News
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly 3,000 amateur and elite triathletes including 23 of the world’s top professional triathletes competed in the 2011 Life Time Minneapolis Triathlon. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the event and served as the fourth leg in the Race to the Toyota Cup.
Competing against a stellar field of world-class professionals on the event’s international-distance course, Sarah Haskins (USA) defended her title and won the women’s professional division in 1:59:57 and Matty Reed (USA) also defended his title and won the men’s professional division in 1:50:09. Both Haskins and Reed became the event’s first “three-peat” champions with their third consecutive wins.
The professional division incorporated Life Time’s signature “Equalizer”, which was back after a four year hiatus. The Equalizer is the innovative competition format that allowed the pro women to start ahead of pro men by a predetermined amount of time, based on past course results. This year, the women started 10:43 ahead of the men with Haskins narrowly defeating Reed by a margin of 0:56 to win the $5,000 Equalizer bonus.
The Race to the Toyota Cup has now reached the second half of the Life Time Triathlon Series after the finish of the Life Time Minneapolis Triathlon. Alicia Kaye (USA) with 34.5 points holds a narrow lead over Haskins with 31.5 points and Nicole Kelleher (USA) with 28.0 points in the women’s division. In the men’s division, Andy Potts (USA) with 40.0 points continues to hold the lead over Cameron Dye (USA) with 32.5 points and Reed with 24.5 points.
Among the elite competitors on the international-distance course, Catherine Sterling (Worcester, Mass.) placed first the women’s elite division in 2:10:52 and Dan Hedgecock (St. Paul, Minn.) placed first in the men’s elite division in 1:56:28.
Life Time also hosted the North American Junior Invitational, a new event to the race for juniors ages 12 through 17. Junior participants swam 0.25 miles, biked 15.0 miles and ran 3.1 miles. Hannah Strom, age 17, (Woodbury, Minn.) was the overall female junior’s champion with the finishing time of 1:13:15 and Darian Hole, age 14, (CAN) was the overall male junior’s champion in 1:08:26.
Launched in 2002, the Life Time Minneapolis Triathlon quickly became internationally renowned and known by pros and amateurs alike as a must-do highlighted by its beautiful course through the Twin Cities landscape, best-in-class athletes, spectacular experiences, hospitality and record setting professional prize purses. Today, the event continues to draw top professional triathletes from around the globe, along with thousands of amateurs and elite athletes.
About the Life Time Triathlon Series
Since 2006, the Life Time Triathlon Series has connected some of the most prominent international-distance triathlon events in the United States. Throughout the Series, the world’s top professional triathletes battle for points and a chance to win the coveted Toyota Cup. In 2011, the Series consists of seven events, including: the April 10 Nautica South Beach Triathlon (Miami); the May 30 Capital of Texas Triathlon (Austin); the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon June 26; the July 9 Life Time Minneapolis Triathlon; the Life Time Chicago Triathlon August 28; the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon September 25; and the October 2Toyota U.S. Open Championship (Dallas). For more information on the Life Time Triathlon Series and the Race to the Toyota Cup visit www.racetothetoyotacup.com.
About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota has been a leader in hybrid technology and in the past year celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the Prius. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment in the U.S. is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com, or www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Life Time Fitness, Inc.
As the Healthy Way of Life Company, Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM) delivers the certified professionals, comprehensive businesses and incredible destinations that help people positively change their lives every day. The Company’s healthy way of life approach enables its customers to achieve their health and fitness goals by engaging in their areas of interest – or discovering new passions – both inside and outside of Life Time’s distinctive and large sports, professional fitness, family recreation and spa destinations. As of July 9, 2011, the Company operated 92 centers under the LIFE TIME FITNESS® and LIFE TIME ATHLETICSM brands primarily in suburban locations in 21 states and 26 major markets. Additional information about Life Time centers, programs and services is available at lifetimefitness.com.