Courtesy: USAT

USA Triathlon's membership and sanctioning numbers for the first three months of 2004 are in, and they are impressive.

USA Triathlon finished the 2003 season with 47,373 annual members. By March 2004, that number had increased to 53,008.

Race sanctioning numbers are also improving from 2003.

Between Jan. 1 and March 26 in 2003, 64 USA Triathlon sanctioned events were held.

Between those same dates in 2004, 87 USAT sanctioned events were held.

"These numbers are really exciting," said Tim Yount, acting executive director of USA Triathlon. "The sport is continuing to grow thanks to dedicated race directors, members, volunteers and staff. We are grateful to all those who continue to support us."

USA Triathlon has made staff additions and changes to support the increasing membership.

Kathy Matejka has been hired as USA Triathlon's event sanctioning manager. Angela Flannery, who joined USAT in 2002, has moved from event sanctioning manager to the new position of risk manager. Kelley Paulus has taken the position of marketing assistant.

A 1978 graduate of the State University of New York at Cortland with a B.S.E. in physical education, Matejka taught and coached at the Robert College of Istanbul, Turkey for four years. Upon moving to Athens, Greece, to teach at the Athens College, she ran her first marathon on the original marathon course. Matejka also worked for the U.S. Air Force in West Germany, before moving back to California, where she lived in Camarillo and Santa Cruz.

Matejka first encountered triathlon in 1991 when she volunteered at a local race. She completed Danskin San Jose Triathlon in 1992 and has served USA Triathlon as a volunteer, athlete, assistant race director for a Hawaii qualifier, past president of two triathlon clubs and Category 1 USA Triathlon race official.

Matejka has taken over the event sanctioning position from Angela Flannery, who is now USAT's first risk manager.

Flannery's new duties will include: providing safety education; monitoring safety within USAT sanctioned events; developing new procedures for introducing more safety mechanisms into the sport; working with insurance carrier to provide the best coverage policy for athletes and events; assisting in the investigation and handling of claims; evaluating sanctioned races as to quality based on athlete and officials evaluation and leading the evaluation of USAT's safety and insurance programs.

Paulus was born and raised in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison on a basketball scholarship. After graduation, she spent two years in the state capital working for the CBS affiliate television station as a sports reporter, producer and photographer. She first came to Colorado Springs on a weekend vacation and decided two months later to move permanently. Prior to joining USAT, Paulus worked for Hewlett Packard for a year and a half.

Paulus spends much of her free time outdoors, but also plays in a men's basketball league.

Paulus will assist USA Triathlon Marketing Manager Gina DeMarco.

Over the next several months, USAT will also be hiring an owned- events coordinator to manage the events that USAT will own and a membership assistant to help provide customer service to its members. The USA Triathlon National Training Center in Clermont, Fla., will be hiring an assistant as well.

During mid summer of 2004, USA Triathlon will be moving its National Office to a different location in Colorado Springs, Colo., to better house its staff.