WYKOFF: NEW NAME, SAME GREAT RACE
The Wykoff Triathlon is now the Wyckoff-Franklin Lakes Triathlon
new name, but the same great event!

The event is put on by the Wyckoff Family YMCA.
Wyckoff-Franklin Lakes 21st Annual Triathlon June 14, 2003
Entry form and details are forthcoming.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE ROADS

Saturday, March 1st
- Little Cow Harbor Four Miler - Greenlawn, NY
- Roxbury Race Series - 8:30am - Roxbury, CT
- The Summit Ridge Farm 15K Road Race - Harwinton, CT (860) 485-1506

Sunday, March 2nd
- Caumsett Park 50K Run - Lloyd Neck, NY
- LIRRC Eunice Harris 10K @ Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY
- NY Road Runners Coogan's Salsa, Blues, and Shamrocks 5K, Washington Heights, NY
- E. Murray Todd Half Marathon, Lincroft, NJ
- Newark Distance Classic 20k & 5k, Newark, NJ 973-733-6454
- Boston Build-Up Series 25K - Norwalk, CT
- Kelley's Pace Hare Hop - 3M - Mystic, CT - (860)536-8175

UPCOMING METRO AREA MASTERS SWIM MEETS

- March 2 Commissioner's Trophy Meet at Lehman College - Individual entries closed, Relays are FREE on day of meet!
- March 15-16 March Madness SCY Meet at Asphalt Green- Entry Deadline: March 10
- March 16 St. Patrick's Day Meet @ Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, CT - Entry Deadline: March 11
- March 16 Bill Crawford Memorial Winter Classic Meet @ Villanova (PA) - Entry Deadline: March 7
- March 16 Binghamton University Masters SCY Meet - Entry Deadline: March 11
- March 22, 28-30 New England Masters SCY Championship at Harvard - Entry Deadline March 10
- March 30 - Unofficial Team Championships @ Ocean County YMCA (NJ) - Entry Deadline: March 25
- April 6 SCY Spring Fling Masters Meet @ Nassau County Aquatics Center - Entry Deadline: March 29
- April 11-13 Colonies Zone SCY Championships (VA)- Entry Deadline: March 28
- May 3-4 NYS Masters Swimming Championships @ Union College - details tba
- August 3 LCM Summer Sizzler Masters Meet @ Nassau County Aquatics Center - Entry Deadline: July 26
- August 14-17 2003 USMS Long Course Championship @ Rutgers University (NJ) - details tba

Details and entry forms can be found at the Metropolitan LMSC and Aquafit Masters websites.

WHO WANTS TO GO TO ATHENS ?

USA Triathlon has announced the Olympic Qualification procedure for Athens 2004. The Olympic Tri Team (3 guys, 3 gals) will be picked on the basis of three International Triathlon Union (ITU), draft-legal races between April and June of 2004.

The three races will be selected as Olympic qualifiers by virtue of meeting draft-legal, prize money, media coverage, race-course layout and location requirements. Will St. Anthony's be one of them?

WTC PLAYS eBAY "TRUMP" CARD: MINIMUM BID: $10,000

As we reported here last week, for the first time in Ironman’s history, athletes can purchase slots to compete, with proceeds benefiting a local YMCA.

The World Triathlon Corp made it Official today, confirming that they are teaming with eBay to offer 20 lucky (and, we assume, loaded) athletes The “Ultimate Ironman Experience", with at least two slots available in each of the six age group categories. Details of the age-group breakdown can be found in the February 23rd MetroTri newsletter

The 10-day auction period will run from March 27-April 6. The minimum bid for each of the slots is $10,000, with all funds due by May 7. All funds paid are tax-deductible.

MARCH MADNESS BIATHLON FILLING UP FAST

The NY area's season opener, the NY Tri Club's March 30th 17th Annual March Madness Biathlon is filling up fast.

The field is limited to 600 applicants. Over 100 entrants were rejected in 2002.
- UPDATE - A quick check of entrants shows 387 folks signed up so far, and still more than a month to go

Race details: Run - 2.2 mi., Bike - 12 mi., Run - 2.2 mi.
Two divisions:
- Narrow Tire (racing, road bikes)
- Fat Tire (mountain, street, all-terrain bikes - tires greater than 1.125" or 28 mm)
Changing between divisions is allowed only if a request is received by mail by March 19.

Awards go to the top 3 in 5-year groups in NARROW tire and 10-year age groups in FAT tire.

The NYTC calendar page has more information, including the entry form, a link to on-line entry via Lin-Mark and a couple of photos as well.

IRONMAN LOTTERY ENTRY DEADLINE IS FRIDAY

The Ironman Triathlon World Championship is one of the most in demand athletic events in the world, and each year, 200 athletes are selected to participate through a lottery system. Qualifying gets more difficult each year, so the lottery is another option to enter the race.

There will be 150 lottery slots available to U.S. applicants. Lottery selections will be available on April 15, 2003 at 12:00pm EST on Ironmanlive.com.

The entry deadline is this Friday, February 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time.

AQUAFIT MASTERS TO HOST INAUGURAL METROPOLITAN ONE MILE SWIM

New Open Water Event!
This Summer, AquaFit Masters will be hosting the 2003 Inaugural Metropolitan Swimming One Mile Open Water Swim Championship on Saturday, August 23 (raindate: Sun Aug 24) at Jones Beach (NY) State Park.

For more info, contact Lisa K. Baumann, Program Director, AquaFit Masters

BRAINS & BRAWN: SO HAPPY TOGETHER ?

Check out today's Newsday for John Hanc's article on Scholars and Athletes, who shares the results of a study linking achievment with level of fitness in our children.

So far, this one isn't available on-line, so you have to go out and find today's paper.

METROTRI NEWSLETTER: February 23rd, 2003

This Week's edition of the MetroTri Newsletter is now available.

Highlights include:
- Getting a Hand on Fist Gloves
- Bring on the Big Time at Lake Placid
- Bid for Kona Slots on EBay
- ' Ironman Revisited ' Revisited
- Triathlon Training Institute at Asphalt Green
- 2003 Odyssey Adventure Races
- The Bonaire EcoSwim
- 2003 Metro Open Water Swim Schedule
And this week's Featured Link is....SWUGBY?

NYRRC SNOWFLAKE RUN MELTDOWN

The forecast did not look good for Saturday's NY Road Runners Snowflake four mile run in Central Park, with heavy rains and flooding expected, but the race went on, and here's the results to prove it

CITY BY THE SEWER ?

Not really triathlon related, but we rented the Robert De Niro film 'City by the Sea', and need to make something clear. The story is supposed to take place in the city of Long Beach, NY, which happens to be the MetroTri WebMeister's adopted home since 1989. As depicted in the film, it's a seedy, run-down dump with a boardwalk. The film was actually shot in about the worst possible section of Asbury Park, NJ as you're ever likely to find.

Just wanted to point that out. The movie is okay, but Long Beach it is not. Right sea, wrong city. It's also not really accurate on anything but the premise, and the movie was based on an article in Esquire Magazine.

The REAL City by the Sea hosted a four-mile run last week. You can see pictures from it on Long Beach's official website. Results are at the Finish Line Website and there are a handful of images from the awards on MetroTri.

WTC MIGHT AUCTION SOME IRONMAN HAWAII ENTRY SLOTS

Long Island Ironman Age Group Champion David Gatz forwarded an item from Inside Triathlon, telling us that the World Triathlon Corporation is considering putting "a small number" of 2003 Ironman Hawaii slots up for bid on an online auction.

Details will be available in the next MetroTri newsletter, to be published Sunday Evening.

MASTERS SWIMMING: New England SCY Championships Entry Deadline

The postmark deadline is two weeks away for the 2003 New England SCY Championships to be held March 22nd (1650 and 1000) and Marchy 28-30th (all other events) at Harvard's Blodgett Pool.

Visit the New England Masters Website for Meet Information, Entry Form and Frequently asked questions .

Entries must be received by March 10th or postmarked by March 7th.

TEAM IN TRAINING...PUT A LID ON IT?

A Tupperware Party to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be hosted by Greater Long Island Running Club Vice President and Team in Training Mentor Mindy Davidson on Thursday, February 20 at 6:30 pm at her home in North Seaford.

Tupperware is giving an extra 10% off all catalog items! For directions, please call mindy at 516-520-9481 or e-mail her .

Please help support this worthy cause.

ARCTIC SWIMMER COX ON LETTERMAN

Lynne Cox, who recently swam a very impressive icy mile swim in Antarctica, will appear on the Late Show with David Letterman this Friday, February 21.

Thanks to Triathlete Magazine's Sue Osborn for the heads up on this item

2003 NYC TRIATHLON EARLY SIGN-UP

The 3rd edition of the NYC Tri will be held at Sunday, August 10, 2003, at 6:00 AM. The swim is in the Hudson, the bike on the Henry Hudson parkway and the run is into and around Central Park. The Elite race moves to the International stage, with the 1st ITU New York City World Cup.

You can register online right now, but it'll cost ya $125 individual or $150 for a team (categories are male, female, or mixed). General registration will open on Thursday, February 20, 2003, so you have the chance to secure your position at the starting line before everyone else. Aren't you glad you checked out the MetroTri blog?

Hopefully, the official website will be updated soon.

LONG ISLAND TRI COACH TRIATHLON CLINIC MAY 24-26

The folks at Long Island Tri Coach have announced May 24-26, 2003 (Saturday to Monday?) as the date for their 3rd Annual Triathlon Clinic, to be held at Adelphi University.

More details are coming soon.

ATHLETES FOR LIFE BLOOD DRIVE ON MARCH 16

Date: Sunday, March 16, 2003, 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Location: Long Island Blood Services, 905 Broadhollow Road Melville,
New York 11747 (Rte. 110 - just North of the Northern State Pkwy

Additional Info: ggelman13@aol.com, or call the Greater Long Island Running Club: 516.349-7646

Help out by giving the gift of life.

USA TRIATHLON RELEASES 2002 AGE GROUP RANKINGS

Ever wonder how, in the big scheme of all things triathlon (& duathlon), you really compare with your peers?

Every year, USA Triathlon takes the results from most of it's sanctioned races (assuming that the race directors send them in like they're supposed to ) and compiles a list of the best performances for each age group from the previous year.

To be included in the rankings, an athlete had to be a USA Triathlon annual member by Oct. 31, 2002, and had to race in three USA Triathlon-sanctioned triathlons or duathlons. The athlete's top three results are used for the ranking.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO M-DOT

XTri.com just noted a big anniversary - Ironman Hits Quarter Century Today "25 years ago today, 15 athletes flicked through a typewritten sheet of rules which concluded with the words, 'Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life!' "

The World Triathlon Corp recently kicked off a celebration of the 25th Anniversary, which will culminate in this year's Ironman World Championship race in Kona. The IronmanLive website is supporting this with a look back at some of the stories from the past quarter-century, including the a memorable moment (1982, Julie Moss ) and John Collins, the "Man Behind The Myth"

HEY LADIES - Moving Comfort Offers Running Grants

Want to get some money for your running club? Moving Comfort wants to give you cold, hard cash. The maker of women's running gear recently announced that they'll be giving up to $1,000 to various running clubs and other non-profit groups that foster women's running programs.

The program, called the Women's Beginner Fitness Grant, is meant to encourage grassroots running and walking programs, specifically for new female runners.

Moving Comfort plans to give away eight to 12 grants of $300 to $1,000 in May. Applications should be in by April 15, and the winners will be announced by May 15.

Applicants will be judged on the creativity of their proposal, including promotional plans, ability to work with local retailers, the experience of club officers and the number of participants targeted. For more information, contact Moving Comfort's Sports Marketing Director Jeff Darman at 610-925-1976.

NEW IMAGES ON METROTRI:
The Long Beach Snowflake Four Mile Run Awards

BIG EAST CONFERENCE SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

will be held at the Nassau County Aquatics Center on Thursday through Saturday, February 20-22, 2003.

The Schedule (prelims & finals) / Order of Events and Psych Sheets are now available.

PRELIM sessions begin at 10:30am all three days

Ticket price for each prelim session is $5.00 per person (college student discount ticket price is $3.00)

FINAL sessions begin at 6:00pm all three days

Ticket price for each final session is $8.00 per person (college student discount ticket price is $4.00)


Thanks to Aquafit Masters' Lisa Baumann for the info.

WELCOME to the MetroTri.com Blog.

Sounds exciting, eh?
This is the result of being snowbound following the Blizzard of 2003, which I'm sure will quickly pass into the forgotten realm of storm names when the next one arrives later this week

So I've set this blog up to post those 'can't wait' items that may be too time-sensitive to wait for the next weekly MetroTri newsletter.

Please send me your feedback at metrotri@prodigy.net.

Thanks,
Rich (aka the WebMeister)