Rudy Von Berg Leads University of Colorado to Fifth Straight USAT Collegiate National Team Title

CU Also Claims Men’s Title and Women’s Runner-up Position

Tempe, Ariz. — The University of Colorado once again came out on top, claiming victory with their fifth consecutive overall team title and the men’s team title, while UCLA took home the women’s team title ahead of the Colorado women, and California won their second Mixed Team Relay title at Saturday’s USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship at Tempe Beach Park. The event took place on a course that featured a 1,500-meter swim, 36-kilometer bike, and 10-kilometer run.

Rudy Von Berg from the University of Colorado broke away from the field on the run to claim the individual men’s title in a time of 1 hour 44 minutes 41 seconds, almost 90 seconds ahead of the field. UCSD’s William Jones was second, coming in to finish at 1:46:05, and Steve Mantell of Colorado State had the third-fastest time of the day in 1:46:08.

A group of California-based swimmers, including Greg Harper from California and the Stanford trio of Thomas Roos, Andrew Roos and Eirik Ravnan, were the first athletes out of the water. Out on the 36k bike course, Von Berg made his move with the fourth-fastest bike time to put himself into prime position for the run. He then posted one of the fastest run splits of the day (33:10) to better his finish position from 2013 and become the overall collegiate champion.

“I really improved a good amount from last year. It was my first year and I didn’t know what to expect. This year I trained a lot […] and improved my swim and my run, and I thought I could win,” Von Berg said. “It all went well, and I’m very happy.”

In the women’s race, UCLA’s Liz Noey won her first title in 1:59:08. Noey’s UCLA teammate Laurence Delisle and Califonia’s Erika Erickson battled it out for second and third down the finish chute, with Delisle clinching second in 2:00:21 and Erickson taking third in 2:00:24.

Colorado scored 4,028 combined points for the overall team title, which they have won consecutively since 2010. UCLA was the second-place team overall, collecting 4,007 points, and Cal’s men and women combined for third place in the team competition with 3,878 points. The team results were nearly the same as the 2013 event, where Cal finished second and UCLA was third.

The Colorado men’s team was able to repeat their win from last year, thanks to Rudy Von Berg’s win, scoring 2,003 points. California men were second with 1,972 points, and the U.S. Naval Academy earned 1,960 points for third.

With Liz Noey and Laurence Delisle finishing 1-2 in the Olympic-distance race and Kelly Kosmo finishing third in the Draft-Legal Collegiate Championships, UCLA won the women’s title with 2,073 points. A total of 2,025 points put the Colorado women in second, and the University of Arizona TriCats women were third with 1,953 points.

Cal’s Erika Erickson was a repeat winner for the women’s combined award, once again earning two podium spots in the individual events. Ian Boggs from Indiana, the winner of Friday’s draft-legal sprint and fifth-place finisher in the Olympic-distance event, captured the men’s combined award.

The California team of Erika Erickson, Greg Harper, Anna Kudej and Yoni Doron-Peters combined forces to win the third annual Mixed Team Relay event, the final race of a thrilling Collegiate Nationals weekend. Cal bested the field of 40 teams, crossing the line in 1:10:32, nearly a minute ahead of second-place team Cal Poly, who finished in 1:11:26. Arizona State University rounded out the relay podium, logging a time of 1:11:43.

2014 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships (Olympic-distance)

Men’s Overall

1. Rudy Von Berg (Colorado), 1:44:41
2. William Jones (UCSD), 1:46:05
3. Steve Mantell (Colorado State), 1:46:08
4. Justin Metzler (Oakton), 1:47:16
5. Ian Boggs (Indiana), 1:47:29 

Women’s Overall

1. Liz Noey (UCLA), 1:59:08
2. Laurence Delisle (UCLA), 2:00:21
3. Erika Erickson (California), 2:00:24
4. Lauryn Macfawn (Virginia Tech), 2:02:38
5. Lindsey Ryder (Arizona State), 2:03:05

Overall Team Standings

1. Colorado, 4,028
2. UCLA, 4,007
3. Cal, 3,878
4. West Point, 3,878 (tie-breaker)
5. U.S. Naval Academy, 3,783

Women’s Team Standings

1. UCLA, 2,073
2. Colorado, 2,025
3. Arizona, 1,953
4. West Point, 1,931
5. UC San Diego, 1,922

Men’s Team Standings

1. Colorado, 2,003
2. Cal, 1,972
3. U.S. Naval Academy, 1,960
4. West Point, 1,947
5. UCLA, 1,934

University of Colorado Triathlon Team at Collegiate Nationals

2014: National Champions (Coach Brad Seng)
2013: National Champions (Coach Mike Ricci)
2012: National Champions (Coach Mike Ricci)
2011: National Champions (Coach Mike Ricci)
2010: National Champions (Coach Mike Ricci)
2009: 3rd Place (Coach Mike Ricci)
2008: 2nd Place (Coach Kirk Nelson)
2007: 3rd place (Coach Kirk Nelson)
2006: 3rd Place (student coaches)
2005: National Champions (student coaches)
2004: National Champions (Coach Matt Eagan)
2003: National Champions (Coach Ryan Ignatz)
2002: National Champions (Coach Bettina Younge)
2001: 2nd place (Coach Bettina Younge)
2000: National Champions (Coach Neal Henderson)
1999: National Champions (Coach Neal Henderson)
1998: National Champions (Coach Rick Ellison)
1997: National Champions (Coach Rick Ellison)
1996: National Champions (Coach Rick Ellison)
1995: 2nd place (Coach Rick Ellison)
1994: National Champions (student coaches)

Individual Champions

2014: Rudy Von Berg
2013: Michelle Mehnert
2011: Karl “Rudy” Kahsar
2009: Jessica Broderick
2002: Sara Tarkington
2000: Beth Anderson
1999: Teri Duthie; Nick Cady
1993: Danelle Ballengee

Source:

USA Triathlon