GRAND RAPIDS, MI – David Cate finished 5th, Jori Cooper 7th and Natalie McKee 12th at the USA Triathlon (USAT) Clydesdale and Athena National Championships at the Grand Rapids Triathlon Sunday.
Maria Hernandez and Hulda Black each finished 6th in their Age Groups (non Athena).
Cate was 5th in the 39-and-under Clydesdale division of the Olympic-distance race with a time of 2:56:24. Cooper was 7th in the Athena 39-and-under division of the Olympic race, coming in at 3:05:09, while McKee came in 12th in the 39-and-under division of the sprint race.
New Reaper Hulda Black had GRF’s best time of the day, putting up a 2:42:01 to place 6th in the women’s 35-and-under Olympic division. Maria Hernandez came in at 2:56:49 to place 6th in 45-49.
Esprit de She
Kelly Ruiter and Wendy Smith teamed up with “friend of the club” Aimee Dziekan to place 2nd in 1:22:58 at the relay at the Esprit de She sprint in Naperville, IL. Ruiter led off with a 12:46 in the half-mile swim. Dziekan chipped in a 38:54 on the bike, and Smith close out with a 27:09 in the 5k.
Youth & Junior
On Saturday at the Tri 2 Beat MS in Chillicothe, IL, Lily Matthews won the overall title in 11:42.
The race consisted of a 25-yard swim, 2-mile bike and .5-mile run.
Maddie Rankin won the 8-9 Age Group in 14:26, while Lexi Rankin was 2nd in the 5-7 Age Group in 16:58.
