For me, it's a toss up between Mike Pigg or Karen Smyers. Both were threats at all distances. Karen had a lot of major shit happen in her life and came back strong. Pigg was a hard working mo-fo. Tough call.

Brett

I find it hard to love any of the guys at the front of the pack. They all blend together. Do they all look alike too?

I like Larsen because he is trying to upset the apple cart but I don't aspire to be like him. My man is Shingo Tani. I just like his disposition and style. In addition to being fast he is just happy to be there. His run splits are pretty good as well. Whitfield is a close second on this front.

On the other side, Barb is all you need to know. She gets it done week in and week out. So consistent. No new fangled aero position for her, just an amazing combo of skill and effort.

Im not one to care a thing about the pros....but Joe Bonness is my favorite and is the only one I choose to follow.

King Bunnyman!

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I like Craig Walton and Simon Whitfield, but I can't seem to get over McCormack's big mouth (not until he delivers, and even then I don't know if he'll be my fav, he's just too cocky).

For IM I like DeBoom and Normann Stadler.



For the women it's hard. Pip Tylor (hope i spelled that right) is cute, and i dunno about IM (i guess lisa bently)

Thomas Hellriegel is awesome! hes quiet and gets the job done, plus has a cool accent.

Lori Bowden is my fav female...

I think Macca's talking is taken out of context alot. Yes, he talks alot, but ALWAYS shows respect for his fellow competitors, unlike someother bike phenom who yaps and yaps and disrespects everyone. i hope Macca does well someday.

Karen Smyers - Not many as nice as her on this earth. I introduced myself to her at the LA Tri a couple of years ago and asked for a picture. She held my daughter for the picture and just hugged the stuffing out of her.

Lori Bowden also... cause she's hot!

I'm going to have to say Scott Tinley, with a super close 2nd of the Dave Scott

I've met ST twice at Rockn'Roll mrathon expos. Second time he autographed my 2000 finishers photo:

"Jim - you kicked my ass! I want a rematch! -Scott"

Didn't realize it until I got the full size picture back that we came across the line at the same time. As we came around the last bend during the race I remembered hearing "ladies and gentlemen, 2 time IMH winner Scott Tinley!!!". Thought to my self "yah he's way in front of me" turns out he was right next to me.

Go to met DS at TNT coaching clinic, also super cool. Had dinner with him and he sat with a bunch of us, answering absolutely any tri related ? we could come up with.

Jim

I try to idolize many people, least of all professional athletes, but the elite/professional tri-geeks that I admire most are Bonness, Walton, Larsen, Badman, and anyone else lays it on the line and races off the front. Particularly now that the difference between draft legal and draft illegal for professionals is 12" off to one side...

My favorite triathlete is a fellow that I had never met until finshing my first ever tri a few years ago. At the time I knew nothing about tri and only entered as a lark because my teenage daughter said I was "too old to do anything like that". Came in 237th place out of 316. Sat down beside him to eat lunch and we started talking. Told him this was my first tri and he told me that he "had done a few before". Started asking him dumb newbie questions about bikes, wet suits, etc. and he was very enthusiastic and helpful. A really nice modest helpful guy with no conceit or ego who was giving solid advice and was sincere in wishing to help a beginner.

It wasn't until later that I had found out he won the event that day and finished second in AG at IM Lake Placid a few weeks earlier..

Hmmm...."Hope Macca does well someday"? I assume you mean in Hawaii, because he's pretty successful every well else (2 x defending champion for IM Australia, I'm pretty sure he won Wildflower a bunch of times in row, etc.)

For my money, Barb Lindquist is incredible, plus Mark Allen.

This is such a great sport - where else do the pros mix it up with the amateurs at the same time? Plus, the ones that I've seen/met are gracious, well mannered, and in general a credit to the sport.

Hi Jimmy!

Natasha, because she used to be the fat girl and look at her now. And, she can RIDE (and doesn't have excuses if she doesn't win.)

Normannn Stadler, Steve Larsen and Tomas Hellreigel. Those boys can ride too.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Favourite triathlete?? You mean I have to pick just one?? I can't do it. I mean for all out respect it would have to be Karen Smyers. Tough? None tougher IMHO. Pick a distance and she can kick ass in it. Comebacks..hell even Lance has to take a backseat to the woman (how long did he spend in labour when his kids were born). And nice? Holy crap...I met her way back in 89 at the ,then, Reebok world triathlon Championships in Milton Ontario..and even though she was already chatting with the likes of Carol Montgomery (also supernice) and Mike Pigg (the man with amazing work ethic) she took the time to answer all my questions. I was completely awestruck by the three of them and how approachable they were (try and do that with Michael Jordan or Barry Bonds). If I had to pick just one she'd be it.

If allowed to pick a male counterpart...man that would bea tough one. Been lucky enough to meet a lot of pros in my years in the sport. Both Mike Pigg and Greg Welch are amazing guys to meet. No offense to the guy, but I wasn't really impressed with Scott Tinley. Maybe he had a bad day or something but he wasn't all that approachable and really didn't seem too nice (sorry Scott..calls em like I sees em). After having seen the interview with Simon Whitfield following the Time Life race he gets my nod for humility and politeness (stepping out of the spotlight for Barb to get her words in was plain classy). And the man never ever slags his competition. Never personally met the guy but he oozes nice guy. For Ironmanliness..tough one here. Dave or Mark for sure. As much as it pains me to say it (never been a hugs Mark fan for some reason) I'll give the nod to Mark. Something about getting thumped 6 or 7 times and still having the tenacity to keep coming back for more and be rewarded with a record tying number of wins needs mentioning. That said I want to know where he was when Dave came back the first time and Welchy won it? But just one guy...I'd have to go with Chilean Christian Bustos. He was always at the top of his game and always gave the big guns a run for their money. He got run over by a press vehicle for heavens sake (odd that it was a driver with the same nationality as the guy who was in second place at the time..makes you say hmmm) during an Ironman. And he still keeps coming back for more. He gets my..male Karen Smyers award.

There are just too many to choose from...the question wasn't fair.

Laura Buchanan. Met her when I was a student at UC Santa Barbara and she was finishing her degree. The most humble and unassuming woman you ever care to meet considering she was one of the best triathletes in the world for a time. We spent a lot of time talking about sailing, which was a passion of mine then. We talked a bit about triathlon also.

Rich Powell. He was active in triathlons early early on and a good friend of Scott Tinley. He was the teacher of the triathlon class at UC Santa Barbara and a great mentor and friend of mine.

Craig

  Yo Cathy,

I definitely admire Natascha. She won my "prove them wrong" award. It was always said that her bike was the only component of her race. But she had a slow swim, alright(by her standards) bike, and still finished second this year with a super gutsy race and a smile on her face. Nina Kraft ranks up there also.

I do not admire those who race from the pack. They may win, they may be good, but they are not my favorites. To join team FIRELUV, you must try to be the fastest swimmer, biker, and runner. That sitting in stuff is for the ones who race for the win, no matter the cost.

FIRELUV

I was at the Geelong ITU race - Walto absolutely hammered the bunch on the bike. You should have seen his face - like he was on a mission. So focused he would not even have noticed if his hair was on fire. It took until about the 30km mark before anyone in the bunch decided to have a crack, but by then, they were racing for 2nd. He ran over the line high-fiving spectators along the way back, then ran back along the finish chute, grabbed an Aussie flag and continued to celebrate with the crowd, who were going NUTS for him.

So I guess you could say that Walto is a current fave.

As for girls, it starts and ends with Pip Taylor. Her undoubted ability, those little braids in her hair, cute smile, down-to-earth personality, intelligence. And then I could start talking about her physical appearance...Better calm down, breathe boy, breathe...

I remember Linda Buchanan. Was Laura her evil twin?

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Lew

My bad Lew, I was trying to remember her name and came up with Laura. It was in fact Linda. My apologies. They were both nice ;-)

Craig

if i had to pick one i'd have to choose macca. there are a lot of incredible pros out there and any one of them can win on any different day. it's the way macca does it. i think his talking is misunderstood. he believes in himself and has set goals for himself - and, he honestly believes that he can reach them. i don't think his talking is meant to bash other athletes... he just knows what he's capable of - and, that's usually better than the other pros. (hawaii being the exception..... so far)

I agree with everyone that's been mentioned so far. I'm especially awed by challenged athletes. I obviously don't want to trade places with any of them but I marvel at their courage and determination. Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Team Hoyt, Carlos Moleda, and David Baily are very well known but only represent a few of many. Mealnie Benn swims over a mile in the ocean without arms or legs. Heidi Musser swims, bikes, and runs without the benefit of sight. Jeremy Newman competes in triathlons nearly every weekend with just his arms for power. And on and on.

The accomplishments of able bodied people can be impressive but watching challenged athletes succeed really pumps up my emotions.



Larry



L

Several come to mind for different reasons - Slowman (one of the "fathers" of our sport and the guru behind slowtwitch) is still active right? PNF and The Grip are legendary and while people like Natasha and Peter Reid are growing in stature they still have a long way to go. How's about "come back king" Simon Lessing - if I were a betting man I know where my money would go for Athens next year....and the list goes on for a variety of reasons - the German bikers like Zack, hell on wheels and stormin norman for changing the way we race, macca for his smack, nina kraft for her humility and heart, de boom - love him or hate him he is a damn fine athlete with a huge heart.....what a great sport we have...

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Coaching and Training Camps

Andreas Niedrig!!!! btw, his site is not online anymore. Did someone here from him lately, he did not start in hawaii either.

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�The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.� -Michelangelo

MoodBoost Drink : Mood Support + Energy.

My memory shouldn't be trusted anymore, but I recall Scott Molina winning anything he touched for a couple years in the mid-80's. He took the World's Toughest Triathlon, a double-ironman, U.S.T.S., and even a couple races in the wolrd-famous Los Angeles Triathlon Champoinship Series. He was the first guy I considered "un-touchable".

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Mr Ed
Triathlete with one horsepower

"I like Craig Walton and Simon Whitfield, but I can't seem to get over McCormack's big mouth (not until he delivers, and even then I don't know if he'll be my fav, he's just too cocky)"

NOT UNTIL HE DELIVERS ??????????

What about world champ'97, nearly unbeatable these past few years (or was it unbeaten except for Hawaii???) in non drafting events be it short course or middle distance or even Ironman (apart from Hawaii, 3 ironmans, 2 wins, 1 close second in Roth).

I don't call it NOT DELIVERING.

Anyway, obviously I like Macca, Craig Walton too. In short course, I think this year's athlete to be most admired would be the french guy Franck Bignet. He won two world cups, placed second in one, and numerous other top ten placings, and all that while hammering the swim and bike and holding on his lead on the run. Basically he has shown the rest of the triathlon world (including Craig Walton) that it is still possible to win this way.

But most of you probably don't know who Frank Bignet is anyway.