Courtesy: USAT

Age group triathletes and duathletes were in New York and Minnesota on Saturday for their last chances to earn spots on the 2002 U.S. age group triathlon and duathlon world championship teams.

In Lake Placid, N.Y., approximately 650 athletes braved temperatures in the 50s, wind and rain to compete at the Mrs. T's USA Triathlon World Championship Qualifier. At least six spots on Team USA were available in each age group. The team will compete at the 2002 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Championships on Nov. 9-10 in Cancun, Mexico.

In the end, David Thompson, 24, of Appleton, Minn., and Amanda Gillam, 30, of Boulder, Colo., were the overall winners.

Thompson, the 2001 USA Triathlon Midwest Region Long Course Champion, finished the men's Olympic distance course in 2 hours, 1 minute, 11 seconds. Michael Hagen (West Point, N.Y.), 40, a major in the U.S. Army who won the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship on June 1, was second in the men's race. Michael Orton (Reston, Va.), 19, the top-ranked U.S. age group triathlete in the 18-19 division in 2001, used a phenomenal swim time of 17:40 to place third.

Gillam, a world duathlon gold medalist who placed fifth at the 1999 world triathlon championship, won the women's race in 2:13:22. Her bike and run times - 1:06:48 and 39:29 respectively - were particularly strong.

Julie Swail (Irvine, Calif.), 30, a member of the 2000 U.S. women's water polo team that took silver at the Olympic Games in Sydney Australia, was second (2:13:56). Shannon Rahlves (Truckee, Calif.), 27, a former all-American skier at the University of Colorado at Boulder, was third.

For complete results, go to www.lakeplacid.com/triathlon.

The weather was better for the Apple Duathlon in Sartell, Minn., although athletes did have to deal with some strong winds while complete in the 10K run, 42K bike and 5K run. Athlete competed hard for spots on the U.S. team that will compete at the ITU World Duathlon Championships on Oct. 19 in Alpharetta, Ga.

Michael Hay, 35, of Canada won the men's race while Edmond J. Hickey (Madison, Wis.), 34, was the top American finisher in second.

Jan Guenther (Long Lake, Minn.), 43, took the women's title.

Hay's winning time was 1:56:24. Hickey, who placed third at the 2001 long course duathlon world championships and 13th at the duathlon world championships, was just behind in 1:56:30 and Michael Stoick (St. Paul, Minn.), 25, a top runner, was third in 1:57:38.

Guenther, the 1999 U.S. masters triathlon champion, won the women's race in 2:10:06. Marnie Walth (Bismarck, N.D.), 33, who won the 2001 Apple Duathlon, was second in 2:11:45 and Kim Fordham-Lien (Aberdeen, S.D.), 35, another top regional duathlete, was third in 2:12:44.

For complete results, go to www.appleduathlon.com.

Mrs. T's USA Triathlon Age Group World Championship Qualifier
June 15, 2002; Lake Placid, N.Y.
1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run

Men
1. David Thompson (24, Appleton, Minn.) 2:01:11; 2. Michael Hagen (40, West Point, N.Y.) 2:01:27; 3. Michael Orton (19, Reston, Va.) 2:02:18; 4. Matt Lieto (24, Danville, Calif.) 2:02:27; 5. James Duff (26, Los Angeles, Calif.) 2:02:57; 6. Tony Schiller (44, Chanhassen, Minn.) 2:03:07; 7. Peter Kain (39, Cupertino, Calif.) 2:03:11; 8. Chris Shaffer (21, Ithaca, N.Y.) 2:03:29; 9. Timothy O'Donnell (22, Annapolis, Md.) 2:04:05; 10. Matt Nuffort (27, Lexington, Mass.) 2:04:25

Women
1. Amanda Gillam (30, Boulder, Colo.) 2:13:22; 2. Julie Swail (30, Irvine, Calif.) 2:13:56; 3. Shannon Rahlves (27, Truckee, Calif.) 2:15:29; 4. Amy Rice (40, Wakefield, R.I.) 2:17:17; 5. Jessica Jones (24, Bellaire, Texas) 2:17:54; 6. Heidi Grimm (35, Leavenworth, Kan.) 2:17:55; 7. Margaret Shapiro (26, Annandale, Va.) 12:19:09; 8. Amory Rowe (28, Middletown, R.I.) 2:19:25; 9. Andrea Dvorak (22, Mclean, Va.) 2:19:52; 10. Ann Lantz (39, Centennial, Colo.) 2:20:11

Apple Duathlon
June 15, 2002; Sartell, Minn.
10K bike, 42K run, 5K bike

Men
1. Michael Hay (35, Canada) 1:56:24 2. Edmond J. Hickey (34, Madison, Wis.) 1:56:30; 3. Michael Stoick (25, St. Paul, Minn.) 1:57:38; 4. Hector Rios (35, Wichita, Kan.) 1:58:07; 5. Erin Kees (25, Madison, Wis.) 1:58:08; 6. Chad Millner (26, Eden Prairie, Minn.) 1:58:45; 7. Jim Pingel (34, Milwaukee, Wis.) 1:59:43; 8. Derek Hager (41, Minneapolis, Minn.) 2:00:03; 9. Lance Shimomura (31, Fort Collins, Colo.) 2:00:10; 10. Scott Myers (27, Crystal, Minn.) 2:00:27

Women
1. Jan Guenther (43, Long Lake, Minn.) 2:10:06; 2. Marnie Walth (33, Bismarck, N.D.) 2:11:45 3. Kim Fordham-Lien (35, Aberdeen, S.D.) 2:12:44; 4. Robin Tedlund (44, Duluth, Minn.) 2:17:52; 5. Alida Anderson (33, Bethesda, Md.) 2:18:40; 6. Amy Kuitse (39, South Bend, Ind.) 2:20:27; 7. Molly Cochran (27, Lakeville, Minn.) 2:21:22; 8. Lauren Fithian (44, Minneapolis, Minn.) 2:22:20; 9. Jill Koski (37, St. Cloud, Minn.) 2:23:02; 10. Renne Richards (29, Oshkosh, Wis.) 2:23:10