Year End Triathlon Club Update

There may not be many triathlons scheduled for the next few months, but that hasn’t stopped area triathletes from staying busy. The Gulf Winds Triathlon Club is participating in the National Club Challenge, a national off-season competition amongst triathlon clubs sponsored by USA Triathlon.  Club members log their training miles for swimming, biking, and running. While the miles accumulate in all disciplines for the next three months, each month has a different sport-specific focus. December’s focus is swimming.

The largest Gulf Winds team is composed of 73 members, with another smaller team also competing. As of Friday morning, the larger Gulf Winds team is ranked third nationally, behind triathlon teams from San Diego and Washington DC. The team is in sixth place for the swim competition. Division winners are eligible for prizes from USAT sponsors such as Garmin, Computrainer, and Rudy Project. Up to the minute results can be found here.

The Gulf Winds Holiday Party will be held Monday December 17^th at Momo’s. The social will begin at 6 and year end awards start at 7. Awards handed out include Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, and Masters of the Year. Grand Prix awards will also be distributed. Not sure if you're getting an award? Click here to see the list of Grand Prix winners. Members and nonmembers are invited to celebrate another successful year of racing and training. 

The Club recently held its election for next year’s officers. Rob McNeely is the newly elected President, with last year’s Vice President Kathy McDaris continuing to serve in that role. Jerry Chesnutt remains as Treasurer while Lisa Cox reprises her position as Secretary. Directors at Large include Bryan Desloge, Jillian Haddaeus, Jennifer Kilinski, Mike Weyant, and Bobby York. This slate of officers is sure to keep the club running smoothly as well as offer up some innovative ideas and programs.

The 2013 Grand Prix schedule was finalized last month. The club’s Grand Prix competition is based off of the Gulf Winds Track Club’s format, focusing on offering a variety of races for members to participate in, with the aim of increasing club unity and presence at races. While several traditional races are included in the schedule, there are a few new offerings as well. Members will be happy to see favorites like Red Hills, Beach Blast, Gulf Coast, and Freedom Springs on the list. New races include Georgia Veterans, Santa Rosa, and Alabama Coastal. Here's a complete list of races and dates on the schedule.

Alabama Coastal is a wild card race, meaning members can earn points for racing either the Sprint or Olympic distance race. Those in a close Grand Prix divisional race may employ some strategy when deciding which distance to participate in. In the past, members who raced St. Anthony’s, the Florida region’s Championship race, did not earn Grand Prix points. In an effort to increase the club’s participation in the Championship race, St. Anthony’s is now a Grand Prix race.

This is supposed to be the off season, but it’s obvious that Gulf Winds Triathletes are not taking it easy. Hopefully, these athletes will reap the rewards of their hard work in 2013.