COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 7, 2003) - USA Triathlon has announced the winners of its 2003 Board of Directors elections. Leading the list of winners is Valerie Ellsworth-Gattis, the current Board president. Gattis (Louisville, Ky.) was the Central Region representative in 2001, but in 2003 she won an At-Large seat over Mike Greer (Canyon, Texas) and current Board secretary Karen Buxton (Greensboro, N.C.).

In the Western Region, Jim Girand (Palo Alto, Calif.), the current Board vice president, was re-elected to his post over former Board member John Duke (Cardiff, Calif.). In the Central Region, former Board member Jack Weiss (Euless, Texas) regained a seat on the Board by defeating Lew Kidder (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Bill Burke (Metairie, La.). Finally, in the Eastern Region, current Board treasurer Diane Travis (Clermont, Fla.) retained her seat on the Board, defeating past Board member Rob Vigorito (Columbia, Md.) and Tom Ziebart (Howie in the Hills, Fla.).

A total of 3,344 ballots from USA Triathlon annual members were received. Board members serve two-year terms. The new Board members will take their seats Jan. 1, 2004. The final meeting of the former Board members will be Nov. 14-15 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA Triathlon's elite athletes also held their elections for the athlete representatives to the Board. Susie Gallucci (Hudson, Ohio) and Kevin Carter (Silver Spring, Md.) will be the new athlete representatives. They will each serve a two-year term.

Elite athletes also voted for members of the Athletes Advisory Council, which helps USA Triathlon set policy for elite athletes. The following athletes were voted to two-year terms: Jimmy Archer (Boulder, Colo.), Gina Kehr (Redwood City, Calif.), Greg Mueller (South Bend, Ind.) and Meredith Novack (Clermont, Fla.).