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:
| Women | Men |
| Laura Bennett (USA) - USA Triathlon Olympic Team Member |
Craig Alexander (AUS) - 2006 Ironman 70.3 World Champion |
| Liz Blatchford (GBR) | Chris Bagg (USA) |
| Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) - 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion |
Greg Bennett (AUS) - Life Time Series Triathlon Series Champion |
| Julie Dibens (GBR) - 2008 Ironman 70.3 Switzerland Champion |
Bevan Docherty (NZL) - New Zealand Olympic Team Member |
| Mary Beth Ellis (USA) | Claude Eksteen (GER) |
| Laruen Groves (CAN) - Canadian Olympic Team Member |
Stephen Hackett (AUS) - 2008 Memphis in May Triathlon Champion |
| Sarah Haskins (USA) - USA Triathlon Olympic Team Member |
Stuart Hayes (GBR) |
| Becky Lavelle (USA) - Minnesota Native |
Colin Jenkins (CAN) |
| Joanna Lawn (NZL) - 2008 Ironman New Zealand Champion |
Hunter Kemper (USA) - USA Triathlon Olympic Team Member |
| Sara McLarty (USA) | Paul Matthews (AUS) |
| Emma Snowsill (AUS) - Australia Olympic Team Member |
Brent McMahon (CAN) |
| Amanda Stevens (USA) | Andy Potts (USA) - 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion |
| Jodie Swallow (GBR) | Jordan Rapp (USA) |
| Samantha Warriner (NZL) - New Zealand Olympic Team Member |
Matt Reed (USA) - USA Triathlon Olympic Team Member |
| Laurel Wassner (USA) | Shane Reed (NZL) - New Zealand Olympic Team Member |
| Rebeccah Wassner (USA) | Peter Robertson (AUS) |
| Joanna Zeiger (USA) - 2008 Eagleman Ironman 70.3 Champion |
Michael Simpson (CAN) |
| Will Smith (NZL) | |
| David Thompson (USA) - Minnesota Native, Bike Split Record (54:54) |
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| Simon Thompson (AUS) | |
| Paul Tichelaar (CAN) | |
| TJ Tollakson (USA) - 2nd at 2008 Ironman Arizona |
|
| Simon Whitfield (CAN) - Canada Olympic Team Member |
In 2008, the Series announced the Race to the Toyota Cup will award the top female and male triathletes in each of three separate divisions: Professional, Elite Amateur and Age Group at the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon in Dallas. The 2008 Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series will offer $1.45 million in cash prizes for the Professional division and like in 2007 includes a Series Super Bonus of $300,000 to each female and male professional athlete who wins all Series races.
The Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series was launched in 2006 when it linked the top 4 Olympic distance triathlon events in the United States. The races were the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis, the Nautica New York City Triathlon in New York City, the Accenture Chicago Triathlon in Chicago and the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlonin Los Angeles. In 2007 the series was expanded to include a Championship event, the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon in Dallas.
Additional information on the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series can be found at: www.ltftriathlonseries.com
Related Posts:
• Greg Bennett Wins the $300,000 Bonus in Dallas
• NYC Tri, Ironman USA, Boulder Peak Tri, Vineman 70.3 Results
• Big Payday for Greg Bennett This Time
• No ''Battle of the Sexes'' Race for Life Time Fitness Triathlon
• Dallas to host the U.S. Open Triathlon Championship
