LONG BEACH, Calif. — Paralympians, Olympians, up-and-coming elite talent, and age group triathletes raced this weekend in Long Beach, California, at USA Triathlon’s Legacy Triathlon, 2023 World Triathlon Para Cup Long Beach and 2023 Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach.

Athletes raced across three days July 14-16 at Alamitos Beach, the proposed site of the triathlon competitions for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The Legacy Triathlon was held for the first time in 2019, as USA Triathlon became the first National Governing Body in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement to bring a new annual event to the Los Angeles footprint ahead of the 2028 Games.

2023 WORLD TRIATHLON PARA CUP LONG BEACH

Elite U.S. paratriathletes won 15 medals at the 2023 World Triathlon Para Cup Long Beach, which welcomed more than 65 athletes from 16 countries to compete for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualifying points.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympians Chris Hammer and Kelly Elmlinger won gold in their respective PTS5 and PTS4 classifications, while fellow Tokyo 2020 Paralympian Kyle Coon, with his guide Zack Goodman, placed second in the men’s PTVI race.

Owen Cravens, with guide Ben Hoffman, won the men’s PTVI gold, completing the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5k run in 59 minutes, 17 seconds. Cravens is a member of USA Triathlon’s men’s elite development training squad Project Podium. As a teenager, he played soccer until he was diagnosed with Stargardt Disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration that causes him to lose his vision. Last year was the 20-year-old’s first full season on the World Triathlon circuit, and in early 2023 he started training with Project Podium, based in Tempe, Arizona, to become the second paratriathlete on the team, joining Hammer.

Other U.S. medalists at the World Triathlon Para Cup Long Beach include Mohamed Lahna with gold in PTS2, Howie Sanborn silver in PTWC, Adam Popp silver in PTS2, Emelia Perry silver in women’s PTWC, Kelly Worrell silver PTS4, McClain Hermes (with guide Kirsten Sass) silver in PTVI, Leah Kaplan bronze PTS5, Skyler Fischer bronze PTWC, Erik Hultquist bronze PTS4, Kyle Stepp bronze PTS2 and Josh Sweeney bronze PTWC.

2023 World Triathlon Para Cup Long Beach

Long Beach, Calif.

750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

PTWC

Men

1. Florian Brungraber (AUT), 1:01:12

2. Howie Sanborn (USA), 1:04:38

3. Josh Sweeney (USA), 1:10:38

PTS2

1. Mohamed Lahna (USA), 1:11:10

2. Adam Popp (USA 1:14:05

3. Kyle Stepp (USA), 1:21:37

PTS3

1. Kini Carrasco (ESP), 1:23:52

2. Achileas Stamatiadis (GRE), 1:29:21

3. Bjorn Maas (GER), 1:31:21

PTS4

1. Hideki Uda (JPN), 1:03:07

2. Alejandro Sanchez Palomero (ESP), 1:04:09

3. Erik Hultquist (USA), 1:06:00

PTS5

1. Chris Hammer (USA), 59:14

2. Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP), 1:00:11

3. Michael Salisbury (GBR), 1:02:06

PTVI

1. Owen Cravens (USA), 59:17

2. Kyle Coon (USA), 59:52

3. Donnacha McCarthy (IRL), 1:01:37

Women

PTWC

1. Brenda Osnaya Alvarez (MEX), 1:15:49

2. Emelia Perry (USA), 1:16:13

3. Skyler Fisher (USA), 1:25:02

PTS2

1. Yukako Hata (JPN), 1:26:49

2. No competitors

3. No competitors

PTS3

1. Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas (MEX), 1:26:45

2. Juaisca Rodrigez (TRI), 1:30:01

3. No competitors

PTS4

1. Kelly Elmlinger (USA), 1:13:34

2. Kelly Worrell (USA), 1:25:24

3. Atalia Nevo (ISR), 1:28:49

PTS5

1. Kamylle Frenette (CAN), 1:09:04

2. Petra Levay (HUN), 1:21:54

3. Leah Kaplan (USA), 1:30:52

PTVI

1. Jessica Tuomela (CAN), 1:11:35

2. McClain Hermes (USA), 1:13:16

3. Maggie Sandles (AUS), 1:13:25

2023 AMERICAS CUP TRIATHLON LONG BEACH

Nearly 120 elite triathletes, including future Olympic hopefuls raced July 15 at the Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach. The multi-loop course covered a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and a 5-kilometer run. The race was held in the exciting draft-legal format, in which athletes race and work together in tight packs on the bike.

The course, on a fast, flat course, favored the field’s strongest runners as large packs of elite triathletes entered transition from the bike, with the men’s and women’s groups hitting the 5k for a swift run and sprint finish.

U.S. elite Zach Leachman won men’s gold in a time of 54:02, pulling away late on the 5k run to capture the win. A current NCAA Division I runner at Florida State University, Leachman raced triathlon as a youth and junior athlete. His win in Long Beach was the second in a row, as he also captured the win at the Americas Triathlon Cup Montreal on July 8.

Mexico’s David Nunez earned the silver in 54:06, while Liam Donnelly of Canada finished third in 54:09.

U.S. elites Ryan Luczak (54:29) and John Reed (54:31) placed fourth and fifth.

Canadian elite triathlete Anja Krueger won women’s gold, sprinting away from Japan’s Hiraku Fukuoka for the win in a time of 1:01:59. Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach was only her second elite race.

Fellow Canadian Desirae Ridenour took third in 1:02:20.

Melissa Funes was the top U.S. elite woman, finishing sixth in 1:02:48.

Americas Triathlon Cup Long Beach
750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

Elite Women - Full Results
1. Anja Krueger (CAN), 1:01:59

2. Hiraku Fukuoka (JPN), 1:02:14

3. Desirae Ridenour (CAN), 1:02:20

U.S. Finishers (Top 15)

6. Melissa Funes, 1:02:48

11. Michelle Stratton, 1:03:02

12. Alexandra Poole, 1:03:05

13. Annie Fuller, 1:03:14

15. Michelle Magnani, 1:03:32

Elite Men - Full Results

1. Zach Leachman (USA), 54:02

2. David Nunez (MEX), 54:06

3. Liam Donnelly (CAN), 54:09

U.S. Finishers (Top 15)

4. Ryan Luczak (USA), 54:29

5. John Reed (USA), 54:31

13. Griff Morgan (USA), 54:55

2023 LEGACY TRIATHLON

The fourth annual Legacy Triathlon held on July 16 offered multisport athletes a local race for the thriving multisport community in Southern California, the birthplace of triathlon. The race featured a diverse field of veteran and beginner triathletes and athletes from more than 20 states.

Danielle Orie (Orchard Park, N.Y.), an NCAA Division I runner at the University of Wisconsin, won the women’s race in a time of 1:01:39.

Nathan Lennox (Temecula, Calif.), a junior triathlete who races on the Junior Elite circuit, earned the men’s race title with a time of 53:40.

In addition to the individual race, the Legacy Triathlon also featured a relay option where teams of three athletes complete the race — one person completes the swim, another rides the bike and the final athlete completes the run. The traditional three-person relay format is a beginner-friendly way to introduce athletes to the sport of triathlon and the multisport lifestyle.

For searchable Legacy Triathlon results, click here.

Paralympians, Olympians, Age Group Triathletes Race in Long Beach at USA Triathlon Legacy Triathlon Events

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