World Champions and Olympians on the Starting Line
The 17th Annual Boulder Peak Triathlon will take place on Sunday, July 20 at the Boulder Reservoir. Among the nearly 1,700 triathletes expected to race are:
- 2006 & 2007 Men’s Champions, Simon Lessing and Matt Reed. Lessing is a 5-time Triathlon World Champion, and Reed will be representing Team USA in 2008 Beijing Olympics
- 2005 Women’s Champion, Amanda Lovato, and 6 of the top 10 women from 2007
- 3X Triathlon World Champion and 2000 and 2004 Olympian, Peter Robertson, Australia.
- Xterra Triathlon stars, Seth Wealing (2006 U.S. Champion) and Jennifer Smith (4th at 2007 World Xterra Championship
- Brian Fleischmann, winner of last week’s ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup
- Nearly 40 pros in total
- Also, legendary 78 year-old Sister Madonna Buder
This 1.5K swim, 42K bike, and 10K run is considered among the best triathlons in the United States annually. The race was sold out in early March, and the $35,000 in professional prize money is one of the larger purses in the sport for an Olympic distance triathlon. This year’s event will be televised in a special one-hour broadcast on Versus TV nationally in August, followed by regional broadcasts of the show on Comcast Entertainment Television throughout September.
The age group (amateur) race begins at 6:30 AM; while the pros begin racing at 8:45 (women) and 9:00 (men). This staggered start for the pro men and women was begun nearly 10 years ago, as it attempts to “equalize” the finishing times of the top men and women, such that they should be racing among each other toward the finish line. The first professional across the finish line – male of female – receives an additional $1,000 bonus, in addition to their first place prize of $6,000.
Age group competitors are also racing for top finishes, as the 3-race “Boulder Triathlon Series” awards over $15,000 in cash and prizes to the Series age group Champions. Each of last year’s overall age group Champions – Leah Larson/Daugherty and Mark Van Akkeren - went on to turn professional, and are racing the Boulder Peak as pros this year.
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