Wellington enters the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships with many accomplishments in the past year to boost her confidence. The season was highlighted for the Great Britain when she shattered the Ironman distance world record at the Quelle Challenge in Roth, Germany. Her time dipped 14 minutes below the previous record-raising the bar for the rest of her competitors leading into the world championships. Wellington also won Ironman Australia. Ironman 70.3 Kansas, and Timberman Ironman 70.3. The wins have set her up nicely to embark on her mission of defending her world champion title.

The past two years have been championed by Wellington on the “Big Island” of Kona. Crossing the finish of the race first in 2007 at the surprise of both herself and the entire triathlon community to become the first British champion, 2008 was validation that she was the true Ironwoman. She took the lead roughly 30 miles into the bike leg (splitting 5:05:16). Never slowing, she set a new run course record (2:57:44) before capturing her second title in 9:06:23. Wellington owned the race, clocking in nearly 15 minutes ahead of the next female.

The remarkable, inspiring attitude and presence that is Wellington will no doubt be present at the 2009 race. In the years past, she spent the rest of her day and evening after her victories cheering on the other finishers with tears in her eyes. To her, it is not about just statistics, times, and places. It is about reaching in deep to persevere through obstacles and challenges, and most importantly find joy in the experience.

After her 2008 win, she wrote in her blog “I will wear the beautiful lei with pride, and with a passion that I hope will inspire others to live their dreams and dare to believe that anything truly is possible. As I said before….never ever give up.” With the 31^st Ford Ironman World Championships upon us, there is no doubt that she will be following her own motto to never, ever give up.

Congratulations everyone! Photos and video taken throughout the day will be up shortly…stay tuned!

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3:48 chrissie just beat the course record! Congrats chrissie!

12:30 chrissie on the run in 1st

11:00 chrissie 19 mins away from lieto, the current race leader

10:17 chrissie made the turnaround…she’s comin’ back!

8:43 chrissie is pulling away from the women. she currently holds first.

7:39 tj off on bike

7:33 flannagan and potts first out of water

7:39 chrissie 2nd woman out

7:15 announcer says flannagan 3rd

7:00 the agegroupers are off!

6:45 the pros are off

6:10 preparing for the race…good luck everyone!

Recognition in the sport does not stop there. His proven competitiveness on the international stage makes him a worldly threat to any athlete that meets him on the starting line.

In the midst of the 2009 triathlon season, Potts is claiming his spot on the top of the podium consistently. For the third time in his career at the 2009 Escape to Alcatraz, the grueling water temperatures and course conditions could not fatigue Potts enough to keep him from coming out victorious (2:07:25). Most recently, he took the Timberman Ironman 70.3 for the second time in a row-finishing nearly eight seconds over the runner-up (3:51:19). Prior, he had a win at the Whirlpool Ironman 70.3 Steelhead race, coming in at 3:54:38. With a packed summer and fall schedule, Potts will focus on the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

Before entering the world of triathlon, Potts was a six-time NCAA All-American at the University of Michigan for swimming. During his collegiate career, he was in the finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996 and was a USA National Team swim member. In his senior year with the Wolverines, he also competed on the varsity track team.

Breaking into the world of professional triathlon in 2003, Potts was honored as the USAT Rookie of the Year. Surpassing the expectations of his peers, he was the only athlete to break into the top 100 as a rookie (ranked No. 90).

In 2004, Potts’ Olympic dream was fulfilled as he joined the USA in Athens competing in the triathlon event. Although not medaling, the competition gave him an even greater taste of international competition-only one year since devoting to the career full-time.

Potts went on to win his first World Cup title the following year IN Edmonton, Alberta.. The victory catapulted him into an incredible 2006, in which he was ranked third in the ITU World Cup Rankings-the highest American that year. In addition, he was named USAT Triathlete of the Year and became the ITU World Team Champion.

The momentum from his successes did not pacify Potts, who won his first Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2007. Sprinting to a 3:42:33 finish at the race, he finished ahead of more than 1,4000 competing triathletes. He also added Pan American Games Champion to his list of accomplishments that year, winning the race in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Honoring his accomplishments and impact on the sport, he was named Triathlon Magazine Triathlete of the Year, USAT Triathlete of the Year, and USAT Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year.

Last year in 2008, Potts won the grueling Escape from Alcatraz race- for the second time, after first winning the race in 2007. Following the victory, he competed in his first full Ironman championship in Kona, Hawaii. At the race, stayed up with the world’s long distance competitors and clocked an impressive 8:33:50. He crossed the finish line as the first for an American, and 7th overall. Soon after, he flew to Clearwater, FL for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships where he finished 6th. The year’s list of accomplishments resulted in him being named USAT Non-Drafting Triathlete of the Year, as well as USAT LC Athlete of the Year.

Potts currently resides in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife and Michigan grad Lisa and their son, Brooklyn. With the simple goal of being the best triathlete in the world, he does not use words to reiterate his goals, but rather actions and results.

Interview With Andy

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The 29-year-old Tollakson has had a strong season so far as he gears up for the infamous Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. At the 2009 Ironman Coeur d’Alene, he placed second overall with an 8:42:03 and finished as the highest American.

He used his strength on the bike to pass five competitors, and stayed strong the remainder of the race, to have a personal best marathon split (3:00:32).

Coming in second at the Ironman Coeur d’Alene had been a great performance all around and a highlight in Tollakson’s career. On the other extreme, Tollakson knows what it feels like to be battling just to complete a race. In the previous year at the 2008 World Championships in Kona, he cramped up 25 miles into the bike portion of the race, only two hours into an eight hour race. Fighting through the misery of a bad day in competition, he learned the lengths his body could go to in distress to cross the finish line. He can thank his years of athleticism for that.

Tollakson grew up in Iowa, where he played many sports throughout his childhood. He won 11 varsity athletic letters in high school, receiving numerous honors for cross country, soccer, swimming, and wrestling. Attending Boston University his freshman year to play soccer, he soon returned to his home state, attending the University of Iowa. It was there that he craved athletic competition and found his way into triathlon, first competing at the Cornman Triathlon in July of 2001.

In 2003 Tollakson decided to dedicate himself to finding out his true potential in the sport. With guidance by experienced coaches in the field, he placed second in his age group at the 2003 World Qualifier, and went on to represent the USA in New Zealand. That year, he had his first ranking from USAT, where he fell eighth in the 20-24 age group.

The year of 2004 proved to be a break-through year for Tollakson as he placed third for his age group and 13th overall at the World Championships. Following that performance, he had overall amateur wins in Memphis, Chicago, and then at the Amateur National Championship. The championship win proved to be a boost in his career, and the performance earned the necessary attention to be invited to join the national select team to train at the Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, CO. Despite an accident in 2005 that fractured his clavicle, he stayed training there through 2006.

Leaving the center and heading back to Des Moines, IA, Tollakson has since continued to rise in the ranks and gain recognition in triathlon. In 2007, he became the Eagleman Ironman 70.3 Champion. Not only winning the race, he set the course record. In his first full Ironman -Ironman Louisville 2007-he placed third overall. Leading up to his Ironman World Championship race in 2008, he was second at the Ironman Arizona in 8:34:36.

Tollakson continues to keep his focus on the upcoming Ironman World Championship. Viewing the race as the pinnacle of the sport of triathlon, he looks to drop his marathon split ten minutes-not by reserving energy on the swim and the bike but by simply getting stronger all around. Aiming to place in the top 10 at the event, it is a modest goal compared to the ultimate destination-overall winner.

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Hawaii-native Flanagan enters the October 10th race looking for a repeat of his stellar swim at last year’s 2008 championships. Averaging roughly 1:14 for every 100 meters, he clocked an impressive 47:02 split to lead the entire field into T1. Overall, Flanagan finished in a respective 78th place.

In the past year, Flanagan has continued to build his bike and run skills to help strengthen his transition into a strong competitor on the triathlon scene. His work has paid off, placing him amongst the top of the finishers. At the 2009 Ironman Louisville race, he started out with an outstanding swim leg to set a new course record in 44:54 (averaging 1:10 per 100 meters). Demonstrating his growth in the following legs, he placed 6th overall with a time of 8:53:07

Flanagan’s swim talent, endurance, and mental toughness for the long-haul comes from years of competitive swimming. A collegiate swimmer for Auburn University, he helped the program to a national championship in 1997. He then went on to represent Team USA four years for open water swimming. In that time, he captured gold at the 1998 World Championships, gold at the Pan Pacific Games and became a 2001 National Champion.

When the race starts Saturday in Kona, do not be surprised if the athletes look like they are playing a game of “Follow the Leader”-with Flanagan in front.