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1Nov/093:24 PM
Gambles, Kaye Capture Inaugural Amica Championship
By fanster.com
Photos: Competition Group
PROVIDENCE, RI – Joe Gambles and Alicia Kaye became the first-ever winners of the Amica Championship. The inaugural Amica Championship, a sprint triathlon, debuted this morning under picture perfect skies at Lake Pleasant Park, Arizona.
Gambles of Boulder, CO, finished the half-mile swim, 17-mile bike and 5k run in a winning time of 1:06:04.7.
Gambles, 27, entered the Amica Championship in an effort to get a sprint distance under his belt before he competes in the 2009 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FLA in two weeks. Gambles won two Ironman 70.3 events this summer. The Australian native captured both the Lake Stevens Ironman 70.3 and Vineman Ironman 70.3 and set course records in each race. He won Lake Stevens in 3 hours, 56 minutes and took the title at Vineman in a record-setting 3 hours, 49 minutes.
He was pleased with his performance today.
“I had a great summer and have been training really hard for Clearwater. My goal is to podium there. I needed to get a sprint before Clearwater,” said Gambles. “This was a great course - scenic and challenging. I pushed hard out there today. There was a lot of good competition here. The swim was great. When I came out of the water, I could see the other (top pros) just ahead of me.”
He took over the lead three miles into the bike and never looked back. He was in command the remainder of the race, finishing two minutes and 24 seconds ahead of runner-up Kevin Collington (1:08:28.7).
“It was a great race,” said Collington, 25. “I felt strong coming out of the water. When Joe came by me on the bike (mile three), I worked as hard as I could, but he’s so strong I couldn’t catch him.”
California’s Chris Foster, 27, placed third in the Men’s Pro Division with a time of 1:08:41.1.
Alicia Kaye, 26 was the first female to cross the finish line at Lake Pleasant Park this morning. Kaye became the top female at today’s Amica Championship with her winning time of 1:16.34.
“I came in here with the goal of winning. This was a super hard race and the competition was really good. I wanted to compete in a high pressure,” said Kaye of Maynard, MA. “I just kept chasing the boys (male pros) out there the best I could. I was really pleased today.”
Kaye said the course, which featured a big hill on the bike course, was extremely challenging.
“The race was tough, but really well organized. I felt safe and when you feel safe on the course, you are able to focus,” said Kaye. “This race is only going to grow from here. The course was beautiful. The backdrop is stunning.”
Malaika Homo, 31, was the runner-up in the women’s pro division. Homo, Salt Lake City, Utah, finished in 1:18:39.7. Kaye’s training partner, Amanda Felder, was third (1:19:07.5).
A mix of professionals, amateurs and first-time competitors were among the hundreds of triathletes who competed at the inaugural Amica Championship at Lake Pleasant Park, Arizona.
Today’s Amica Championship was the culmination of the inaugural Amica Triathlon Series, a sprint distance series of events held throughout the country. This new national sprint triathlon series, which featured seven races, debuted in the spring with the Amica TexasMan Triathlon in Dallas, TX. Additional events were held throughout the spring and summer in Boulder (CO), Nashville (TN), Charlotte (NC), Portland (OR), Niantic (CT) and Las Vegas (NV).
The overall male and female winners at each Amica Tri Series event were each granted a complimentary entry to the 2009 Amica Championship. In addition, the top 10 finishers in each age group at the events received invitations to compete in today’s event.
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About Amica Insurance
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation’s oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, Rhode Island, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine, and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,200 people in 40 offices across the country.
About Eident Sports Marketing
Eident Sports is a full-service event management and sports marketing company based in Providence, RI. Eident has several properties, ranging from turn-key sporting events to sponsorship sales alliances with key partners. For more information on Eident’s events and offerings, please visit www.eidentsports.com.
Amica Championship, a sprint triathlon, debuts Nov. 1 at Lake Pleasant Park
PROVIDENCE, RI – A mix of professionals, amateurs and first-time competitors will be among the hundreds of triathletes slated to compete this weekend at the inaugural Amica Championship. The sprint triathlon will debut on Sunday, November 1, at Lake Pleasant Park, Arizona. The Amica Championship begins at 8 a.m. and features a half-mile swim, a 17-mile bike and a 5k run.
Triathletes of all skill levels will compete in this inaugural event, which includes three divisions: Pros, Qualifiers and Age Groupers. Pros will be competing for a $20,000 prize.
A few of the top professionals slated to compete in the Amica Championship on Sunday include:
Jarrod Shoemaker: A member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, Shoemaker placed 18th overall at the Beijing Olympics. A resident of Maynard, MA and graduate of Dartmouth College, Shoemaker, 27, earned his spot on the U.S. Olympic Team by finishing as the top American (11th place overall) at the 2007 ITU Beijing World Cup.
Joe Gambles: He was the winner of two Ironman 70.3 events this summer. Gambles captured both the Lake Stevens Ironman 70.3 and Vineman Ironman 70.3 and set course records in each race. Gambles, 27, won Lake Stevens in 3 hours, 56 minutes and took the title at Vineman in a record-setting 3 hours, 49 minutes. A native of Australia, he currently resides in Boulder, CO.
Daniel Bretscher: The Indiana native was the recipient of USA Triathlon’s 2008 Elite Rookie Athlete of the Year Award. As a rookie, Bretscher, 26, had six top 10 finishes and placed 19th in the World Championship in 2008. In addition, he won the Spirit of Morgantown in 2008.
Lewis Elliot: The overall winner of 70 multi-sport events, Elliot, 29, won the Nathan Tempe triathlon in late September. Most recently, he placed 25th in a field of 20,000 in the Rock ‘N’ Roll San Jose (half marathon). A resident of Phoenix, AZ, he previously raced bicycles for the U.S. National Team.
Chris Foster: A resident of Redondo Beach, CA, Foster, 27, won the San Diego International Triathlon in June. He recently placed eighth overall at the Los Angeles Triathlon.
Mary Miller: The 28-year-old from Boulder, CO, recently was the first woman overall at the Pumpkinman Triathlon. Miller’s additional accomplishments include a second-place finish overall among women at the Timberman Sprint Triathlon where she was first in her age group (25-29). She also placed 16th among women at the ITU Age Group World Championships. In 2008, Miller captured the Wildflower Olympic Triathlon and, in doing so, set the new course record for women.
Malaika Homo: First among elite women at the Danskin Sprint Triathlon in the spring, the 31 year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah, also finished fourth among elite women at the Memphis in May sprint triathlon.
The 2009 Amica Championship is the culmination of the inaugural Amica Triathlon Series, a sprint distance series of events held throughout the country. This new national sprint triathlon series, which featured seven races, debuted in the spring with the Amica TexasMan Triathlon in Dallas, TX. Additional events were held throughout the spring and summer in Boulder (CO), Nashville (TN), Charlotte (NC), Portland (OR), Niantic (CT) and Las Vegas (NV).
The overall male and female winners at each Amica Tri Series event were each granted a complimentary entry to the Amica Championship. In addition, the top 10 finishers in each age group at the events received invitations to compete in the Amica Championship.
Triathletes, from beginners to professionals, interested in participating in the inaugural Amica Championship can register at the Heath & Wellness Expo at the Carefree Resort & Villas, Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
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