2010 Mideast Logo
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky -- Fall 2015
In This Issue
Volunteer of the Year
Mideast Region Champions
Club Racing Series
Mideast Race Director Symposium
Paratriathlon Events
Volunteer of the Year
Rankings
Mideast Calendar of Events

Sept. 5

Mideast Collegiate Triathlon Conference, Selma, IN

 

Dec. 5 

Mideast/Midwest Race Director Symposium, Chicago, IL

 Featured Retailer
USAT Certified Multisport Retailer 
      

In the Loop

Mideast Regional Champions
Congratulations to the 2015 USA Triathlon Mideast Regional Champions.

Triathlon
Ian Boggs - OA Male
Shannon Florea - OA Female
Doug Robinson - Master's Male
Holly Haemmerle - Master's Female
Gerald Steinhoff - Grand Master's Male
Ruth Kohstall - Grand Master's Female

Olympic Duathlon
2015 Mideast Regional Paratriathlon Championships
Evan Bayles - OA Male
Sandy Briggs - OA Female
Jeff Scheffee - Master's Male

Sprint Duathlon
Matthew Cuttell - OA Male
Angela Holcomb - OA Female

Kevin Tuuk - Master's Male
Tana Utley - Master's Female

Aquabike
John Hartpence - OA Male
Kim Albin - OA Female
Leland Wilhoite - Master's Male
Jennifer Tiplick - Master's Female

Paratriathlon
Ashley Eisenmenger, VI Division: 1st place, Female
McKayla Hanson, Wheelchair Division: 1st place, Female
Jose Alejandre, Wheelchair Division: 1st place, Male
Adam Finney, Wheelchair Division: 2nd place, Male
Ramon Valdez, Wheelchair Division: 3rd place, Male
Club Racing Series - TEAM APEX
Grand Rapids Tri Team Take Special Needs Kids on the Ride of their Lives

Members of Team Apex Multisport, a local tri club from Grand Rapids, Michigan, spent the morning of August 2, 2015 racing six children with special needs through the Millennium Triathlon, a sprint distance tri held at a local park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

The team participated in the event through "Ride of their Lives", a program whose goal is to enrich the lives of children with disabilities through physical activity.  The children are mostly students of the Lincoln School in Grand Rapids, and their school physical therapist, Cathy Ripmaster, organizes the families for the event.

Ride of their Lives
"This is a really unique challenge as an athlete.  The race is no longer about you."
"This program is really special for the kids, their families and the athletes. It's an opportunity for people who haven't necessarily been around kids with special needs to have interaction and show compassion to the kids.  It's very special to watch the way the athletes and kids develop a bond," explains Ripmaster, who has been with the program since it began in 2002. "These families deal with a lot of stress, and this allows them to feel the energy of a race and to get excited for their child in a new way. They watch their kids shine." 

Mideast/Midwest Race Director Symposium
The fifth Annual USA Triathlon Mideast/Midwest Race Director Symposium will be in downtown Chicago just steps away from the Magnificent Mile at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, December 5th. The Symposium is a great opportunity for race directors and coaches to meet and network with peers across the Regions, engage with USA Triathlon personnel, speak one-on-one with various multisport vendors and become informed on various issues and trends facing the multisport industry.

This year's Symposium will include a key note presentation from Robbie Ventura, Vision Quest Coaching, as well as presentations from Jim Flint (150 Sports), Bill Burnett (Streamline Events), Tara Gearhart (Hubspot), and Jesse Kropelnicki (QT2 Systems).  The agenda will also include a structured panel with experienced race directors from across the region.

Check our website for registration and hotel reservation information.  
Paratriathlon Events
Have you ever wanted to know how to start a paratriathlon program or create a USA  Paratriathlon club? Are you curious to learn more about the sport on the grassroots level? Would you like to get the chance to meet some elite USA paratriathletes? Register to attend the USA Paratriathlon SummitSeptember 16 and 17, Chicago, Illinois.  Cost is free but registration is required to reserve your spot. Visit the 2015 USA Paratriathlon Summit webpage for registration and hotel information.

An Evening 2 Inspire, Friday, September 18, 2015 Willis Tower, Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
In conjunction with ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Championships, please join us for an inaugural gala event to celebrate all athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments who will cross the finish line with the assistance of Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Evening to include: cocktails, dinner, program, auction, and photo opportunities on the legendary Skydeck Chicago Ledge. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.dare2tri.org.