Grasky named 2012 ITU Cross (Off-Road) World Champs Team USA Elite Coach
In May, I was selected by USA Triathlon to be the Team USA Elite Team
Coach for the 2012 ITU Cross World Championship. Cross triathlon is the ITU’s word for
Off-Road Tri, or Xterra. In fact, this
race took place in conjunction with the Xterra Southeast Regional Championship
in Pelham, Alabama.
I was selected by USAT for this position from a recommendation by some
of the elite athletes and with my experience coaching and racing off road at
that level. My role was to manage the
athletes and their interaction with the ITU, to ensure they have the
information and equipment they need to race on the course, to lead workouts on
the course race week and talk to how I would race it, and to help pre-race with
whatever they need, and to help them know their position and competition on
race-day. We held a team dinner and
several training events to get ready for the competition.
The Elite women pre-race
On the team was an Xterra World Champion, an Xterra USA Champion, members
of the Luna Pro Team and more top Xterra pros than I could count. The experience was amazing. To be surrounded by this group of athletes in
a role of authority was humbling. The group
of athetes was amazing throughout the entire week and raced their hearts
out!
Results: the Junior Elite women
went 1-2 and the Junior Elite guys went 3-4-5.
The top American male pro was Craig Evans in 2nd behind
Conrad Stoltz of South Africa. Josiah
Middaugh was 4th. And the proudest
for me personally…the top American woman was GEC athlete Suzie Snyder!
This experience was a highlight of my coaching career and something I hope to be a part of again!
Suzie and Shonny taking the USA's top spots in 4 and 5.
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