SARASOTA-BRADENTON, Fla. — U.S. elite, junior and paratriathletes earned plenty of hardware Saturday on an action-packed day of racing at Sarasota’s Nathan Benderson Park, highlighted by a 21-medal haul at the CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships.  

All races were held on a scenic sprint-distance course that covered a 750-meter swim, 18.3-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. 

CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships
The U.S. paratriathlon contingent was strong in all divisions. Mark Barr (Davis, Calif.) won gold in the men’s’ PTS2 race with nearly a six-minute margin of victory. He finished in 1 hour, 8 minutes, 53 seconds, leading a U.S. podium sweep that also included Allan Armstrong (Colorado Springs, Colo., 1:14:49) and Adam Popp (Arlington, Va., 1:18:03).

Hailey Danz (Wauwatosa, Ill.) and Melissa Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.), grabbed gold and silver respectively in the women’s PTS2 division. Danz broke the tape with a time of 1:21:55, followed by Stockwell in 1:24:59.

Eric McElvenny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won the men’s PTS4 division in his first-ever international race as an elite paratriathlete. McElvenny crossed the line in 1:04:36, almost two minutes faster than runner-up Jorge Luis Fonseca of Brazil (1:06:23). Rounding out the podium was Jamie Brown (Bend, Ore.) with a time of 1:06:54.

The women’s PTS4 race saw another U.S. podium sweep led by Kelly Elmlinger (San Antonio, Texas), who earned her second career international victory in 1:19:15. Nicole Ver Kuilen (Edmonds, Wash.) took the silver medal in 1:24:03, and Kelly Worrell (Cherry Hill, N.J.) grabbed the last podium spot in 1:30:21.

In the men’s PTS5 category, Chris Hammer (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned bronze with a time of 1:05:33. He was joined on the podium by gold medalist Stefan Daniel of Canada (58:00) and silver medalist Juan Carlos Cano Espinoza (1:01:19).

Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio) raced to the win in the women’s PTS5 race, crossing the line in 1:06:39. She was nearly five minutes faster than the runner-up, Kamylle Frenette of Canada (1:11:31). 

The men’s PTVI division saw a U.S. podium sweep made up of Aaron Scheidies (Seattle, Wash., 1:01:13), Kyle Coon (Carbondale, Colo., 1:03:03) and Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md., 1:05:37). 

In the women’s PTVI category, Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) broke the tape in 1:12:12. Jessica Tuomela of Canada took silver in 1:12:33, and Amy Dixon (Encinitas, Calif.) grabbed the bronze in 1:13:21. 

The men’s PTWC category saw a victory by a paratriathlon rookie, Joshua Sweeney (Hillsboro, Ore), in 1:10:09. Sweeney is a 2014 Paralympic gold medalist in the sport of sled hockey, and the race in Sarasota marked his elite paratriathlon debut. Brazil’s Fernando Aranha took the silver medal in 1:13:23, and Howie Sanbon (Denver, Colo.) collected the bronze in 1:14:22.

In the women’s PTWC division, Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill.) grabbed the gold with a time of 1:11:46. Brazil’s Jessica Ferreira came through for silver in 1:12:24, followed by Mary Kate Callahan (La Grange, Ill.) for bronze in 1:20:48.

CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon American Cup
In the elite CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon American Cup, Jason West (Boulder, Colo.) grabbed the win by outrunning silver medalist Laase Nygaard-Priester of Germany. West crossed the line in 50:54, followed nine seconds later by the German. The performance marked West’s fifth career CAMTRI victory and ninth CAMTRI medal overall. William Huffman (Colleyville, Texas) also reached the podium, taking bronze in 51:11. 

Erika Ackerlund (Missoula, Mont.), who won the U23 CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon North American Championships in Sarasota last year, found herself on the women’s elite podium Saturday with a silver medal. Ackerlund spent nearly the entire race neck-in-neck with Canada’s Amelie Kretz, who broke the tape in 56:57. Ackerlund took the runner-up spot seven seconds later in 57:04, earning her fifth career CAMTRI medal. Australia’s Sophie Linn completed the podium with a time of 57:24. 

Amy Cymerman (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Megan Foley (Salt Lake City, Utah) also raced well, placing fourth (57:45) and fifth (57:59) respectively.

CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon Junior American Cup
U.S. athletes also found the podium in the Junior American Cup races, as Luis Ortiz (Orlando, Fla.) won the men’s race and Gillian Cridge (Indianapolis, Ind.) claimed bronze for women.

Ortiz raced with the lead pack from start to finish, earning a dramatic victory after a sprint finish with Canada’s Tristen Jones. Ortiz had the advantage to claim gold, but both athletes recorded the same official time of 52:53. Mexico’s Dylan Didier Campa Carranza was the bronze medalist with a time of 53:16, and Davis Bove (Franklin, Tenn.) was only two seconds off the podium in fourth (53:18).

In the women’s junior race, Cridge exited the water more than 40 seconds behind the leaders but quickly bridged the gap with a race-leading 28:27 bike split. She followed that with an 18:14 5k — the fourth-fastest run of the day — to claim bronze in 58:11. Two Mexican athletes earned the top two spots, with Mercedes Romero Orozco taking gold in 57:43 and Sofia Rodriguez Moreno silver in 57:48. Liberty Ricca also had a strong showing in the women’s junior race, placing fifth in 58:57.

Racing continues Sunday at Nathan Benderson Park with a Youth Elite Cup, a collegiate race and an age-group race. For complete results and information on all races, visit sarasotatri.com.

Sarasota-Bradenton CAMTRI Paratriathlon American Championships
750m swim, 18.3k bike, 5k run

U.S. Medalists — Complete Results

PTS2 Men
1. Mark Barr (Davis, Calif.), 1:08:53
2. Allan Armstrong (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 1:14:49
3. Adam Popp (Arlington, Va.), 1:18:03

PTS2 Women
1. Hailey Danz (Wauwatosa, Wis.), 1:21:55
2. Melissa Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.), 1:24:59

PTS4 Men
1. Eric McElvenny (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 1:04:36
3. Jamie Brown (Bend, Ore.), 1:06:54

PTS4 Women
1. Kelly Elmlinger (San Antonio, Texas), 1:19:15
2. Nicole Ver Kuilen (Edmonds, Wash.), 1:24:03
3. Kelly Worrell (Cherry Hill, N.J.), 1:30:21

PTS5 Men
3. Chris Hammer (Salt Lake City, Utah), 1:05:33

PTS5 Women
1. Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio), 1:06:39

PTVI Men
1. Aaron Scheidies (Seattle, Wash.), 1:01:13
2. Kyle Coon (Carbondale, Colo.), 1:03:03
3. Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md.), 1:05:37

PTVI Women
1. Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.), 1:12:12
3. Amy Dixon (Encinitas, Calif.), 1:13:21

PTWC Men
1. Joshua Sweeney (Hillsboro, Ore.), 1:10:09
3. Howie Sanborn (Denver, Colo.), 1:14:22

PTWC Women
1. Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill.), 1:11:46
3. Mary Kate Callahan (La Grange, Ill.), 1:20:48

Sarasota-Bradenton CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon American Cup
750m swim, 18.3k bike, 5k run

Elite Men — Complete Results
1. Jason West (Boulder, Colo.), 50:54
2. Laase Nygaard-Priester (GER), 51:03
3. William Huffman (Colleyville, Texas), 51:11
4. Javier Lluch Perez (ESP), 51:28
5. Morgan Davies (GBR), 51:30

Elite Women — Complete Results
1. Amelie Kretz (CAN), 56:57
2. Erika Ackerlund (Missoula, Mont.), 57:04
3. Sophie Linn (AUS), 57:24
4. Amy Cymerman (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 57:45
5. Megan Foley (Salt Lake City, Utah), 57:59

Junior Men — Complete Results
1. Luis Ortiz (Orlando, Fla.), 52:53
2. Tristen Jones (CAN), 52:53
3. Dylan Didier Campa Carranza (MEX), 53:16
4. Davis Bove (Franklin, Tenn.), 53:18
5. Erik Yamir Ramos Croda (MEX), 53:19

Junior Women — Complete Results
1. Mercedes Romero Orozco (MEX), 57:43
2. Sofia Rodriguez Moreno (MEX), 57:48
3. Gillian Cridge (Indianapolis, Ind.), 58:11
4. Ana Maria Valentina Torres Gomez (MEX), 58:47
5. Liberty Ricca (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 58:57 

About USA Triathlon
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).