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Articles by Dan Empfield

The Rev3 Triathlon series

Charlie Patten started the Rev3 series full time in 2010 with a larger total purse than Lifetime Fitness and a bigger payout for his Quassy half than the WTC’s Ironman 70.3 Worlds. He says he’s on track to profits by 2012.

Kwicky Blade Light (2011)

The K-Swiss Kwicky Blade weighs a mere 9oz, exceptionally light for a training shoe. But if you are an efficient, and not too heavy, runner with a midfoot or forefoot strike, you might get it done in this shoe.

Quintana Roo CD0.1 (2011)

The CD0.1 has a unique narrative. Clever, really. An asymmetric down tube that moves air from the drive side of the bike to the left side, with a smartly-spec’d midrange kit at $3300 for a complete bike.

Toyota Cup Series expands

The Race to the Toyota Cup has expanded from six events to seven for the 2011 season. Gone is NYC, added is Nautica Miami and CapTex in Austin, expanding the Toyota Cup Season by 2 months.

Kestrel 4000 Ult (2011)

If a Cervelo P3 and a Kestrel Airfoil Pro mated and had a baby, it would be the 4000. It is, stylistically, a fair representation of the heritage of high style that has distinguished the Kestrel brand.

Felt B2 (2011)

Felt correctly understands a trend and a truth the rest of the bike industry is slower to grasp: The more the price of a complete tri bike exceeds $5000, the more Di2 elbows its way to the forefront of the discussion.

Blue Triad EX (2011)

This was essentially Andreas Raelert’s bike for the 09 Ironman. Except for the aerobar and stem, this version of the EX has the best parts spec of any tri bike made by any company for 2011. And the aerobar is okay too.

Bracht hangs tough, Wellington dominates in AZ

Timo Bracht weathered the specter of two speedsters in a heated footrace and held on to win the 2010 Ford Ironman Arizona. Chrissie Wellington put on a dominant performance to win the women’s title in 8:36:13 and finished 8th overall.

Saucony ProGrid Mirage (2011)

Do you subscribe to the “natural” running philosophy, but need a bit more support? This shoe borrows from both the Kinvara and a regular training shoe. Saucony is about to score another hit in this architectural theme.

Asics Gel Kayano 17 (2011)

The all new Kayano 17 for 2011 features small updates on the previous 16th version. It’s still a shoe that invests a nice amount of support with a lot of cushioning. It’s also still on the heavy side.

Cervelo P3 Ultegra (2011)

Cervelo is to tri what Colnago is to road: a storied headbadge with a tradition and a caché unmatched by any bike brand. But the cycling world is catching up, or has caught up. How does the P3 fare in 2011?

WTC incepts, rescinds Access program

World Triathlon Corporation announced and canceled its Access program within a day. The $1000 program allowed Ironman devotees to move to the front of the registration line.