Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

The Collegiate Triathlon National Championship Race is the largest and most prestigious collegiate race in the country.  Boasting over 750 top athletes from 95 colleges and universities from across the United States, the National Championship is the pinnacle of every school's race season.

This past Saturday, athletes from across the country converged in Lubbock, Texas to determine who would take home the trophies and the bragging rights as the top team in the nation.  In the end, the women of the UC San Diego Triathlon Team stood at the top of the podium to receive their second consecutive team championship.

Led by team veteran Darlene Hunt, the UCSD women secured four positions in the top 25.  In an outstanding performance, Hunt placed 4th with a time of 2:20:49.  Also in the top ten, UCSD's Lauren Chiodini finished 7th after posting the fastest female bike split along the hilly, wind-swept course.  Third years, Allison Johnston and Sarah Kavaler, rose to fill the remaining team-scoring positions, coming in 20th and 25th, respectively.  Lisa Fong, Bethany Sotak, and Jennie Stokes completed the UCSD women’s roster and all raced hard on the tough course.

In the men's race, the Tritons rose from 11th place in 2008 to a very respectable 7th place finish just behind UC Santa Barbara.  With the Triton's top-seeded male, Marc Schommer, having stomach problems during the race, UCSD's Tim Ray anchored the men with a solid 22nd place in a time of 2:10:17.  Schommer would finish a little over 2 minute back in 34th place, followed by Michael Libutti in 50th and Robert Krohn in 52nd.  Team captains, Sante Kotturi and Frank Uyeda, trailed in later, followed by UCSD Junior, Ty Kubart.

Together, the UCSD men and women earned enough points to be named the 5th best team in the nation and to round out the finial podium at the awards ceremony.

Head coach, Mac Brown, was especially thrilled by the team’s performance.   “The team gave it everything they could and I could not have been any happier.”  He continued, “I honestly do not think I have ever been more proud of any other team I have ever been associated with. All I asked these student athletes last fall was to give me everything they had during practice and racing and I would be happy. They did exactly that.”

Article by: Frank Uyeda
Pictures by: Chris Burnham

Women's Individual Results

Women's Team Results

Men's Individual Results

Men's Team Results 

Overall Team Results

Race report from USA Triathlon: http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/article/12048

Full race results can be found at: http://www.pigmantri.com/jmsracing/results09/usatcollegiate09.html