Courtesy: USAT

U.S. elite triathletes Sheila Taormina, Hunter Kemper and Barb Lindquist all won titles at International Triathlon Union (ITU) points races over the weekend.

Lindquist's victory, which came March 8 at the Devonport International Triathlon in Australia, moved her into first place in the ITU world rankings. Lindquist had been No. 2 behind retired U.S. elite triathlete Siri Lindley.

Lindquist and Australian Loretta Harrop swam in the lead together and they worked together on the bike to put time on the chase pack, which included world champion Leanda Cave from Great Britain and compatriot Anneliese Heard.

Harrop attacked early on the run and opened up a lead. However by the 7k mark, Lindquist had fought back and then put 200 meters on Harrop. Lindquist won the Olympic distance race in 2 hours, 55 seconds.

Harrop held on to second while Australia's Melissa Ashton placed third.

Australia's Chris Hill won the men's title.

Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) and Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) were the winners at the Bay Islands International Triathlon on Saturday in Honduras. In Australia, Lindquist (Victor, Idaho) won the Devonport International Triathlon, which was the fifth race in the Accenture triathlon race series.

Despite hot temperatures, Taormina took a lead on the bike leg of the Olympic distance race and held it on the run, winning in 2:30:16. Susie Gallucci (Hudson, Ohio), who was at Taormina's feet on the swim, finished second in 2:32:33 and Laurie Hug (Ambler, Pa.) was third in 2:37:46.

Taormina is ranked eighth in the ITU world rankings and third in the United States.

In the men's race, Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) broke away immediately in the swim and beat the rest of the field to shore by nearly a full minute. Potts kept the lead on the bike over the big hills, but then Kemper and four others in a chase pack caught him. The group rode together the rest of the way, and then Kemper pulled away for the victory in 2:05:23. Gilberto Gonzalez (Venezuela) was second in 2:06:38 and Potts placed third in his first international triathlon in 2:07:18.

Kemper is ranked 12th in the world and first in the United States.

There is more information about both races at the ITU web site at www.triathlon.org.

Bay Islands International Triathlon
March 8, 2003; Roatan Island, Honduras
1.5K swim; 40K bike; 10K run

Men
1. Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.) 2:05:23; 2. Gilberto Gonzalez (Venezuela) 2:06:38; 3. Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J.) 2:07:18; 4. Dirk Bockel (Germany) 2:08:11; Marcin Welarski (Sweden) 2:08:53; 6. Jeff Sneed (Los Gatos, Calif.) 2:15:12; 7. Roberto Machado (Costa Rica) 2:15:48; 8. Leonardo Chacon Carrales (Costa Rica) 2:16:03; 9. Carlos Mauricio Friely (Guatemala) 2:17:07; 10. Diego Gonzalez Ponioguo (Guatemala) 2:21:50

Women
1. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) 2:30:16; 2. Susie Gallucci (Hudson, Ohio) 2:32:33; 3. Laurie Hug (Ambler, Pa.) 2:37:46; 4. Eileen Castillo (Los Gatos, Calif.) 2:43:52; 5. Allison Hardy (Arden N.C.) 2:45:24; 6. Florence Chretien (Natick, Mass.) 2:54:03; 7. Viviana Chavarria Barrates (Costa Rica) 2:56:14

Devonport International Triathlon
March 8, 2003; Devonport, Australia
1.5K swim; 40K bike; 10K run

Women
1. Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho) 2:00:55; 2. Loretta Harrop (Australia) 2:01:58; 3. Melissa Ashton (Australia) 2:02:46; 4. Maria Kosztovits (Australia) 2:03:13; 5. Leanda Cave (Great Britain) 2:04:14; 6. Liz Blatchford (Australia) 2:04:27; 7. Pip Taylor (Australia) 2:04:36; 8. Anneliese Heard (Great Britain) 2:05:19; 9. Sharon Donnelly (Canada) 2:07:04; 10. Tanja Allen (Great Britain) 2:08:31

Men
1. Chris Hill (Australia) 1:52:03; 2. Brad Kahlefeldt (Australia) 1:52:14 3. Bryce Quirk (Australia) 1:52:21; 4. Paul Amey (Great Britain) 1:52:28; 5. Chris McCormack (Australia) 1:52:40; 6. Olivier Marceau (France) 1:53:10; 7. Simon Thompson (Australia) 1:53:18.6; 8. Andrew Johns (Great Britain) 1:53:26; 9. Courtney Atkinson (Australia) 1:53:27 10. David Dellow (Australia) 1:53:46.2