Kemper, Taormina Win Pan American Championships - Triathlon Week

Robert G. · 03-30-2004, 11:47 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 22, 2004) - U.S. elite triathletes Hunter Kemper and Sheila Taormina overcame high temperatures and humidity to win the Acapulco International Triathlon Union (ITU) Pan American Championships on Saturday in Mexico.

The Pan American Championships are open only to elite triathletes from North, Central and

South America. They are worth twice the ITU ranking points of a Continental Cup race, though not as much as a World Cup.

Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), ranked No. 11 in the world and No. 1 in the United States, had the fastest run of the day, finishing the 10 kilometers in 29 minutes, 15 seconds and winning the race in 1:45:58. His U.S. teammate, Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) was second in 1:47:31 and Javier Rosas of Mexico was third in 1:47:40.

Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) was fourth in 1:48:19.

In the women's race, Taormina (Livonia, Mich.; No. 3 world and U.S.), usually known for her strong swimming, also had the fastest run time of the day in 35:12. She won the race in 1:57:51. Her U.S. teammate Joanna Zeiger (Boulder, Colo.), ranked 28th in the world and fourth in the United States, placed second in 1:58:23. Suzanne Weckend of Canada was third in 1:59:32.

Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.) was fourth in 2:01:02.

Time is running out for U.S. triathletes who are not ranked in the top 125 in the world to get there so they can try to qualify for the 2004 U.S. Olympic triathlon team. The cutoff date for a top 125 ranking is April 11, one week before the USA Triathlon 2004 Race to Athens - Hawaii on April 18 in Honolulu.

The next opportunity to earn ITU ranking points will come March 27 at the Valle de Bravo ITU America's Continental Cup Triathlon in Mexico.

For complete results, go to www.triathlon.org.

Acapulco ITU Pan American Championships
March 20, 2004; Acapulco, Mexico
1.5k (two laps) swim; 40k (eight laps) bike; 10k (four laps) run

Men
1. Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) 1:45:58; 2. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) 1:47:31; 3. Javier Rosas (Mexico) 1:47:40; 4. Victor Plata (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) 1:48:19; 5. Daniel Fontana (Argentina) 1:48:22; 6. Juraci Moreira (Brazil) 1:48:33; 7. Brian Fleischmann (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1:48:54; 8. Doug Friman (Tucson, Ariz.) 1:48:59; 9. Marcel Vifian (Santa Rosa, Calif.) 1:49:10; 10. Michael Smedley (Buchanan, Mich.) 1:49:13.
Other U.S. Finishers
12. Andy Kelsey (Cupertino, Calif.); 13. Joe Umphenour (Bellevue, Wash.); 17. Seth Wealing (Fowler, Ind.); 19. Derek Kite (Malibu, Calif.); 27. Brendan Murphy (Aurora, Colo.); 32. Greg Remaly (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

Women
1. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 1:57:51; 2. Joanna Zeiger (Boulder, Colo.) 1:58:23; 3. Suzanne Weckend (Canada) 1:59:32; 4. Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.) 2:01:02; 5. Sandra Soldan (Brazil) 2:01:15; 6. Carla Moreno (Brazil) 2:02:17; 7. Kelly Cook (Marietta, Ga.) 2:03:13; 8. Pamela Geijo (Argentina) 2:03:22; 9. Jessica Harrison (Great Britain) 2:03:44; 10. Courtney Bennigson (Boston, Mass.) 2:03:56
Other U.S. Finishers
12. Kelly Handel (Zionsville, Ind.); 14. Amanda Stevens (Enid, Okla.); 16. Amanda Pagon (Glenn Dale, Md.); 17. Beth Carlson (Seal Beach, Calif.); 18. Alexis Waddel (Seaside, Calif.); 24. Desiree Ficker (Potomac, Md.); 27. Jessi Stensland (San Diego, Calif.); 28. Florence Chretien (Natick, Mass.)