Courtesy: event press release

The Timberman Triathlon Festival in Gilford, NH, on August 20-21 will host more that 2500 athletes. Approximately 85 of these athletes will be competing in the inaugural "Best of the US Amateur Triathlete Competition Championship," which kicks off the TTF at 7:10 AM on Saturday, August 20. The "Best of the US" event consists of a 1K swim, a hilly 15 mile bike leg and a 4 mile run.

The top 10 male and female "Best of..." finishers will receive special awards. Moreover, the top 3 "State Teams" (combined times of the male and female state representatives) will also receive awards.

Participants range in age from 18 (rising star Katie Barnoskie of Kansas) to 52 (the amazing Karen McKeachie of Michigan). Ten of the entrants are 40 (12%) or older. Married couple Scott and Andrea Myers will represent Ohio.

Here are some of the favorites in the individual competition:

MEN:

Christopher Martin, 29, Princeton Jct., NJ (2004 25-29 National Champion)
John Reback, 35, North Palm Beach, FL (2003 USAT Triathlete of the Year)
Brian Bich, 39, Duluth, MN (2004 35-39 National Champion)
Bruce Gennari, 39, Brentwood, TN (2001 USAT Triathlete of the Year)
Jim Vance, 28, San Diego, CA
Kevin Everett, 30, Boise, ID
Peter Hursty, 32, Honolulu, HI
Dameon Hahn, 27, Tempe, AZ
Craig Greenslit, 35, Berthoud, CO
Scott Myers, 30, Wellston, OH

WOMEN:

Margie Shapiro, 28, Annandale, VA
Shelby Sheffield, 31, Nashville, TN
Wendy Mader, 32, Fort Collins, CO (2004 30-34 National Champion)
Donna Kay-Ness, 42, Somers, CT (3 x US Triathlete of the Year)
Lotte Branigan, 30, Vero Beach, FL
Christen King, 28, Huntington Beach, CA
Emily Deppe, 25, Minnetonka, MN (2003 20-24 National Champion)
Erica McClurg, 35, Phoenix, AZ
Bree Myers-Wee, 24, Kailua-Kona, HI
Randy Swormstedt, 34, Laconia, NH

Here are some of the top State Teams:

Tennessee (Bruce Gennari & Shelby Sheffield)
Florida (John Reback & Lotte Branigan)
Minnesota (Brian Bich & Emily Deppe)
Colorado (Craig Greenslit & Wendy Mader)
Hawaii (Peter Hursty & Bree Myers-Wee)
Arizona (Dameon Hahn & Erica McClurg)

For more information on the "Best of the US Amateur Triathlete Competition," contact Jerry at 651-714-1829 or jerry@midwestevents.com.