ITU Duathlon Long Course World Championships
Richmond, Virginia
Sunday, October 21, 2007
15k run, 80k bike, 7.5k run
Complete results

Team USA benefited from home "field" advantage as they captured 51 of a possible 70 medals at the 2007 McDonald's International Triathlon Union Long Course Duathlon World Championship in Richmond, Va., on Sunday, Oct. 21.

It helped that the U.S. team consisted of 267 of the 450 competitors, which included athletes from 25 countries. It marked the largest contingent ever to compete for Team USA at a world duathlon championship of this distance. Thirteen of the U.S. athletes competed in the elite division.

The medal count was the highest ever for the U.S. at a long course duathlon worlds, which was being held for the 13th time, but the first ever on American soil.

The course was a 15k run, 80k bike, 7.5k run along the James River through the city of Richmond.

Elite Races
David Thompson (Minneapolis, Minn.) was the top U.S. finisher in the men's elite race, finishing in 16th place. Thompson had a chance at a higher placement, moving up to the top five, but was plagued by mechanical issues on the bike course. Richmond native Tom Jeffrey was hoping for a strong finish, but a flat tire on the bike course ended his day. The men's overall winner was Belgian Joerie Vansteelant, who turned in a time of 3:06:42, which was almost six minutes ahead of second place finisher Javier Garcia of Spain (3:13:03). Belgian Koen Maris was third in 3:13:22.

"I was riding fast. I was going to have a good day. I thought I could close the gap to 30 seconds going into transition. That's how it goes racing," said Thompson. "The course is good. It was fun. It was good for me. I like a turning course because I think I can carry momentum better than other guys. That's the key to going fast on this course, taking risks on corners."

In the women's elite race, two Americans grabbed top- 10 finishes, with Kathryn Kasischke (San Diego, Calif.) taking eighth in 3:50:19, followed by Gabriel Hnilkova-Jenks (Albuquerque, N.M.) in ninth in 3:50:23. The win went to Catriona Morrison of Great Britain, whose time of 3:34:56 was nearly six minutes better than fellow Brit Michelle Lee (3:40:05). Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands was third in 3:43:43.

"I just ran at my own pace. I was maybe 15th after the first run, right behind Deanna Frank. I got on the bike and just hammered, went as hard as I could, made up a lot of ground. I closed to within fifth or sixth at the highest. I dropped back a little bit on the second run and then just barely made it home," said Kasischke. "I worked really hard the last couple years. I'd really like to give thanks to my coach who kept telling me if I am persistent I'd start to get better and start moving up. I think this is the strongest I've ever biked. That was the key today."

Elite Men Results
1, JOERIE VANSTEELANT, BEL, 03:06:42
2, JAVIER GARCIA, ESP, 03:13:03
3, KOEN MARIS, BEL, 03:13:22
4, KENNETH RASMUSSEN, DEN, 03:14:55
5, AKSEL NIELSEN, DEN, 03:15:33
6, ARMAND VAN DER SMISSEN, NED, 03:16:44
7, VINCENT ALDEBERT, FRA, 03:17:20
8, CHRIS FISCHER, DEN, 03:18:19
9, ROB WOESTENBORGHS, BEL, 03:18:38
10, OLIVER MOTT, GBR, 03:19:05

Americans
16, David Thompson, 3:24:02
22, Billy Edwards, 3:28:20
24, Todd Wiley, 3:29:34
26, Neil Miller, 3:39:39
28, Derek Oskutis, 3:40:34
31, Ryan Giuliano, 3:48:59
DNF, Kevin Danahy
DNF, Tom Jeffrey

Elite Women Results
1, CATRIONA MORRISON, GBR, 03:34:56
2, MICHELLE LEE, GBR, 03:40:05
3, YVONNE VAN VLERKEN, NED, 03:43:43
4, LUCY SMITH, CAN, 03:45:11
5, ULRIKE SCHWALBE, GER, 03:45:25
6, JOAN BLAAFOSS, DEN, 03:47:36
7, ISABELLE FERRER, FRA, 03:47:42
8, KATHRYN KASISCHKE, USA, 03:50:19
9, GABRIEL HNILKOVA-JENKS, USA, 03:50:43
10, MICHELLE PARSONS, GBR, 03:53:43

Other Americans
12, Deanna Frank, 3:54:35
19, Rachel Sears, 4:04:53
20, Christine Knight, 4:11:50

Age Group Race
The U.S. haul of medals included 26 by the men and 25 by the women. Nineteen athletes earned gold. Leading the way was Amy Kloner (Atlanta, Ga.) and Gail Kattouf (Greenville, S.C.) who finished 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the 30-34 age group. On the men's side, 41-year-old Gordy Holterman (Hillsborough, Calif.) was third overall and won his age group, while 20- year-old Cory Scott (Richmond, Va.) finished fourth overall and won his age group.

Four athletes repeated as medalists from a year ago. Jeff Terry (Birmingham, Ala.) grabbed gold in the men's 40-44 age group, Kate Schulte (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned bronze in women's 40-44, Sharon Roggenbuck earned gold in women's 65-69, and Anne Mitchell (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) won bronze in the women's 50-54.

Here is the rundown of American age group medalists:

Gold
Physically Challenged: Mackey Tyndall (Panama City, Fla.) 7:24:04
M18-19: Justin Morrison (Blacksburg, Va.) 4:13:28
M20-24: Cory Scott (Richmond, Va.) 3:28:12
F20-24: Cynthia Anderson (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) 3:54:17
M25-29: Adam Otstot (Williamsburg, Va.) 3:31:23
F25-29: Jennifer Keil (Louisville, Colo.) 4:02:26
F30-24: Amy Kloner (Atlanta, Ga.) 3:48:32
M35-39: Jeremy Dodds (Skaneateles, N.Y.) 3:37:33
M40-44: Gordy Holterman (Hillsborough, Calif.) 3:27:19
F40-44: Melanie Roberts (Indianapolis, Ind.) 3:54:02
M45-49: Jeff Terry (Charlotte, N.C.) 3:30:46
F45-49: Kate Samuelson (Livermore, Calif.) 4:13:49
F55-59: Terry Miffleton (Richmond, Va.) 4:56:59
M60-64: Larry Czelusta (San Antonio, Texas) 3:57:09
F60-64: Judith Tripp (New York, N.Y.) 5:07:34
M65-69: Warren Taylor (Telford, Pa.) 4:16:47
F65-69: Sharon Roggenbuck (Hillsborough, N.C.) 6:16:37
M70-74: Roger Brockenbrough (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 4:33:21

Silver
M18-19: Simon Aceves (Raleigh, N.C.) 4:38:02
M20-24: Greg Close (Berwyn, Pa.) 3:31:20
F20-24: Kira Shoemaker (Atlanta, Ga.) 4:16:13
M25-29: Ryan Rau (Brighton, Mich.) 3:34:15
F25-29: Jane Riessen (Des Moines, Iowa) 4:08:52
F30-34: Gail Kattouf (Greenville, S.C.) 3:50:04
F35-39: Leslie Curley (Topeka, Kan.) 4:03:25
M40-44: Christopher Giordanelli (Simpsonville, S.C.) 3:30:20
F40-44: Julie Deery (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) 3:56:07
M45-49: John Brockenbrough (Murrysville, Pa.) 3:31:39
F45-49: Karen Buxton (Greensboro, N.C.) 4:25:47
M50-54: Curt Eggers (Henrietta, N.Y.) 3:46:09
F50-54: Lorrie Beck (Williamstown, N.J.) 4:23:36
M55-59: Rich Chillingworth (Tulsa, Okla.) 3:57:26
F55-59: Ruth King (Ambler, Pa.) 5:01:48
F60-64: Barb Morgan (Tioga, Pa.) 5:34:59
M70-74: James Girand (Palo Alto, Calif.) 4:42:47

Bronze
M20-24: William Haas III (Asheville, N.C.) 3:38:06
F20-24: Christie O'Hara (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 4:40:08
F25-29: Angela Meyer (Atlanta, Ga.) 4:13:23
M30-34: Jimmy Parrott (Chesapeake, Va.) 3:28:56
M35-39: John Hessian (Richmond, Va.) 3:38:45
F35-39: Alicia Parr (Durham, N.C.) 4:04:45
F40-44: Kristin DiDomenico (Potomac Falls, Va.) 4:08:09
F45-49: Kate Schulte (Knoxville, Tenn.) 4:30:49
M50-54: Ken Ames (Gaylord, Mich.) 3:47:39
F50-54: Anne Mitchell (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) 4:30:21
M55-59: Jeffrey Timm (Bethlehem, Pa.) 4:00:48
F55-59: Anne Viviani (Arlington, Va.) 5:16:19
M60-64: Thomas Waldrop (Midlothian, Va.) 3:59:27
F60-64: Charlotte Mahan (Lenoir City, Tenn.) 6:02:04
M65-69: John Elliott (Columbia, Md.) 4:29:33
M75-79: Odd Sangesland (Plainview, N.Y.) 7:25:56

Complete results.