What's a sports fan without some favorites? I'll give it a go...

I like Larsen. Don't know why -- I just do.

I also root for Gordo Byrne. Started late in life, quit his job and trains like a mofo. Lives his triathlon life out in the open, with every idea he has put out there for the rest of us to consider. Kinda like our host here, Slowman. But Slowman's not elite anymore, so he's not on my list. ;-)

On the female side, that Natascha's got a smile that won't quit. I like her, too.

Ah, how to define "favorite"?

I like Julian's picks, both male and female, and I count both SL and Gordo as friends. Natasha just does her own thing, and, didn't come from the usual sporting background.

Others on my fave list: Bryan Rhodes, Cam Widoff, Wendy Ingraham, Lisa Bentley, Tomas Hellreigel, PNF, Jugen Z., Normann Stadler.

Short course: Victor Plata.

My all-time favorite elite triathlete(s)? Mark Allen and Scott Molina

But maybe more than any of the above, I admire guys like Bill Bell, Norton Davey and the rest of the IronGents who are still out there giving it 100% when most of their peers are sitting on the porch.

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

We all have them and love rooting for them:

Long Course: James Bonney-local Texas guy who I get to see at local races. The guy is just cool and looks fast. Hasn't broke through yet and may never get on the podium at Kona but he is going to bust his a** trying.

Short Course: Hunter Kemper-been rooting for him before the olympics. I love his style and envy his awesome runs. I would love to see what he could do on the long course. Hope to see him in Athens kicking Simon's butt.

Daniel

"Our bodies are our gardens - Our wills are our gardeners" -William Shakespeare

Chris McCormack - leaves it out there very time he races. Tells the story about inviting Stuart O'Grady to watch an Oly race (draft legal) here in Australia a few years back, and that they rolled around the bike course sitting on 35kph. He was so embarrassed to have O'Grady watch such a display of apathy on bike (with the bunch content to let the result rest on the run) that he vowed that he would really push himself on the bike whenever he raced from them on. (Urban myth has him threatening to compete in a subsequent race on a MTB just to prove how little the pro's on the bike were going for it!!)

Luke Bell - up and comer and will be an awesome athlete with experience behind him. (Also a mate, so have to plug him.)

And yes, there is an obvious Aussie bias here, but hey?!?!?

Long Course: Hands down Lothar Leder...the guy is amazing. Does 5 plus IM's a year and usually is always on the podium!

On the female side: Lori Bowden...gutsy, competes alot, mentally strong even when having a bad day (IM Canada last year)

Short Course: Craig Walton and don't really have a favorite on the female side

I second the vote for Luc van Lierde. His talent speaks for itself, but he seems like an all-around great guy.

There are plenty of shots of him on NBC's Ironman coverage giving a little wave or thumbs-up or pat on the back to fellow competitors... Reid, Hellriegal, Zack, etc. And that goes for whether he is leading or chasing!

I remember an article in Triathlete Mag when Luc won St. Croix (2000?) and he backed off a stride to LET another cometitor take the run PRIME, and then cruised on to win by several minutes. That's class!

All time fav: Dave Scott

So does anyone have any info on Luke Bell?

Sonni Dyer. Local boy. Extremely approachable. Sincere in all aspects of his relationships with athletes looking to him for advice. Injured this year, but still out at most every race I go to, cheering on all the athletes, no matter what their level, no matter whether they take coaching instruction from him or not. Real class act.

Anne B. Local Gal. She's only 17 I think, so I'm not putting her full name here. Her dad and I are in the same age group and take turns beating one another by a minute or so from race to race. She beats us both every time...very few women do that, and she's still so young with so much talent. If she really pursues this Triathlon thing, I'll be looking for her to make waves in the pro ranks some day.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I agree with you about Sonni. I did Over the Mountain this past weekend and he was out on the course as well as the finish line. Great guy, good heart. Good coach.

on the pro side - I like Chris Leito. Can't explain. I have a picture of me with Hunter Kemper so I follow how he's doing plus he has ties to NC.

Simon Lessing!

The good thing about Simon is that I don't have to explain why he's my favorite triathlete. He's simply the best! :-)



Paulo

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Last week I could train one week with Christoph Mauch (*). He is a very nice person. I don't know why but my favorite (Swiss) athlete is Oliver Bernhard. On the woman side it is Natascha Badmann and Karin Thurig.
Other favorite triathletes are Chris Mc Cormack, Peter Reid, Tim De Boom.

(*) I registered for a voluntary military sports course. It was a great training camp. The 5 days counted for my overall time I have to spend in military service and i even got paid for it. It was a great experience to train with Christoph Mauch and gave me much confidence for IM Switzerland.

Felix

Steve Larsen - I just like the fact that he's shaking it up, and throwing it all out there.

Michellie Jones - She's a great personality and has been crushing it for years. I hope she's on the line in Athens.

Riccitello - Simply b/c he's hilarious.

Jessi Stensland - well errr....just because

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"The more you sweat today, the less you bleed tomorrow"

Joe Bonness is my hero

Long course:

Wingnut and Natascha, who after racing at Hawaii 2000 came back in the evening and stayed for hours until midnight catching late finishers and putting the leis over their heads and congratulating them, didn't see any of the guys doing that!!!!

Spencer and Macca, if they're gonna win they are doing it the hard way and live or die by their work ethic.

Short course:

Tim Don, as a hard working pro who got spanked for the first couple of years moving up from the juniors and paying from his own pocket, now he's the world Du champion after blowing through Greg Bennett on the run, just as he did at St. Anthony to win earlier this month.

Michelle Dillion cos.... well, get a picture of her and you'll know! (Shallow,shallow man!)

Julian in England.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Shallow, shallow, SHALLOW!

But while we're on the subject, whatever happened to Annaleah Emerson? :-)



Paulo

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

I like Julian's picks too, especially Larsen. You have to admire anyone that can go to WF this year only having run 2 miles in the 8 weeks beforehand and destroy the bike course record in that crappy weather, then hold on for a 2nd place finish. Muy grandes cajones!

Don't think anyone has mentioned Greg Welch yet. I'm sorry he was forced into retirement while in his prime. And you have to admire Christian Bustos, another guy who would have done more if not for medical problems (ie, runover by a jeep during competition!).

Long Course Men: Gordo, Macca, Larsen, Zack - I think Zack has another win in Hawaii in him, and the others will get theirs in due course. That is, if Larsen learns to run.

Long Course Women: Fuhr, Bentley, Badmann

Short Course Men: Courtney Atkinson (I don't know why I dig this kid so much, I just do!)

Short Course Women: Michellie Jones

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

"I think Zack has another win in Hawaii in him"

Khai, was there an Ironman Hawaii I missed?

This triathloner is another person who races in the NCTS. Aaron Keifer is a wonderful individual. He's really had a break-out season, with two wins and a third in his last three races. I know him from a few training rides and seeing him at the races and around town. He's always great to speak with and very friendly to all other triathloners.

Outside of racing, I know he works at Inside Out Sports and is working on a Masters degree at NC State. I'm always inpressed with how someone can put in so much time with graduate level school work and be a very competitive triathlete.

Adam

Me!

But then I woke up. Ahh, what a great dream it was.

I have to say Michellie Jones, because she was very nice, told me to live my dreams and kicked all our asses in my very first race so bad I wanted to give her roses.

Guy-wise, got to be Macca.

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Most people don't recognize opportunity because it wears bib overalls and looks like work.
~Teddy Roosevelt

Typo caused by brain malfunction. I was thinking "another win" as well as "a win in Hawaii" and... well...



Okay -I suck in the mornings.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

Can I pick Lance?

If not then maybe DeBoom because he lets everyone else talk about why he shouldn't win and what they're going to do, then beats them all, takes his money and goes home. Lots of great girls: Wingnut, Fernanda, Bowden; all tough and consistent.

All time favorite has to be Molina: bay area kid, ex-swimmer and all-around tough bastard.

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Anyone who tells you they're as fast now as they were when they were 18...
sure wasn't very fast when they were 18.

I know next to nothing about this sport, unfortunately, but...

Mark Allen + Karen Smyers

I love that woman.