Wattie Ink.

Wattie Ink.’s Ben Hoffman Conquers St. George

Admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:40:15 +0000

(St. George, Utah) 2010 Ironman Lake Placid Champion Ben Hoffman added another title to his resume this past weekend by winning Ironman St. George on Saturday, earning the second Ironman win of his young career.

Ironman St. George, which is known for its extremely challenging course and harsh weather conditions, did not disappoint this year. Competitors were greeted in the morning with high winds that resulted in tough, choppy conditions for the swim and set the stage for what would be an epic day for Hoffman and his competitors. After a 52:44 swim, Hoffman and eventual runner-up Maik Twelsiek spent most of the day together on the bike, with The Hoff coming into T2 first, riding a respectable 5:10:01 given the unbelievable winds. Hoffman finished off the day with a 3:01 marathon, earning him the Ironman St. George title and putting him across the finish line 18 minutes ahead of 2nd place Twelsiek.

After the race, Hoffman recounted the grit it took and his joy at bringing home the Ironman St. George title: “In all my years of training and racing, I have never seen or experienced anything like that. On an already difficult course, I was forced to find another level to battle the severe weather conditions and other athletes. I could sense from early in the swim that it was going to be a unique day that would require all of my faculties, and some I didn’t even know I had. Fortunately, I came prepared to go all in for the win in the final year at Ironman St. George, and had incredible support from family, friends, sponsors, race crew, and the local community. This win may very well be my most rewarding yet, and sets the tone for another great year. Thank you to everyone who made this possible… I am beyond happy to finally bring home the “W” at St. George. Perpetual defending champ status!”

Ironman St. George Overall Results of the Top 5 Professional Men

1. Ben Hoffmann (USA) 9:07:04
2. Maik Twelsiek (GER) 9:25:58
3. Axel Zeebroek (BEL) 9:35:33
4. Thomas Gerlach (USA) 9:49:00
5. Matthew Sheeks (USA) 9:52:03

For more information on Ben Hoffman, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit his website at: www.benhoffmanracing.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Heather Jackson Victorious at Wildflower

Admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:19:02 +0000

(Paso Robles, California) 3rd-year Professional Triathlete Heather Jackson had yet to come up with that first major win of her career, but all of that changed on Saturday when she won the Wildflower Triathlon, which is arguably one of the toughest half-Ironman distance races in the world. If winning her first major event of her career on this course was not enough, Jackson did it in glorious fashion by breaking the course record set by the great Julie Dibens in 2010. With her first major win but surely not her last, this young professional showed that she has the raw talent and mental strength needed to be a champion. Jackson had one of those special days on the banks of Lake San Antonio on Saturday and this photo gallery captures the spirit of the day…enjoy Wattie.

For more information on Heather Jackson, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit her website at: www.heatherjacksonracing.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Tyler Butterfield Edges Ever Closer to Second Olympic Berth

Admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:59:50 +0000

(April 26, 2012) – Bermuda’s Tyler Butterfield raced back-to-back weekends in his ongoing bid to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games. Through his performances in the ITU World Championship Series Sydney event on April 14th and the ITU Triathlon World Cup Ishigaki event on April 22nd, Butterfield accrued valuable points toward securing a Bermudian Olympic triathlon berth. If successful, this will mark Butterfield’s second Olympic Games, the first being in Athens in 2004.

While Butterfield’s Sydney race did not exactly play to plan, it served to motivate him toward a stellar performance in Ishigaki and still aided in the Olympic points battle.

“I came into T2 dead last in Sydney,” said Butterfield. I hoped I could run my way up to a decent position, and I did manage to finish 28th out of 57 guys, but ultimately that’s not the way I like to race.”

With a week to refocus and the added desire to post a standout performance on the home turf of his main sponsor’s parent company, Tokio Marine Group, Butterfield changed his tactics in the Ishigaki race. Tokio Millenium Re Ltd. (TMR), the Bermuda-based branch of Tokio Marine Group, has long been Butterfield’s staunchest supporter.

“Ishigaki was completely opposite to Sydney,” said Butterfield. “I pushed the lead through T2 and held strong in the run to finish seventh overall. I couldn’t be more proud to have posted a great race in Japan, honoring the long-time support I’ve received from TMR. They’ve backed me since I was just starting out, a total unknown, and they’ve stayed with me throughout every twist and turn in my career. They also helped me secure another major sponsor, Philadelphia Insurance Companies. Both companies have chosen to back Nikki as well as me, so our family feels a huge sense of gratitude for their investment in our passion for racing. What better way to say thanks than to race well in Tokio Marine Group’s home country.”

With Butterfield’s finish in Japan, he now ranks in the final qualification spot in the ‘Olympic Simulation’. If he can maintain or improve that position over the course of the next three ITU races – the World Cup Huatulco on May 6th, the World Championship San Diego on May 12th (assuming he gets a start), and the World Championship Madrid on May 27th – he will be assured of making the Games. Butterfield currently sits fourth on the wait list for a San Diego race start; the final athlete roster will be determined following the results form Huatulco.

Butterfield greatly credits his recent success to the opportunity to train with Brad Kahlefeldt, a close friend and race rival with whom he partnered for nearly every session during the Butterfield family’s recent three-month stay in Australia. Kahlefeldt is the only Australian thus far named to the 2012 Olympic Team and the pair pushed one another to newfound levels of fitness.

Having arrived back to his U.S. home of Boulder, Colorado earlier this week, Butterfield is excited to be reunited with his wife, Nikki and daughter, Savana following a two-week separation and several months away from their home base. He is also eager to train with another London-bound Olympian, New Zealander Kris Gemmell, a houseguest of the Butterfield’s in the build-up to the Games. Butterfield will only enjoy one week in Boulder prior to packing his race bags for Huatulco and hopefully San Diego.

While Butterfield is keenly focused in his final push toward Olympic qualification, he is already finding fulfillment in the improvement he experiences through each race. And with his dream of making his second Olympic team close to being realized, Butterfield acknowledges that he’ll approach the London race with a different level of drive than he did in Athens.

“Just qualifying for Athens was my goal in 2004 – that, and fully enjoying the Olympic experience,” Butterfield said. “But now that I’ve been once, my motivation is stronger than ever to race well there. If I do get to London, I’ll put every ounce of myself into delivering my best ever performance on the world’s greatest stage.”

For more information on Tyler Butterfield, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit his website at: www.butterfieldracing.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Lesley Paterson Takes 2nd Place at Xterra West Championships in a Sprint Finish

Admin — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:15:18 +0000

Xterra World Champion Lesley Paterson took 2nd Place this morning at the Xterra West Championships in what was, according to Xterra Social Media sources, the closest sprint finish Xterra has ever seen.

Paterson came out of the water in 9th place, about 2 minutes down on swim leader Kathryn Ross and around :50 seconds back of the front chase pack consisting of Beth Walsh, Kate Major, and Melanie McQuaid. Through the bike leg and Paterson found herself 2:43 back on Renata Bucher going into the run. Using her strength, she ticked away the miles and closed the gap to Bucher by about 500 meters to go. As can be seen in the photo sequence below, Paterson was barely edged out in the sprint finish, taking a very respectable 2nd place at the first of Xterra’s 2012 Championship Series by only a mere .3 seconds.

Sprint Finish Photo Sequence Courtesy of an Xterra photographer published on the Xterra Facebook Page

For more information on Lesley Paterson, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit her website at: www.lesleypaterson.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Dotsie Bausch Featured on ESPN W.

Admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:24:10 +0000

Dotsie Bausch pedaled easily and took in the smell of the blooming flowers. She was enjoying an easy ride toward the ocean near her Irvine, Calif., home on a cool but sunny morning, and there was no pain.

She was nearing the apex of her long, incredible journey from illness, and felt nothing beyond the same joy too many people leave behind in childhood: the simple joy of riding a bicycle.

“I love so much about it,” she said. “I just love being able to be outside with the wind in my face and the ability to see so much in a short period of time, if you go 30 miles or 50 miles or 70 miles. But I love the competitive aspect of it more than anything. I love track racing and I love the gift it’s given me. It’s been an incredible journey so far in just a short period of time.”

When Bausch talks about how far you can go on a bike, she isn’t just talking about the mileage.

Read the full story here:

http://espn.go.com/espnw/olympics/7805611/2012-london-olympics-how-cycling-helped-bring-dotsie-bausch-back-brink

For more information on Dotsie Bausch, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit her website at: www.dotsiebauschusa.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Ben Hoffman | TIME TO ROCK Video

Admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:43:27 +0000

(San Diego, California) – This new Wattie Ink.-produced video of Ironman Champion, Ben Hoffman was filmed via GoPro Camera on location in Oceanside-California, Boise-Idaho and Kona-Hawaii. The video includes footage from Hoffman’s win at the 2011 Ironman 70.3 event in Boise Idaho. Special thanks to Volkswagen, Zoot Sports, Specialized Bikes, CLIF Bar, Fuelbelt, ZIPP, SRAM, for their amazing support.

Turn up the volume and Rock The W – BOOM!

For more information on Ben Hoffman, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit his website at: www.benhoffmanracing.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Tyler Butterfield Builds Confidence in 2012 Olympic Bid

Admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:33:37 +0000

Athens Olympian Tyler Butterfield posted the day’s fastest bike split (57:48) at the 2012 Mooloolaba ITU Triathlon World Cup on March 24, bolstering his confidence in his bid for the London Games.

Despite a 45 second deficit following the swim, Butterfield quickly bridged the gap to his competitors on the bike and then launched an attack in the final lap, reaching T2 just five seconds shy of a breakaway group and 20 seconds ahead of the main pack. This powerful burst of high-end speed was unfortunately paired with a miscalculation of laps – Butterfield believed he had one additional circuit, which would have allowed him valuable recovery time while maintaining a lead spot into transition. Regardless, Butterfield still posted a solid run split and finished the race in 20th position.

“I know the form is good,” said Butterfield. “It was a good swim for me and a massive effort on the bike, plus a very hilly bike and run course, so I’m quite happy with my performance. I’ve had a solid block of training on the Gold Coast here in Australia with Brad Kahlefeldt [Butterfield’s close friend and Australia’s only pre-selected male triathlete for London]. It’s been one of my best early season preparations ever, largely thanks to Brad.”

Butterfield will carry this confidence into his next five races, events that are critical in his quest to represent his native Bermuda in the 2012 Olympic Games. While his heavy international travel schedule may seem formidable, Butterfield looks forward to the challenge and the opportunity to race against the world’s best short- course triathletes as he continues to fine-tune his race-day strength and fitness. Assuming he earns starting spots in each event, Butterfield’s schedule will include:

ITU World Championship Series Sydney (Australia) *start confirmed ITU Triathlon World Cup Ishigaki (Japan) *start confirmed
ITU Triathlon World Cup Huatulco (Mexico) *start confirmed
ITU World Championship Series San Diego (USA)
ITU World Championship Series Madrid (Spain)

World Championship Series and World Cup races, Butterfield’s Olympic fate will be return home to Boulder, Colorado, to focus on a high-altitude build for his next event.

“I’m hopeful I’ll be booking a flight to London,” said Butterfield. “It’s absolutely my dream. If I do miss the team, however, Plan B is to race a similar schedule to Nikki’s. Nikki and I would train together and travel with Savana [the couple’s 16-month-old daughter] to possibly race Ironman Frankfurt. So that’s a pretty exciting backup plan! But as long as I get starts in the Olympic qualifying races, my focus is one hundred percent on ITU and London.”

For more information on Tyler Butterfield, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit his website at: www.butterfieldracing.com

Wattie Ink. Athlete Dotsie Bausch 5th at Track World Championships and One Step Closer to London

Admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:03:12 +0000

(Melbourne, Australia) – Wattie Ink. Athlete Dotsie Bausch got one step closer to realizing her Olympic dream today in Melbourne, Australia at the 2012 UCI Track World Championships. It was a good day at the office for Bausch and her USA Team Pursuit squad, finishing a respectable 5th place overall and moving one event further toward the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Now, Bausch and her teammates will go back to the drawing board and get ready for the BIG SHOW in London.

For more information on Dotsie Bausch, please contact: Wattie Ink. or visit her website at: www.dotsiebauschusa.com

Wattie Ink. Athletes Jackson, Paterson & Hoffman Kick-Off the 2012 Season with Solid Performances at Oceanside 70.3

Admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:45:08 +0000

Photo By - Timothy Carlson/Slowtwitch

(San Diego, California) – Heather Jackson opened up her 2012 season with a 2nd place at the Ironman 70.3 event in Oceanside, CA on Saturday.

In wet and cold conditions, Jackson got started with a 29:28 swim, which put her about 4 minutes off swim leader Meredith Kessler, and 2 minutes back of the rest of the front pack that included amongst others, Corbin, Tisseyre, McBride, and McQuaid. Jackson got to work on the bike, but was unable to match the blistering pace of eventual winner Melanie McQuaid, who was putting together an impressive race. Jackson came into T2 in 4th position, around 6 minutes down on leader McQuaid, and immediately found her running legs. Picking her way through the field, she moved into the 2nd place position around the halfway point. Jackson kept the pressure on McQuaid for the rest of the run but ran out of real estate and was unable to catch the Canadian, who had an amazing performance on the day. Recording a race-best 1:20:51 run split, Jackson crossed the line in 4:21:57, about 2:30 minutes back of McQuaid.

Photo By - XTRI

Xterra World Champion Lesley Paterson had a bit of a rough start in the swim leg, but got to work quickly on the bike pulling herself right back into the mix. After a solid ride on the tough Oceanside bike course, Paterson found her running legs posting a blazing 1:21:56 run split that would earn her a respectable 6th place finish in an overall time of 4:31:50.

Ironman Champion Ben Hoffman also had a solid day, kicking things off with a 24:42 swim that would land him in the lead group onto the bike. HOFF went to work on the bike, riding a solid 2:15:29 bike split and kept the lead group within striking distance. HOFF finished his day with a respectable performance, an 8th place finish against a stacked men’s professional field.

For more information on any Wattie Ink. athletes, please contact: Wattie Ink.

Wattie Ink. Athlete Heather Jackson | TIME TO ROCK Video

Admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:55:09 +0000

(San Diego, California) – This Wattie Ink.-produced video was filmed via FLIP-Camera in San Louis Obispo, California while chasing Heather Jackson aboard her new Cannondale Slice TT Bike and in her Zoot Ultra TT running shoes during her favorite Pete Coulson/ChampionFactory workout a few weekends ago. The video also includes some fun footage shot at the Tim Mantoani - LAVA Magazine photo shoot in San Diego, California.

Turn it up and Rock The W – BOOM!

For more information on Heather Jackson, please contact Wattie Ink. or visit her website at: www.heatherjacksonracing.com