Courtesy: USAT

Having fun and finishing the race were the big goals Saturday at the USA Triathlon Youth National Championships in New Orleans, La.; but that didn't stop the athletes from racing hard.

Kids ages 7-15 from as far away as California competed. The 7-8 and 9-10 age groupers did a 100m swim, a 5k bike and a 1k run. The 11-12 and 13-15 age groupers did a 200m swim, 10k bike and 2k run. The 13-15 age groupers race was considered an exhibition.

The course was in and around the campus of the University of New Orleans, including a swim at the Aquatics Center.

Complete results are available at www.usatriathlon.org/Events/YouthNationals/Champs _Youth_national.htm.

USA Triathlon Youth National Championships
Aug. 27, 2005; New Orleans, La.
National Championship Podiums

Ages 7-8
100m swim; 5k bike; 1k run

Girls
1. Mary Orders (8; Arcata, Calif.) 21:25
2. Aleena Villani (8; Pleasant Prairie, Wis.) 22:20
3. Lindsay Wallace (8; North Augusta, S.C.) 24:21

Boys
1. Kyle Rex (8; Colorado Springs, Colo.) 19:45
2. Seth Rider (8; Germantown, Tenn.) 20:44
3. F. Cole Wiegand (8; Mandeville, La.) 22:54

Ages 9-10
100m swim; 5k bike; 1k run

Girls
1. Sarah Orders (10; Arcata, Calif.) 19:08
2. Laurel Rathbun (9; Monument, Colo.) 19:42
3. Mary Pittman (10; Bham, Ala.) 19:54

Boys
1. Thomas Walsh (10; Vail, Colo.) 18:00
2. Benjamin Brown (10; Colorado Springs, Colo.) 18:01
3. Carter Dickson (10; Aurora, Ill.) 18:25

Ages 11-12
200m swim; 10k bike; 2k run

Girls
1. Jennifer Howland (12; Elburn, Ill.) 34:05
2. Grace Orders (12; Arcata, Calif.) 34:37
3. Madison Prado (12; Cedar Park, Texas) 35:15

Boys
1. Luke Farkas (12; Franklin, Tenn.) 31:20
2. Rhys Rathbun (12; Monument; Colo.) 32:07
3. Eric Yatko (12; Clermont, Fla.) 35:08

Ages 13-15 (exhibition)
200m swim; 10k bike; 2k run

Girls
1. Sarah Andrews (14; The Woodlands, Texas) 35:02
2. Kimball Nicholson (13; River Ridge, La.) 40:06
3. Lane Dickson (13; Aurora, Ill.) 47:42

Boys
1. Joseph Welsh (15; Cordova, Tenn.) 29:52
2. Mattie Rider (13; Germantown, Tenn.) 35:07
3. Stephen Perera (13; Mandeville, La.) 39:22