Jan Frodeno is a German professional triathlete who has enjoyed a very successful professional career at various levels of the sport. He began competing as a swimmer at the age of 15 in Cape Town, South Africa, where he grew up for part of his childhood. While swimming was his favorite past time as a child, after watching the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Frodeno found his new passion and eventual career in the sport of triathlon.
After competing in a few triathlons in his then home of South Africa, Frodeno returned to his birthplace in Europe to compete in the German League as an amateur. After experiencing much success, including a silver medal at the 2004 U-23 World Championships, Frodeno decided to turn professional and race on the ITU World Cup circuit.
The German followed suit and experienced plenty of success competing in the ITU Olympic distance events before earning a spot on the German Olympic Team for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Frodeno would win the gold medal in Beijing, one of his most outstanding accomplishments to date.
He returned to the World Cup circuit for a bit of time, before retiring from the Olympic distance and focusing more long distance racing. Frodeno has won numerous events at the Ironman 70.3 level and states winning the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii as his ultimate goal.
On a personal side, Frodeno is married to fellow 2008 Olympic Triathlon Champion, Emma Snowsill of Australia and the couple resides in Girona for most of the year where Frodeno trains full time.
Canyon, Asics, ZXU, AMEO, Multipower, Bahrain Endurance, Oakley, SRAM, Cosinuss, Pjur Active
Cooking, surfing, eating, beach volleyball
Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae is a triathlete from Brisbane, Australia. Carfrae began in sports at an early age, playing basketball and a variety of other school sports. It wasn't until 2000, at the age of 19, that she got her start in triathlon. Even though she didn't have a background in swimming, running or biking, she was an elite-level athlete, and experienced success amost right away in her new pursuit, being selected to the Australian Junior Elite Team in 2001. At every stage of her career, Carfrae has found success. She is a three-time Ironman World Champion, with three other top three finishes and currently holds the course record in Kona (8:52).
TYR, New Balance, Felt, Oakley, Chocolate Milk, Compex, GU, Castelli, Xlab, SRAM, Mavic, Bonk Breaker, Audi Boulder
Sleeping, Eating, Movies, Spending time with Family
Frederik Van Lierde is a Belgian triathlete who has amassed quite the resume over his racing career. Coached by another Van Lierde, Luc, Freddie has been able to tap into the expert knowledge of his mentor. Although they are not related, the Van Lierde boys have created quite the duo. Luc, a two-time Ironman World Champion and former world record holder himself has helped Freddie hone his skills and bring him to the top level of the sport.
Frederik got a taste of the Ironman World Championship podium when he placed third in the 2012 race in Kailua-Kona. Determined to better his already impressive finish, he went to work, training hard for that top spot. In 2013, he got his prized possession, blowing away the competition for his first Ironman World Championship crown.
Freddie is married to wife Sofie, with whom he has two children. Van Lierde enjoys watching his two kids play sports when he is not training hard or racing.
Cervelo, Oilservice, Castelli, I.R.S. Btech, ENI, Etixx, Denensie, Mavic, Oakley, Kinetic, Exoi, Compressport, Polar, On-Running, Rotor, Finis, Bodysol, Europium, QM Sports Care, Huub, Scicon, Prologo, Xtenex, XLab, Ceramicspeed, 3T, Friction Facts, Energetica Natura, Frank Vereecke, Lifjalla, Devos Capoen, Badhuis, Van Lierde Natuursteen
Watching his kids play soccer.
Sebastian Kienle is a German triathlete and an absolute machine on the bike. While it is not his lone skill in the three-discipline sport of triathlon, the bike is definitely where Kienle sets himself apart from the field. He's often cranking such powerful wattage on the bike that his competitors can only hope they can remain within a reasonable distance in hopes of catching him on the run.
Kienle began his triathlon career competing in XTerra events, winning his first-ever competitive race. In 2009, he won Ironman 70.3 Germany, holding off 70.3 World Champion Michael Raelert.
In 2012, Kienle made a real name for himself amongst triathlon’s elite when he took the Ironman 70.3 World Championship title in Las Vegas and 4th place at Ironman World Championships in Kona a month later. The German would repeat his 70.3 Ironman World Championship in 2013 and move up a spot in Kona, to take third for his first podium at the big race. He finally landed atop the podium in Kona in 2014.
Scott, Dietrich, Biestmilch, Orca, Tacx, New Balance, Sram, Zipp, Power Bar, Hannes Hawaii Tours, Continental, Oakley
Bicycle mechanics, cooking, napping, music.
Leanda Cave has been racing triathlon since 1994. She began the sport at the Olympic distance and gradually made her way to dominating long course triathlon. In 2001 Cave became European Under- 23 champion. A year later she would break through at the international level as she won the silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. She won another silver medal at the European Championships, then had greater success when she took the World Title in Cancún, Mexico in November 2002.
In 2007 Cave went on to win her second world title at the ITU Long Distance World Championships in France. From this point forward she won numerous long course races around the world. In 2012 she won both the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and Ironman World Championships. Cave is the only female triathlete in history to accomplish both feats in a single year.
Cave was born in England, moved to Australia when she was only 4 and eventually moved back to the UK where she chose to represent Wales in triathlon. In 2008 Cave moved to Tucson, Arizona where she currently lives and trains when she's not racing. Over the past few seasons Cave has spent time training in Boulder, Colorado for several weeks each summer.
Driscolls, Mavic, Canyon, K-Swiss, Blueseventy, Skins, Pacific Health, Oakley, Giro, TriSports.com, Fuel Belt, CeramicSpeed, Retul, XLab, ISM, TorHans, Pioneer
Painting, drawing
Craig Alexander is a professional triathlete with nearly a decade of racing experience. Affectionately known as "Crowie” in the triathlon world, Alexander splits his time between his two training bases in Boulder, Colorado and back "home" in Cronulla, Australia.
In 2006, Crowie won the inaugural Ironman 70.3 World Championship, putting him on the map in long distance triathlon. In 2008, Alexander won his first Ironman World Championship at the full distance in Kona, a feat which he would repeat in 2009. Arguably the best year of his career would come in 2011 when he became the first man to win both the 70.3 and full Ironman World Championship titles in the same year. Not only did Crowie win his second third Ironman World Championship, he did so in a world record time of 8 hours 3 minutes 56 seconds.
While Crowie still competes in his beloved sport of triathlon, he is also lending his services to up and coming triathletes in the form of coaching. Already on his roster of world class athletes under his tutelage: Olympic silver medalist and ITU superstar, Lisa Norden.
When he's not training, competing or coaching, Crowie is a devoted husband to his wife Neri and father to his three children, Lucy, Austin and Lani.
Jabra, Specialized, Toyota, Oakley, Newton, Shimano, Sheraton, Saltstick, RoadID, Retul, NormaTec, mylist, en banc, Garneau, Fuel Belt, BSC, Fizik, TYR, Training Peaks, XLab, Tacx, Compressport, Chocolate Milk.
Surfing, golf, paddling and surf ski.
Gwen Jorgensen is a professional triathlete from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After swimming and running at the University of Wisconsin, Gwen qualified for the 2012 Olympics in only her 2nd year racing triathlons.
Jorgensen was a member of the track & field, cross country and swimming teams at Wisconsin. She swam for three years in college before switching to track on a full-time basis. She earned All-American honors in both track and cross country. She is also a three-time NCAA Championship participant in track and two-time cross country participant.
As a standout runner and swimmer, Gwen turned to triathlon after being identified by USAT’s Collegiate Recruitment Program. In her first competitive triathlon she earned her elite card with an eighth-place finish (second amateur) at USAT’s Elite Development Race in March 2010 in Clermont, FL..Currently she is a member of the USA Triathlon National Team. Gwen qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games to represent the United States in London and is a dominant force on the ITU World Triathlon Series circuit.
Specialized, ASICS, Oakley, Red Bull, USA Triathlon, HED., The Island House, Columbia Threadneedle, EY, 24-Hour Fitness, Project Clothing
Accountant, cooking, reading, going to the farmer’s market, eating, trying new foods
Gomez Noya has always been active and enjoyed all sports. He discovered triathlon in 1998 and made his debut in the Olympic distance triathlon at the age of 15.
His evolution in the sport was extremely rapid. Gomez Noya won practically all of the triathlons in which he participated in his category and obtained high positions in the absolute category when he was still a youngster. However, despite his fast progress in sports, he faced more than a few obstacles on his climb to the top.
In December 1999, the medical services of the CSD detected a cardiac anomaly in Gomez Noya and his participation was prohibited in international competitions as part of the Spanish selection. His situation being known, and with the support of different cardiology specialists at the world level, he decided to fight to recover his international license.
In November 2003 he finally recovered the license. Despite being out of condition and with only three weeks of training, he went to New Zealand and won the sub 23 World Championship. This result brought his sports career to a turning point. With the freedom to compete at the international level, he decided to attempt to enter the Olympic Games in Athens, He competed in his first European Championship (Valencia) and World Championships (Madeira) obtaining 8th places in both. Despite the excellent results, he was excluded from the Spanish team, which was a great disappointment for him.
Gomez Noya returned from a second battle with the triathlon medical bodies in 2006 to win 3 ITU World Cups in that year.
From there on the Spaniard has accumulated one of the greatest triathlon resumes ever amassed. He isa three-time and current ITU World Champion, an Olympic Silver Medallist in London 2012, a three time ITU European Champion, an X.-Terra World Champion, an ITU Half distance European Champion, and a two-time time Champion of the prestigious Hy-Vee Triathlon, among other results. He has secured 14 ITU World Cup and 6 World Series wins.
Javi still enjoys his sport of triathlon and he is focused on achieving his dream.of becoming Olympic Champion in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Specialized, Roka, Pamesa, Multipower, Oakley, Mizuno, Sram, Quarq
Traveling, hanging out with friends.
Young Richard Murray is blazing the trail for triathletes in his home country of South Africa and in his home continent of Africa, for that matter. His victory at the 2012 World Triathlon Series stop in Hamburg, along with many other podium finishes make him the most successful Olympic-distance African triathlete ever.
Growing up a world duathlon junior champion, Murray did not pick up swimming until 2009. In just a few short years, he has made great strides to improve on the three discipline sport of triathlon. While he’s the first to admit his swimming could still use some work, his bike, run and transition skills are unparalleled.
Murray competed in the London Olympics as a representative of South Africa as a 23-year-old. While he finished 17th overall, he is quoted as saying he gave it his all on the course, with nothing left in the tank at the finish line. With that said, Murray has eyes on a podium spot in Rio 2016 and with the large amount of momentum he’s generated over the past four years, combined with his first Olympic experience under his belt, it will be exciting to see the progression of the South African into a potential medal threat in Brazil.
Red Bull, Specialized, Oakley, Triathlon SA, Zones, Puma, Kiwami, Look, Polar, Virgin Active
Reading, golf.
Nicola Spirig is a Swiss professional triathlete with a love for all sports. She began swimming and running at age 10 and eventually took up the multisport profession as a youngster. Beyond her fame as a triathlete, Spirig also holds a law degree.
During her long early triathlon career, Spirig completed 72 ITU events. Within those 72, the Swiss native placed in the top ten 39 times. While her ITU World Cup career is more than impressive, she boasts a number of other notable triathlon victories. She has three European Championships (2009, 2010 and 2012), a Junior European Championship in 1999 and most notably an Olympic gold medal, which she won in an exciting sprint finish with Swede, Lisa Norden at the 2012 London Games.
Spirig took some time away from the sport in 2012 and 2013 to have a child with her husband and former professional triathlete Reto Hug. Spirig is back in action and looking to build on her already impressive resume.
Erdgas, Raiffeisen, On Running, Land Rover, Ochsner Sport, Cervelo, Mann, Spiro Tiger, Zollinger, Mako, Oakley, Krauer's, Time, Sponser, Micarna, Sport Heart, ism, Giro, Lcz
Snowboarding, mountain biking, mountaineering, family