the smoke is expected to remain poor for at least another week.

This has been an agonizing decision for us to make. The health and safety of our participants is the paramount factor in every decision and we truly feel it is in your best interest to cancel the triathlon. By canceling the triathlon today, we give our participants the opportunity to cancel any hotel reservations and possibly save on unnecessary travel expenses.

Simon Whitfield of Canada and Emma Snowsill of Australia, both who will represent their countries at the Olympics in Beijing in August won the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis on Saturday. It's was Whitfield's first win and Snowsill's 3rd victory at the Life Time Fitness Triathlon and for their effort they both receive a nice check for $60,000.

Last year in the men's race Greg Bennett set a new course record with a time of 1:48:49. That record didn't last long as Whitfield used his blazing 4:56 / mile pace to set a new mark with a time of 1:48:01. The weather conditions for this year’s race were ideal, in the mid 60's and cloudy at the start of the race. This was a contributing factor in the blazing times in the men’s division as Andy Potts, Bennett and Stuart Hayes also beat last year’s record time.

Men’s Race Summary:
This was the first race for Andy Potts who last month did not qualify for the USA Olympic Team at the HyVee World Cup race in Des Moines. Maybe he had something to prove as he was the first out of the water with at least a 40 second lead on the other male professionals. Whitfield, Hayes and Brent McMahon initiated the chase out of T1. Local pro David Thompson's day didn't start off so well as he was down at least 2:40 exiting the swim, he finished the bike well behind the leaders and started the run but ended the day with a DNF. Bennett who was released as a memeber of the Australian Olympic team because of its country ranking blazed into T2 ahead of Potts and flew out of T2 with the lead. A pair of Canadians, Paul Tichelaar and Colin Jenkins followed in 3rd and 4th place with Craig Alexander and Matt Reed close behind. Bennett looked strong just past the 5km mark but Whitfield was right on his tail, step for step as they ran past us. Potts’ looked strong several seconds down and flying down the course chasing the lead group. You could hear the cheers down the road as the leaders approached the bend that sends them down to the finish line. Whitfield came around the bend first and was doing all he could to stay barely ahead of Potts and Bennett who were chasing him down to the finish line. Hunter Kemper who won a spot on the USA Olympic team in Des Moines finished in 10th place, over two minutes and thirty seconds behind the top finishers.

• David Thompson getting ready for the swim • Men's professional swim start • Women's professional field at the swim start • Greg Bennett & Andy Potts flying into T2 • Matt Reed coming into T2 • TJ Tollakson coming into T2 • David Thompson coming into T2 • Becky Lavelle, women's race leader into T2 • Sarah Haskins coming into T2 in 2nd place • Snowsill, Dibens and Zeiger flying into T2 • Greg Bennett leading Simon Whitfield half way into the run • Andy Potts chasing Bennett and Whitfield • Craig Alexander half way into the run • Hunter Kemper half way into the run • Sarah Haskins in 2nd place half way into the run • Julie Dibens half way into the run • Stuart Hayes finishing in 4th place • Becky Lavelle finishing in 3rd place • Joanna Zeiger sprinting to a 4th place finish • Simon Whitfield getting his 1st place check for $60,000

Oscar Galindez of Argentina who was last year's runner up at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship race and multiple Ironman Champion Lisa Bentley of Canada were victorious at the inaugural running of the Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island in Providence, Rhode Island.

Over 1,200 athletes participated in the inaugural event which consisted of a 1.2 mile Swim, a 56 mile Bike and a 13.1 mile Run.
 
2008 Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island Results:

For additional race coverage see:
Oscar Galindez and Lisa Bentley Claim Titles at Inaugural Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island [via I
 

Registration for two popular European Ironman triathlons opens tomorrow July 14th, 2008, Ironman Austria and Ironman Switzerland. If you hope to compete next year at one of these events make sure to register early!

The 10th Annual Ironman Austria race was a sell out this year and is expected to be next year as well. The 2009 Ironman Austria triathlon event which takes place in Klagenfurt is scheduled for Sunday, July 5th, 2009. Registration will open tomorrow at 6:00 PM EST. The entry fee is appears to be EURO 280.00 (roughly $445 USD). Go here to register for the 2009 Ironman Austria triathlon race.
 
Registration for next year's Ironman Switzerland triathlon event which takes place in Zurich is also scheduled to open registration tomorrow, not time has been stated on the website. The 2009 Ironman Switzerland is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 12th, 2009. The entry fee is EURO 400.00/CHF 600.00 (roughly $635 USD or $588 if you pay in Swiss Francs) until December 31st, 2008. The entry fee goes up January 1st, 2009 to EURO 450.00/CHF 680.00. To register for the 2009 Ironman Switzerland triathlon go here.

All-Expressway Bike Route for the 2008 Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore

Participants of this year’s Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore (September 7th, 2008), will again make history as for the first time ever in Singapore, an all-expressway bike route will be introduced for the exciting Ironman 70.3 event; the biggest such race in Asia.

The inaugural Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore race also set a precedent in being the first triathlon ever to receive approval for part of the bike route to be held on a local expressway by local authorities. This year organisers have worked even harder and authorities are allowing the 2008 Aviva Ironman 70.3 to be the first-ever sporting event to take the competitors from one end of the island to the other, with the scenic bike route spanning the island via freeways from the East Coast Park Way to Pasir Panjang, passing iconic landmarks like the new Singapore Flyer, the Esplanade and the famous Marina Bay cityscape, towering skyscrapers in the business district, Vivocity Mall, Sentosa Island and Mount Faber.

Another major change for this year’s Aviva Ironman 70.3 race includes a new start/end point at Playground @ Big Splash on the East Coast, and that means just one transition – a welcome change for competitors and spectators alike and allowing organiser, Hi-Tri Singapore to subtly reshape much of the course for safety and speed.

The running leg has been changed to a faster, flatter and shadier course when compared to the inaugural city route, which contained many twists and turns.

Jeffrey Foo, Course Director of organiser Hi-Tri Pte Ltd said: “Last year, Singapore hosted the inaugural Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore and the general feedback was very positive. However, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the event in general and to give our customer, the world’s triathletes, an even better race experience.”

The 10th Anniversary of Ironman Austria produces course records, personal bests and the world's fastest women's Ironman time ever. It was an amazing day in Klagenfurt as Sandra Wohlenhorst of Germany sets a new World Best Time for the Ironman distance in the women's division. She blows away Paula Newby-Fraser 14 year old mark of 8:50:53 by more than 3 minutes with a winning time of 8:47:25. Just last week at Ironman Germany Chrissie Wellington missed setting the new record by 31 seconds (link). Bella Comerford had a great race and was in the lead until Wohlenhorst passed her. She lowered her personal best with an amazing time of 8:51:15, probably the 4th or 5th women's fastest Ironman time ever.

As if that wasn't enough, earlier in the day Marino Vanhoenacker set a personal best time and broke the course record with his 3rd consecutive Ironman Austria victory. He blew away the mens field with a winning time of 8:06:07, at least seven minutes faster than 2nd place finisher Stephen Bayliss.

Wohlenhorst, a 36-year-old German mom finished sixth at Ironman Canada three years ago, then was off for a year due to an injury and then missed another year of racing to have a baby. As Wellington, it's amazing and strange to see a relatively unknowns coming close and/or setting world marks these days. You wonder how Wohlenhorst had the time to train raising her new baby and lower her personal best by over an hour.

 
2008 Ironman Austria Results:

Sandra Wohlenhorst world's fastest women's Ironman time ever at Ironman Austria didn't last long (link to post), maybe a few hours as a new World Best Time was set in her home country at the Quelle Challenge Roth triathlon race.

On a record-setting day in Roth, defending champion Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands took out a dramatic win that smashed triathlon legend Paula Newby-Fraser’s world record of 8:50:53 set here in 1994 with a scintillating 8:45:48. The new record is a minute thirty faster than the record set earlier by Wohlenhorst at Ironman Austria with a time of 8:47:25.

And proving that the bar has been lifted to new heights in women’s triathlon, the second place woman - Hungary’s Erika Csomor - also came in under Newby-Fraser’s time, in 8:47:05. Third went to New Zealand’s Gina Ferguson, in only her second year of Ironman racing, in 8:57:18.

Heat-loving New Caledonian Patrick Vernay, the two-time Ironman Australia champion, wasn’t sure he’d be able to go well in the rain at the seventh Quelle Challenge Roth on Sunday, but when he got to the run he did what he does best - fly. His 2:47 marathon carried him to the finish first in 8:09:34, three minutes clear of Aussie Pete Jacobs in second and Denmark’s Torbjørn Sindballe in third.
 
2008 Quelle Challenge Roth Results:

If you are looking for a training device for developing endurance and upper body strength for the swim portion of your triathlon event here is something new to check out. Speedo has introduced a new, technically advanced pull buoy flotation device for use in your swimming training drills.

"A pull buoy is a foam flotation device that is placed between a swimmer's legs to provide support while practicing different strokes. It is used to elevate the legs and properly position the body in the water. Pull buoys allow swimmers to focus on their arm movements and build upper body strength. The pull buoy should be positioned between the upper thighs, near the crotch, for proper body alignment." [via eHow]

The new Speedo Fillable Pull Buoy has a unique feature of variable buoyancy to suit different training drills. The variable buoyancy is done by filling the pull buoy with water to vary the flotation and drag. The variable buoyancy in the pull buoy promotes proper body position during key swim strength training sets.

Triathlon: Tagaman Triathlon
When: Saturday, April 25, 2009 @ 6:00 AM
Where: Micro Beach, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Divisions: Age Group, Relays
Distance: 2km Swim, 60km Bike, 15km Run
Website: www.tagaman.com

History of the Tagaman Triathlon

The Tagaman Triathlon was established by the then Managing Director of the Marianas Visitors Authority, JM Guerrero, to promote tourism, and with the help of Kinki Nippon Tours and a trip to Miyakojima for their major triathlon, a small island south of Japan, the seed was planted.

The first Tagaman Triathlon was held in 1988, on Saipan, with the assistance of the All Japan Triathlon Club, who helped not only as officials but even brought a few bikes for the local athletes. This was the beginning of triathlons on Saipan and the existence of the Tagaman Triathlon.

Participation grew to over 300 in 1992 and then leveled off to around 200 triathletes. The majority of participants in the early years were from Japan, with a good number from Australia, Hawaii and the USA, Hong Kong and Guam. In recent years we have seen more participants from Korea, and other Asian and Pacific Island nations; we even have participants coming from Europe.

The Tagaman is the longest running race in the Western Pacific, drawing its name and inspiration from TAGAMAN, a legendary king of the ancient Chamorros. His feats of strength included moving huge boulders carved as capstones, known as Taga Stones, a unique remnant of the original island people of the Marianas.

Triathletes of all levels and ages, and challenged athletes are welcome. A few years ago the race was opened to relay teams. The course has changed over the years to make it more inviting and now traces the island from its southern tip to the northern tip at Bird Island, and finishes with the run in the center of the island at the famous Micro Beach.

On a hot day in Pasadena in the remote wilderness of Newfoundland Craig Alexander defends his Ironman 70.3 Newfoundland title, again beating out fellow Aussie Richie Cunningham for the win. On the women's side Mirinda Carfrae, the 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion led the race from start to finish claiming her first title at the Ironman 70.3 Newfoundland race. Cynthia Wilson of Canada stayed close to Carfrae but fell of her pace on the run, she ended up finishing six minutes behind Carfrae to claim 2nd place.

2008 Ironman 70.3 Newfoundland Results:

We have another new Ironman 70.3 Series race being added to the schedule in 2009, this time it's the city of Calgary getting a new race. Calgary is nestled in the foothills of Western Canada’s Rocky Mountains in the providence of Alberta.

Triathlon: Ironman 70.3 Calgary
When: Sunday, August 2, 2009
Where: Ghost Lake - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Divisions: Professionals, Age Group,
Website: www.ironmancalgary.com

This new 70.3 point to point race will feature a 1.2 mi Swim, a 56 mi Bike and a 13.1 mi Run starting in Ghost Lake and finishing around Glenmore Reservoir on the outskirts of Calgary. Ghost Lake is located about 66km northwest of downtown Calgary and will give athletes a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains. After the swim in Ghost Lake athletes will transverse through a challenging rolling terrain course enjoying panoramic views of the open prairies the area has to offer on their way to Glenmore Reservoir on the outskirts of the city of Calgary. The scenic out-and-back run will take athletes half way around and through the valleys of the Glenmore Reservoir.

This will be the third Ironman 70.3 race in Canada. The other two race are Ironman 70.3 Muskoka which was added to the schedule last year and will have its inaugural debut this September and Ironman 70.3 Newfoundland which took place this past weekend.

The new Ironman 70.3 Calgary triathlon will have 40 slots available to the 2009 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida.

Not many other details are available at this time but registration for this new Ironman 70.3 triathlon is set to open on Saturday, August 2, 2008, one year to the day of the inaugural event. Check the race website for further details.

The Longhorn Ironman 70.3 Austin is still accepting entries but it's nearing it's capacity. Only about 100 race entries are available at this time. The triathlon was expected to draw nearly 2000 participants.

The inaugural race in Austin, TX is still 65 days out, scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 5th, 2008. If you are interested in racing, make sure to register soon so you don't miss out. Other race registration options for this triathlon include Relay Teams and an AquaBike Division. The race will have 50 qualifying slots for the 2009 Ironman World Championship 70.3 race in Clearwater, Florida.

The race replaces the Longhorn Triathlon Festival which usually took place around the same time in previous years. The race is put on by Endorfun Sports who also produces the popular Timberman 70.3 triathlon in New Hampshire.