UVA’s Nicole Kelleher wins Collegiate Nationals; Linsey Corbin nabs second at New Orleans 70.3

USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals and the Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans proved successful races for female triathletes swimming in their XTERRA WETSUITS. At Collegiate Nationals, University of Virginia’s Nicole Kelleher clocked the fastest women’s overall time, while United States Military Academy at West Point ran away with the women’s team crown. The following day at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, XTERRA WETSUITS Pro Team member Linsey Corbin nabbed second place, besting her 2009 time by nearly nine minutes.

At Collegiate Nationals on Saturday, April 17, Kelleher earned the top podium spot after swimming in her XTERRA WETSUITS Vector Pro X2 triathlon wetsuit and crossed the finish line over two minutes ahead of second place in 2:03:10. As the fourth woman to cross the line, United States Military Academy’s Ashley Morgan swam in her XTERRA WETSUITS Vendetta triathlon wetsuit to lead her team’s top four women to a combined winning time of 8:59:21. For the men, University of California San Diego’s Bill Jones was first out of the 500 yard swim in only 5:39 while wearing his XTERRA WETSUITS Vector Pro X2 triathlon wetsuit.

XTERRA WETSUITS sponsors University of Virginia, United States Military Academy and University of California San Diego, which are just three of over 700 XTERRA WETSUITS sponsored teams and clubs throughout the nation.

On Sunday, April 18 at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, three women swam through rough waters in XTERRA WETSUITS on their way to stellar finishes. Linsey Corbin raced in her XTERRA WETSUITS Velocity triathlon speedsuit when she improved her 2009 results by nearly nine minutes and five places, finishing second in 4:17:51, just one minute off of first place. Following close behind in fourth place in 4:22:06 was Meredith Kessler, who is new to the XTERRA WETSUITS Pro Team for the 2010 season and who also swam in a Velocity triathlon speedsuit. Swimming in her XTERRA WETSUITS Vendetta triathlon wetsuit, Christina Jackson was the second female amateur to finish the race in 4:43:28.

A noteworthy male performance in the Big Easy came from Patrick Valentine, who was the first amateur out of the water in his XTERRA WETSUITS Vector Pro X2 triathlon wetsuit in 25:43.

With the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship taking place tomorrow in Lubbock, Texas, XTERRA WETSUITS is proud to sponsor nearly 100 collegiate triathlon teams across the United States. While wetsuits can be one of the larger ticket items necessary to compete in triathlons, XTERRA WETSUITS is making collegiate triathlon more affordable by offering discounts to student-athletes.

“There are a lot of expenses associated with the sport of triathlon,” says Kristen Sullivan, who is responsible for collegiate team sponsorships at XTERRA WETSUITS. “Now factor in tuition, books, and living expenses of a college student. We’ve been offering collegiate discounts for many years to help relieve some financial burden, and we find student-athletes to be some of the best ambassadors of the XTERRA WETSUITS brand.”

Collegiate teams sponsored by XTERRA WETSUITS saw tremendous success at the 2009 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship, including earning three of the top five spots in both the men’s and women’s team competition. On the men’s side, the top three places were owned by University of California-Berkeley, United States Naval Academy and United States Military Academy at West Point, respectively. On the women’s side, University of California San Diego earned the win, while United States Naval Academy finished third and University of California-Berkeley finished fourth.

UC Berkeley’s John Dahlz was the 2009 individual champion in the Olympic distance event, clocking a 21:05 in the 1500 meter swim wearing his Vector Pro X2 triathlon wetsuit by XTERRA WETSUITS and an overall time of 2:01:13.

XTERRA WETSUITS anticipates just as much success tomorrow at the 2010 National Championship. Best of luck to all of the student-athletes competing!

Here are just a few of the collegiate teams we sponsor:

There have been new wetsuit and speedsuit rules released by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). They will take effect on September 1, 2010 and effect all triathlon wetsuit manufacturers.

All XTERRA WETSUITS are 5 millimeters or less, so the new WTC rules will have no effect on our wetsuit product line, and all our customers, past and present, will be racing in the fastest, most flexible, always-legal wetsuits in the world.

Our current Velocity speedsuit line is legal in all USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned races, regardless of water temperature. Velocities are also legal in WTC sanctioned events (including Ironman and Ironman 70.3) that permit wetsuits. Effective September 1, 2010, our current Velocity speedsuit line will not be legal in WTC sanctioned events (including Ironman and Ironman 70.3) with water temperatures over 76 degrees. For all other races, we encourage you to contact the race directly for all speedsuit and wetsuit regulations.

Here is the official announcement as release by Ironman.com:

Ironman Announces U.S. Rule Amendments for 2011 Season
New rules to take effect on September 1, 2010
Published Tuesday, April 13, 2010

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owners of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Series, announces modifications to several rules and regulations relating to the swim at U.S. races. Effective September 1, 2010, which is the start of Ironman's 2011 competition season, new rules for apparel and wetsuits will apply at all Ironman and 70.3 events in the U.S., including both World Championships. The amendments were made to further standardize rules in the Ironman/70.3 Series and ensure a fair playing field at events around the globe.

The changes will include the following:

• Swimwear and swim apparel must be comprised of 100 percent textile material, such as nylon or lycra, and may not include rubberized material such as polyurethane or neoprene. Swimwear may not cover the neck or extend past the shoulders or knees. Swimwear may contain a zipper. A race kit or trisuit may be worn underneath swimwear.

• Wetsuits cannot measure more than 5 millimeters thick.

• Wetsuits may be worn in water temperatures up to and including 24.5 degrees Celsius/76.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Athletes who choose to wear a wetsuit in water temperatures exceeding 24.5 degrees C /76.1 degrees F will not be eligible for awards, including World Championship slots. Wetsuits will be prohibited in water temperatures greater than 28.8 degrees C/84 degrees F.

“Ironman recognizes the importance of showcasing the competitive element at all events. We believe these amendments place more emphasis on performance and function and less on technology, therefore staying true with the Ironman spirit,” says Ironman’s Head of Officials, Jimmy Riccitello.

Ironman's rule changes are consistent with rule changes adopted by swimming and triathlon’s international governing bodies, FINA and ITU, respectively.

For more information on the Ironman and 70.3 Series, visit www.ironman.com. For athlete inquiries, email AthleteServices@ironman.com.

It was a successful weekend for triathletes racing in XTERRA WETSUITS. Chris Lieto, America's fastest triathlete, placed second at the Nautica South Beach Triathlon after swimming in his Velocity ++ triathlon speedsuit. His second place time of 1:15:11 came only one second behind Chris McCormack in a sprint finish.

Also racing at Nautica South Beach was former NBA star Rick Fox in a Volt triathlon wetsuit and his actress girlfriend Eliza Dushku in a Velocity 0.02 triathlon speedsuit. The celebrity couple completed the entire race together.

Across the country at the Superfrog 70.3 in San Diego, California, local amateurs sporting XTERRA WETSUITS put up stellar results. Jake Mclaughlin was the fourth male out of the water in his Vendetta triathlon wetsuit and was the eighth amateur to cross the finish line in 4:40:12. Riikka Aramo was the third female out, also in a Vendetta, and was the third amateur female to complete the race, clocking 5:06:10. It was the first 70.3 distance triathlon for both Jake and Riikka. A great way to kick off the 2010 season!