BANYOLES, Spain — Melissa Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.) won a gold medal in the women’s PTS2 division Sunday at the Banyoles ITU Paratriathlon World Cup, as four athletes earned hardware for the U.S. In addition, U.S. age-group athletes raced at the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships in Zofingen, Switzerland, taking home four medals.
Banyoles ITU Paratriathlon World Cup
Stockwell’s performance in Banyoles marks her second time atop the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup podium this season, as she also took gold in Magog, Québec, in July.
The victory comes just a week after Stockwell was left off the start list for the ITU Paratriathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, as only the two highest-ranked U.S. athletes per category — Allysa Seely and Hailey Danz, for PTS2 women — were allowed to compete. She traveled to Lausanne as a waitlisted athlete in hopes of rolling onto the start list, but ultimately did not get a spot.
“I waited by the race start until an hour before the race when I had to walk away discouraged, knowing I was missing out on valuable points that would move me up in the world rankings,” Stockwell said. “The silver lining to that was getting to cheer on my amazing Team USA teammates along the course. The world cup today in Banyoles was always the plan, whether or not I raced at the world championships. But after not racing last weekend, this one became more important. Regardless of the points, this win proved to myself, and hopefully others, that I deserve to be on the starting list for bigger races in the future.”
Stockwell covered the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run course in 1 hour, 21 minutes, 26 seconds, sharing the podium with Japan’s Yukako Hata (1:22:14) and Italy’s Veronica Yoko Plebani (1:24:20).
In the women’s PTVI division, Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and Amy Dixon (Encinitas, Calif.) took silver and bronze, respectively. Italy’s Anna Barbaro broke the tape with a time of 1:11:04, followed 35 seconds later by Baker and her guide Jillian Petersen. Dixon, with guide Susanne Davis, crossed the line in 1:14:13. Baker and Dixon are coming off of fourth- and sixth-place finishes, respectively, at last weekend’s world championships.
Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md.) also reached the podium for the U.S., taking bronze in the men’s PTVI division. Snyder, with guide Colin Riley, covered the course in 1:00:18. Taking gold was Spain’s Héctor Catalá Laparra in 59:51, while the silver went to France’s Arnaud Grandjean in 1:00:02. Snyder made his world championships debut last weekend, finishing sixth.
Also competing for the U.S. Sunday in Banyoles was Eric McElvenny (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who was sixth for PTS4 men in 1:06:44.
Zofingen Powerman ITU Long Distance Duathlon World Championships
U.S. age-group athletes qualified to represent Team USA at the ITU Long Distance Duathlon World Championships by earning a top-18 finish (rolling down to 30th place) at the 2018 USA Triathlon Long Course Duathlon National Championships in Miami, Florida.
Athletes covered a 10k run, followed by a 144k bike and a 30k run. Three Americans earned silver medals in their respective age groups: Breanna Herring (Novi, Mich., F25-29), Rendy Williams (Costa Mesa, Calif., F35-39) and Nicholas Watson (Grand Rapids, Mich., M45-49). All three are first-time world championship medalists.
James Griffis (The Woodlands, Texas, M65-69), earned a bronze medal — marking his third career world championship podium in the duathlon discipline.
The U.S. also had one representative in the men’s elite division, as Ryan Giuliano (Oakwood Hills, Ill.) finished 10th in 6:41:12. The women's elite field had no U.S. competitors.
For more information about Team USA, comprised of the nation’s top amateur athletes who represent the U.S. at ITU World Championship events, visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa.
Banyoles ITU Paratriathlon World Cup
750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run — Complete Results
PTS2 Women
1. Melissa Stockwell (Chicago, Ill.), 1:21:26
2. Yukako Hata (JPN), 1:22:14
3. Veronica Yoko Plebani (ITA), 1:24:20
PTS4 Men
1. Sánchez Palomero (ESP), 1:02:32
2. Jorge Luis Fonseca (BRA), 1:03:57
3. Hideki Uka (JPN), 1:04:08
6. Eric McElvenny (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 1:06:44
PTVI Men
1. Héctor Catalá Laparra (ESP), 59:51
2. Arnaud Grandjean (FRA), 1:00:02
3. Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Md.), 1:00:18
PTVI Women
1. Anna Barbaro (ITA), 1:11:04
2. Elizabeth Baker (Signal Mountain, Tenn.), 1:11:39
3. Amy Dixon (Encinitas, Calif.), 1:14:13
Zofingen ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships
10k run, 144k bike, 30k run — Complete Results
Elite Men
1. Diego Van Looy (BEL), 6:14:29
2. Jens-Michael Gossauer (SUI), 6:16:24
3. Daan De Groot (NED), 6:20:16
10. Ryan Guiliano (Oakwood Hills, Ill.), 6:41:12
Elite Women
1. Nina Zoller (SUI), 7:14:54
2. Melanie Maurer (SUI), 7:17:11
3. Corina Hengartner (SUI), 7:27:47
U.S. Age Group Medalists
F25-29
2. Breanna Herring (Novi, Mich.), 9:15:44
F35-39
2. Rendy Williams (Costa Mesa, Calif.), 8:28:41
M45-49
2. Nicholas Watson (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 7:06:50
M65-69
3. James Griffis (The Woodlands, Texas), 9:30:22
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 & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
