3rd Annual City of Los Angeles Triathlon Brings World Class Athletes and a Field of 2,800 Competitors to the Waters and Roadways Around the City of Los Angeles.

Sports/Lifestyle/Metro Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2002

Led by a field of 60 elite, world-class athletes, the 3rd Annual City of Los Angeles Triathlon will send more than 2,800 competitors to the waters and roadways around the City of Los Angeles Sunday morning, September 8, 2002. Start time on Venice Beach (in waves of 200 competitors) is 6:30 a.m. for the Olympic distance individual/amateur divisions; 7:45 a.m. for the Sprint distance competitors; and 9:00 a.m. for the Elite athletes.

The swim-bike-run course travels through the City of Los Angeles passing landmarks like the Helms Bakery building, the Miracle Mile, Hollywood's Walk of Fame, the Pantages Theatre, Sunset Boulevard, the Kodak Theatre, Dodger Stadium, Angel's Point, and finishes in downtown Los Angeles at El Pueblo.

The women's elite field will be led by Barb Lindquist (USA), currently ranked 2nd in the world, 2002 women's elite U.S. national champion, and recent winner of the world's largest triathlon -- Mrs. T's in Chicago -- on August 25. Lindquist was the women's winner of the inaugural 2000 LA Triathlon, and will be attempting to regain her LA title lost in 2001 to Aussie Nicole Hackett. Notable men to watch: Simon Lessing (GBR), 2000 Olympian, five-time world champion, three-time European champion and winner of the Sept 1st Boston triathlon; Conrad Stoltz (RSA), 2000 Olympian, 2nd at Mrs. T's this year and winner of the 2001 Xterra World Championships; Spencer Smith (GBR), two-time Ironman Champion and three-time Olympic Distance World Champion; and Craig Walton (AUS), winner of the 2002 Mrs. T's, Geneva International and Tiszaujvaros World Cup triathlons.

Local athlete, James Duff, 25, of Los Angeles will be back to defend his 2001 position as the highest finishing amateur -- 23rd overall and 1st in his division. He out-swam-biked-ran 25 elite men. Special Olympics Southern California will field a relay team of world-class Special Olympians, and among the many other local athlete stories include a disability athlete from Long Beach (C4 spinal cord injury, 1994); a 49 year old woman from San Dimas who started triathlon as a weight loss program, lost 100 lbs. and has competed in 20 events; and a Venice resident coming back from a motorcycle accident shattering his sacrum, pelvis, ankle and shoulder.

Street Closures

Street closures begin at 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning across four City sectors. Sectors re-open in waves with the last sector re-opening at approximately 11:30 a.m. A course map can be found at www.LATriathlon.com and additional information about street closures, street crossings and traffic control is available on the DOT's information line, 323/224-6534.

Media wishing to attend the Media Luncheon on Friday, September 6, in downtown Los Angeles should call Jan Fambro at 310/826-2962 or email at [e-mail]. Several of the top elite athletes will be on hand for interviews.

The Media Credential Application and event Media Updates can be found on-line at www.LATriathlon.com or by calling Jan Fambro, 310/826-2962; [e-mail].