Articles by Dan Empfield

Aussies Pete Jacobs and Caroline Steffen took their first wins at the Ironman distance at IM Australia. Jacobs, as usual, led from the gun, and Steffen survived two flat tires.

Catriona Morrison has evidently figured out St. Croix, besting Angela Naeth and Mirinda Carfae for her third win in this Caribbean island. Maksym Kriat runs to his biggest career victory.

Joe Gambles dipped under 4 hours to best a strong field at 70.3 Port Macquarie. Jo Lawn flew over from NZ to steal a win from the Aussies on their home turf.

Spanish Long Distance Champion Eva Ledesma and Danish speedster Rasmus Henning took the titles in the inaugural Playitas Challenge Fuerteventura.

The ITU debuted a new world championship, called Cross Tri, and familiar offroad triathlete faces took men’s and women’s titles. The race was in Spain, but North Americans dominated the top spots.

Sarah Haskins marked time on the swim and the bike, skipping away on the run to take the Toyota Cup series opener. Cameron Dye skipped away on the bike, then held on in a white knuckler.

It’s Andy Potts and his swim-run prowess against Yoder’s bike power in an early season match up of two athletes in top form. Slowtwitch kicks off its live coverage season at the Nautica South Beach tri in Miami. Live coverage here

Bahram Akradi, CEO of Life Time Fitness, built the Life Time Fitness triathlon, and the Race to the Toyota Cup, for U.S. pros. He’s building Leadman Tri for himself.

Sidi’s carbon-soled T2 Silver Snake. You can debate about the silver snakeskin upper on this wider-than-average Sidi, but I kind of liked it. It makes a statement.

Tri-Star is one of several new series sprung from the 21st Century triathlon boom, all fighting for a permanent place on the sport’s calendar. Can they sell and execute their new brand of swim-bike-run?

Commensurate with the launch of Campagnolo’s TT group, the Italian component maker announces, along with Felt, the launch of its triathlon-legal seat tube motor.

We can quibble over the 20-year wait, or we can celebrate the fact that iconic component maker Campagnolo has at long last introduced the necessary elements of its gruppo specific to timed racing.