Wednesday, March 17, 2010

USAT Collegiate Nationals Returns To Lubbock, TX

USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals Set to Return to Lubbock
Annual event will take place Saturday, April 17.


COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. — With the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship set for Saturday, April 17, the nation's top college triathletes are just one month away from returning to Lubbock, Texas, for a shot at a national title.


As of Monday, 724 student-athletes from 82 collegiate clubs have committed to toe the starting line at Buffalo Springs Lake. The United States' top collegiate triathlon event is being held in Lubbock for the second straight year.

The Olympic-distance Collegiate National Championship, which features a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike and 10-kilometer run, will start at 9 a.m.

The Collegiate Sprint Triathlon, comprised of a 500-meter swim, 17.6-mile bike and 5-kilometer run, will start at 12:30 p.m. As of Monday, 147 competitors have signed up for the sprint event.

"USA Triathlon is excited to bring our Collegiate National Championship back to Lubbock," said Jeff Dyrek, USAT's national events director. "We experienced great support from the community last year, and we look forward to an even better turn out this year. Area sports fans will have a unique opportunity to see the next generation of triathlon stars today."

The U.S. Naval Academy, which claimed the overall team title in 2009, will look to repeat as champion in 2010. Joining Navy in the field will be local favorite Texas Tech University, as well as Lone Star State squads from Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at Tyler.

The USAT Collegiate National Championship has been a springboard to success for some of the nation's top up-and-coming triathletes. USA Triathlon Project 2012 team members Steve Sexton and Kevin Collington, as well as Project 2016 team member Barrett Brandon, were collegiate national champions in recent years.

The host hotel for this year's event will be the Overton Hotel and Conference Center, which will host packet pick-up and an expo Thursday, April 15, and Friday, April 16.

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon - one of the fastest growing sports in the world - as well as duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon in the United States. USAT sanctions 3,100 races and connects with nearly 130,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USAT provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Championships, Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games.

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