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Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia  
In This Issue
Message from our Chair
2015 Regional Championship Lineup
Mid-Atlantic Skills Camp
Short Course Duathlon Regional Championship
Interested in Becoming a USA Triathlon Official?
NEW: Mid-Atlantic Youth Triathlon Series
Endurance Sports Medicine Symposium
The Other Coast - Come What May (Blog Post)
Quick Links
Message from the Chair

Happy spring,

 

Thank you to all who have thus far been in touch, volunteered, and made the beginning of this season amazing. Starting with our participation at the Endurance Athlete Symposium in Richmond, where the infectious and energetic Andy Potts encouraged us all to be the best we can be, to the first regional championship event (VaDu, short course duathlon) in Surry, VA March 29. This year is shaping up to be a great one. Congratulations to the 130 folks who braved the below average temps to participate and compete at the VaDu.

 

We have recently re-launched our website, usat-ma.org, where you can find the latest news, learn about committee work, get involved in promoting multisport to a broader audience and keep up with a variety of regional information. If you'd like to volunteer or become a contributor, follow the tips at the bottom of this page.

 

Thank you in advance for all of your continued support and contribution to this sport and we look forward to seeing you out on course and during training.

 

Most Sincerely, 

Cory Churches

Chair, USAT Mid-Atlantic Council

2015 Regional Championship Lineup

Have you added one of our Regional Championships to your race calendar? Here's the lineup.

 

Smooth, calm water at the swim start area.
Jamestown Triathlon, Williamsburg, VA
Photo courtesy TriCycle Studios


Regional Championship (Olympic Distance): Jamestown Triathlon, Williamsburg, VA, June 7 

The top 33% of each age group will qualify for USA Triathlon National Championship at this race.



Short Course Regional Championship: Luray Triathlon, Luray, VA, August 16

 

 

Long Course Regional Championship: Waterman's Half, Rock Hall, MD, October 3

Ultra-Distance Regional Championship: Beach2Battleship Triathlon, Wilmington, NC, October 17 

Youth Regional Championship: KidzTri3 Triathlon, Quakertown, PA, July 26

Club Regional Championship: New Jersey State Triathlon (Olympic Distance), West Windsor, NJ, July 19 

 

Aquabike Regional Championship: Mighty Moraine Man Triathlon, Portersville, PA, September 19

 

Paratriathlon Regional Championship: Naylor's Beach Triathlon, Warsaw, VA, June 7

 

Registration Now Open: Mid-Atlantic Skills Camp 
Registration for the July 2015 USAT Mid-Atlantic Skills Camp is now open. It will be held for the third year at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. This is the  Mid-Atlantic's only USA Triathlon designated Junior Elite Skills Camp. 

Designed for the novice to intermediate level 12-16 year-old triathlete and taught exclusively by USA Triathlon Certified Coaches, our three-day two-night Skills Camp focuses on the fundamentals within triathlon's four disciplines: swimming, biking, running, and transition. 

For more information, visit:  minicowtriclub.com/skillscamp/
Watson and Northup Crowned USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Short Course Duathlon Champions; Elite Athlete Pawlaczyk Wins Overall

By Brenda J. Barrera

 

The sun shone brightly but a stiff wind and brisk temperatures in the 30s did not deter Andy Watson and Rachel Northup from racing to USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Short Course Duathlon Championship titles at the Virginia Duathlon at the Chippokes Plantation State Park in Surry, VA on March 29.

 

Bundled in hat, gloves, neck warmer and vest for the first 5k, Watson, 30, from Frederick, MD, shed the layers to his Team USA uniform by the time he crossed the finish line as the top male age group competitor. His time was 1:39:48 for the scenic 5k run, 23 mile bike, 5k run. Kevin Soeder, 38, from NC finished next in 1:42:04 and Virginia Beach's Joel Bell, 41, took the third spot in 1:42:43.

Andy Watson races the second 5k at the Virginia Duathlon, March 29.
Photo credit: Brenda Barrera

While Watson won the USAT Mid-Atlantic Short Course Duathlon title, two competitors in the male Elite category finished 1-2 overall:Kyle Pawlaczyk, 32, from Richmond, VA, clocked 1:32:10 followed by Eric Burnett, 31, from Pittsburgh, PA, in 1:37:17.

 

Richmond's Rachel Northup, 40, notched a convincing win for the women finishing in 1:47:58. Chelsea Bushman, 30, from Chesterfield, VA, took second place in 1:55:41 and Sharon Adams, 40, finished in third in 1:57:45. Emily Bashton, 36, from VA, completed the course in 2:05:26 and was the only female in the Elite category.

 

In all, 130 competitors from five different states plus one relay team competed. Organized by Mettle Events, this race has many appealing factors starting with a trip to the venue on the Jamestown Ferry. The run course in the historic park is not flat and offers views of the James River and the one-loop bike course (practically traffic-free) follows rolling rural roads. In addition to the USAT-Mid-Atlantic crystal awards, top age group finishers earned coveted hand carved wildlife trophies at a post-race BBQ. The Virginia Duathlon is a must-"du" for run-bike-run athletes in the Mid-Atlantic region.

 

For more information: usat-ma.org and virginiaduathlon.mettleevents.com.

 

Note: source for race results:

rankings.usatriathlon.org/Event/ViewEvent/229181/2

Become a USA Triathlon Official

Do you have an interest in supporting the sport of triathlon and learning more about becoming a race official? The USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Officials Program is hosting a training clinic on July 18, 2015 at the site of our Regional Club Championships in West Windsor, NJ. 
 

The USA Triathlon Officials Program provides training and certification to members of USA Triathlon who wish to volunteer their time and abilities to enforce the Competitive Rules at sanctioned events.

 

USA Triathlon referees operate under a Category (CAT) rating system, starting at CAT 5 (clinic participant) and progressing to the top level, CAT 1. The minimum requirements that must be met to operate as a CAT 5 are outlined below. If qualified, referees may apply for advancement to the next highest Category any time during the year.

 

CAT 5 (clinic participant only) 
  • Demonstrate a sincere interest in officiating.
  • Be in good physical condition, weigh less than 200 pounds, and be capable of riding for hours at a time as a passenger on a motorcycle. 
  • Be a member of USA Triathlon. 
  • Satisfactorily complete the written examination of the Competitive Rules. 
  • Attend, participate, and complete classroom session of clinic. 
  • Participate satisfactorily in the race practicum.
Event details:
New Jersey State Triathlon Officials Clinic
Mercer County Park, West Windsor, NJ
Saturday, July 18, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sunday, July 19, 6:00 am - 12:00 pm (During New Jersey State Triathlon)
For additional information and to sign up, contact  Laura Beck
USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Region Announces New Youth Triathlon Series

Children ages 7 to 15 living in New Jersey to North Carolina have a unique opportunity to participate in a first ever region-wide triathlon series. This series is important to cultivate early exercise habits and establish a lifestyle of activity.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.7 percent of 6- to 11-year-olds and 20.5 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds had obesity in 2011-2012.

 

The region organized the series to provide opportunities for young athletes to race close to home. The series also is intended to introduce new youth athletes to multisport and encourage race organizers to produce events focused on youth athletes. The series will run from May through September.

 

"Our region has a history of establishing quality programs to engage under-served athlete populations," said Cory Churches, regional council chair. "This series encourages more kids to get involved, get active, and have fun."

 

The youth events include shorter swim, bike, and run legs than in adult races that are adjusted based on age groups. Age groups generally range to include 7- to 15-year-old athletes. Athletes will earn points for participation and performance at the events in the series, and overall winners will be recognized and awarded at the end of the season.

 

The complete calendar of events and scoring information for the USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Youth Series is available at usat-ma.org.  
2nd Annual Challenge Endurance Sports Medicine Symposium (CESS) June 26-27, 2015

The second Annual Challenge Endurance Sports Medicine Symposium (CESS) will take place on June 26-27, 2015 in Atlantic City, NJ. The CESS is a two day educational symposium focused on race day management of endurance athletes and their unique sports medicine needs. The first of its kind in the region, the symposium will feature nationally and internationally renowned speakers in the field of Endurance Sports Medicine. This symposium is designed for any sports professionals engaged in the care of endurance athletes.

 

Immediately following the CESS, attendees will have the opportunity to apply topics discussed during the symposium at the Challenge Atlantic City Triathlon (CAC) held on Sunday June 28, working as volunteers in the medical tent.

 

Symposium attendees receive up to 12 hours of CME, CEU, and BOC credits through the AAFP, USAT, and and NATA. PT and Nursing credits currently pending approval. An additional four hours are offered for race-day medical tent volunteers as part of our "field skills mini-internship."  CME hours are pending and subject to change.

 

Please contact Joe Federl, Meeting Manager, if you have any questions Email: cmxtravel@cmxtravel.com Phone: 781-829-9696. 

Register now at cvent.com/d/9rq7xs.
The Other Coast - Come What May...
VTSMTS veteran athlete Doug Marocco cruises to the finish at the General Smallwood Triathlon in 2013.

This month we feature a blog post from Mid-Atlantic triathlete Doug Marocco.

 

"Come What May" is a phrase that originates from Shakespeare's Macbeth and can generally be interpreted as: let whatever happens-happen and then allow it to pass. Admittedly, to the astonishment of my two daughters who are both English majors, my original thought was that it referred to the actual month of May. Regardless of its real meaning, both concepts are relatable to triathletes competing in long course races in the spring time because they often need to bring an attitude of whatever happens, happen because what you bring to the race that day could very well depend on what winter has allowed you to do since your last race.

 

After almost two decades of living on the west coast and overseas, I moved to the east coast in 2001 and after retiring from the Marine Corps three years later have been here ever since. It took a few years of getting used to the vocabulary such as "95" not "the 95" and understanding that Route 1 is not intended to ride a bike on like the west coast version Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) because there is no bike lane and surely no view of the ocean. Among the many differences was that only a few triathlons existed and truly just one long course choice which was the classic Eagleman. However, the past 10 years has seen a dramatic change in the number of races in the mid-Atlantic region. This is especially true in Virginia and Maryland where Race Director Greg Hawkins has lead the charge with 30 events of various distances that have appeal to the experienced as well as the novice racer.

 

The Kinetic Weekend held at Lake Anna Virginia State Park on May 9 and 10 serves as the tradition season opener. Although the races were previously run in late April they have found a home the second weekend of May when the weather is warmer and more predictable. The venue is second to none with a clear fresh water swim, a challenging single loop bike course and a difficult three loop run that circles back through transition allowing for close interaction with exuberant spectators ringing cowbells in the European style. Both a half on Saturday and a sprint on Sunday sell out early so don't delay. In the past few seasons the sprint has become a popular culminating race for the college triathlon teams in the area which showcases some of the best young talent in the sport.

 

Up next after Kinetic Weekend is the Rock Hall Maryland International and Sprint. Held the last weekend in May makes for perfect weather. The town is known for its chartered fishing and bed and breakfast sites. You can walk to the transition area which also hosts packet pick up and eat dinner on the wharf. The next morning start your race with a sheltered swim in an enclosed harbor with water temperatures usually too warm for wetsuits. The bike is flat and fast and the run is the same. After the race you can hang with the various Tri-Club members that are there to race and support their team. Some camp out in tents and take the Double Dare challenge by racing both days. In fact the Virginia - Maryland Series offer a Double Dare medal throughout the season for all participants who compete in both races over the weekend.

 

Just one week after Rock Hall the series moves to Williamsburg, Virginia, with the Jamestown Triathlon which will serve as the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Olympic-Distance Championship. The race

should draw a sellout crowd with fierce competition from throughout the region. Be sure to mark your calendars for June 7 to be part of this USA Triathlon special event.

 

Although it has taken a decade to develop an early season triathlon tradition, there is no doubt that the Mid-Atlantic Region is thriving and is now full of races within driving distance almost every weekend. With the continual growth of the sport, numerous triathlon specific stores like Final Kick, 3 Sport, Endorphin Fitness and newest to list, Tri-360 of Arlington, Virginia among others have been a major success in promoting a healthy fitness orientated lifestyle.

 

So, if you're looking for an early season triathlon to see where you stack up against your age group peers, then any one of the Virginia-Maryland Triathlon Series events are worth your consideration.

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PowerBar Team Elite member Doug Marocco is a former Age Group and Military Triathlon National Champion as well as a 9-time Hawaii Ironman Finisher. He now considers himself a permanent resident of the "Other Coast" and gladly offers his experience to others. If you have questions on the article or on triathlon feel free to send your request to: douglas.marocco@gmail.com

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Thanks to Doug for sharing his story! If you've got a triathlon related blog post or race report you'd like to share in our newsletter or on our website, please email your submission to Karen