Ann Lantz and Celleste Callahan Win Age-group ITU Olympic Distance World Titles

ColoradoTriathlete.com

ISSUE #19, Winter 2003 – The International Triathlon Union Olympic Distance World Championships were held in Cancun, Mexico this year. The turquoise waters were as beautiful as ever for the shore-line swim, but gave way to the hot, flat course that is this race’s trademark. It was the site of the Championships in 1995 as well.

Defending champion Siri Lindley of Boulder went into the race ranked number one in the world, with World Cup wins this year in Switzerland, Hungary, and Canada (2). After a good swim she came out of the water in the chase pack just a half a minute behind the leaders. She and Michellie Jones of Australia worked to catch the lead group but were slowed by a crash in their pack. On the run, she suffered from the heat and had not drank enough water during the bike. She finished 13th.

USAT National Team member Hunter Kemper was the top placing American, not an unusual position for him. After a great swim but a slow first transition he missed the lead pack on the bike. He managed to pull his group back up to the leaders, but had another rough transition and left T2 about 40th. He ran strong through the field and came in 12th.

Colorado age-groupers helped a powerful U.S. team to over half of the total medals, winning three golds. Ann Lantz of Centennial topped the 35-39 division and Celleste Callahan of Denver took the 60-64 title. In the Physically Challenged divisions Amelia Dickerson of Greenwood Village was the only blind woman participant, but that made her gold medal no less deserved.

Before the race, Siri Lindley had announced her intention to retire from professional racing at the end of the season. She had fulfilled her goal of winning the World Cup series for a second year in a row and had last year’s World Championship win. Although many had assumed she would go for the 2004 Athens Olympic Team, in the end she missed having time for friends and family after so arduous and successful a racing career. Two more years of that kind of effort was more than she was willing to sacrifice. Siri has no intention of leaving the sport, however. She is excited about staying involved through broadcasting, coaching, and speaking engagements.

ITU Olympic Distance World Championships

1.5 K / 40 K / 10 K

Cancun, Mexico

Female 20-24

6 Gilbert Sunny Boulder CO 2:19:09
72 Rydholm Amber Boulder CO 2:36:35

Female 25-29

22 Stock Camilla Co. Springs CO 2:23:02
40 Melliar-Smith Karen Denver CO 2:27:49

Female 30-34

5 Gillam Amanda Boulder CO 2:15:55

Female 35-39

1 Lantz Ann Centennial CO 2:11:36

Female 55-59

12 Wood Jean Louisville CO 2:51:54

Female 60-64

1 Callahan Celeste Denver CO 3:00:25

Male 20-24

11 Iaia William Highlands Ranch CO 2:06:10
40 Rakita Branden Fort Collins CO 2:14:55

Male 25-29

82 Cain Scott Denver CO 2:23:33

Male 35-39

36 Ruhser Rich Denver CO 2:13:57

Male 45-49

10 Noleen Woody Co. Springs CO 2:14:24
21 Quintero Cisco Erie CO 2:20:46

Male 60-64

11 Chessnoe Michael Denver CO 2:35:26

Blind female

1 Dickerson Amelia Greenwood VillageCO 3:12:26

Below knee amputee male

2 Martin Paul Boulder CO 2:45:37

Elite men

10 Reed Matt (New Zealand)/Boulder CO 1:52:30
12 Kemper Hunter** Longwood FL 1:52:36
18 Umphenour Joe** Bellingham WA 1:53:14
21 Fretta Mark** Portland OR 1:53:29
57 Fleichmann Brian** Jacksonville FL 2:00:22

Elite women

13 Lindley Siri Boulder CO 2:04:10
20 Williams Susan Littleton CO 2:06:04
43 Handel Kelly** Zionsville IN 2:12:33

Elite Under 23

52 Valenti Chris Boulder CO 2:11:21

Elite Junior men

41 Caskey Justin Boulder CO 59:45:00

Elite Junior women

7 Oeinck Jasmine Littleton CO 1:02:18

**USAT National Resident Team Member, Colorado Springs