2008: A Year to Remember for the LifeSport Team!

2008 was an incredible year for the LifeSport team, a year of breakthrough performances and world class athletes reaffirming their dominance. Age group athletes continued to set personal bests and place in major events.

Looking back, here were some of the outstanding performers:

LifeSport Pro Team

Linsey Corbin scored the breakthrough of the year. Linsey did not finish outside of the top in any race this season: Ironman 70.3 in Pucon Chile (2nd), Ironman Arizona (5th),  Ironman 70.3 Boise (4th) Ironman 70.3 Kansas (3rd), Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens (2nd), New Balance ½ Victoria (1st) and finally her amazing world championship performance in Kona, snagging 5th place and first American finisher.

Lisa Bentley, the 11 time Ironman champion known for her amazing endurance, showed amazing speed in winning Ironman 70.3 Austin and Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island.

Lisa Mensink, based in Calgary, joined LifeSport 3 years ago as a new pro and not yet on the national team. 3 years later, after an arduous international tour, she qualified for the Olympics, and competed in the Beijing Olympic Triathlon.

Kim Loeffler’s world class season included finishing 4th at Ironman Arizona, 2nd at Ironman Lake Placid, and winning Ironman 70.3 Cancun.

Bree Wee set the record as the fastest ever amateur in Kona in 2007. In 2008 she turned pro with great success.  She posted 3 top 10 Ironman finishes including a 2nd in Japan and 4th in Florida earning her 2009 Hawaii Ironman pro start.

Katya Meyers came back from illness that consumed all of 2007 to finish a gutsy 5th in Ironman France to gain her starting spot in Kona 2008.

Haley Cooper finished first at the Subaru Sooke International Half, 6th at Ironman Arizona and qualified to race pro in Kona.

Caroline Smith finished 2nd at Ironman 70.3 Cancun to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

Chris Lieto hit the podium several time this year at Wildflower, Ironman 70.3 Boise, Miami International, San Jose International Triathlon, Nautica South Beach Triathlon, Columbia, and finished the year off with a personal best time at Ironman Arizona of 8:19 for second place.

Brent McMahon finished a very creditable 17th at the ITU Worlds in June, and then gathered steam after that, which included 6th at the LifeTime Fitness triathlon in Minneapolis; 3rd at the legendary Chicago Triathlon; 5th at the Los Angeles triathlon; and then finished the season strong with a bronze medal at the Xterra World Championship in Maui, and an 8th place finish in Clearwater for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships (including an incredible 1:11 half marathon run)

In January 2009, LifeSporters Heather Gollnick finished 1st and Linsey Corbin 2nd at Ironman 70.3 in Pucon.  If the start of 2009 is any indication, we should be looking at another great year for the LifeSport team. 

Our Amazing Age Groupers

LifeSport Age group athletes stood on the podium all over the world this year. Just a few examples were:

Chris Thomas was the Ironman 70.3 World Champion in the men’s 35-39.

Karen Smith finished 2nd at Ironman 70.3 World Championship in the 40-44 women’s.

Nell Stephenson was 1st in the women’s 30-34 at Ironman 70.3 Florida, and 2nd overall at the Seattle Marathon.

Laura Keefe was 4th overall at the Las Vegas Marathon

Roman Dujmovic was the 9th place age grouper at the World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in  Allmeres, Netherlands. Michelle Ball was 8th in the same event.

Jamie Moracci was the top amateur at Ironman 70.3 Florida and 9th overall with the pros.

Rachel Ross was 3rd in the 30-34 age group in Hawaii and 4th overall age grouper

Sean Swarmer was a feature story on NBC at Ironman in Hawaii. Sean is a cancer survivor who was stricken with 2 different cancers, both thought to be terminal when diagnosed, in his teenage years. In his hospital bed, he watched Hawaii Ironman and promised himself he would do it one day if he survived.  His promise came true, in amazing time of 11:44:15, with the guidance of LifeSport Coach Bruce Regensburg. 

Many other LifeSport athletes finished their first 70.3 or Ironman, qualified for Hawaii or Clearwater, or set new best times.  Congrats to everyone!  We are looking forward to 2009!