ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska welcomed run-bike-ski specialists to kick off the 2023 USA Triathlon National Championship season in January for the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship. The event, held by the Alaska Triathlon Club, is part of the Tri-Flake Winter Triathlon and featured the true winter Triathlon format of run-bike-ski.

The run utilized the scenic Coastal Trail from the Kincaid Chalet for a 6k out and back course. The bike was on the multi-use trails along Raspberry and the STA singletrack trails throughout Kincaid for a course of 8 miles. The ski utilized the world-class nordic ski trails in Kincaid Park for two laps of a 3k loop.

Winter triathlon exemplifies how the popularity and desire for more multisport opportunities continues to grow in the endurance sports world. In 2023, USA Triathlon will host the second Gravel Triathlon National Championships and in April will host the second Multisport National Championships Festival that will feature multisport events such as duathlon (run-bike-run), aquathlon (swim-run) and aquabike (bike-run).

Alaskans dominated the event, as Anchorage local Eric Flanders and Jordan Marie Pruszenski of Fairbanks won the male and female overall titles and Alaska residents claimed 13 age-group victories.

Pruszenski’s victory came in thrilling fashion as she edged Anchorage's Jessica Vetsch by a split second, winning with a time of 1 hour, 34 minutes, 12.50 seconds. Vetsch was just .19 seconds back in 1:34:12.69.

The national title is Pruszenski’s second at USA Triathlon Winter National Championships, as she also won the title in 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota, when she was living in the state as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota.

Flanders won with a time of 1:18:55, nearly 2 minutes ahead of Cody Priest of Anchorage (1:20:42).

Sheri Schrock (Cohasset, Minn.), 2018 Winter Triathlon World Champion in the women’s 60-64 age group and multiple-time Winter Triathlon Worlds medalist, claimed her third consecutive national podium, winning the 65-69 age group title.

Top finishers in each age group earned the opportunity to represent Team USA at the World Triathlon Winter Championships. To learn more about Team USA, comprised of the nation’s top amateur multisport athletes who represent the U.S. at World Triathlon Age Group Championships, visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa.

2023 USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championships

6k run, 14k bike, 6.6k cross country ski

National Champions — Complete Results

Male Overall: Eric Flanders (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:18:55

Female Overall: Jordan Marie Pruszenski (Fairbanks, Alaksa), 1:34:12

PC Open: Christine Wodke (Milwaukee, Wis.), 3:35:02

Athena 39 Under: Sara Haley (Anchorage, Alaska), 2:47:58

Athena 40-54: Leslie Battle (Warwick, R.I.), 2:57:26

F20-24: Rya Berrigan (Palmer, Alaska), 1:37:40

M25-29: Taylor Turney (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:21:51

F25-29: Katie Calderone (Anchorage, Alaska), 3:08:28

M30-34: Geremy Skeen (Jber, Alaska), 1:46:41

F30-34: Jordan Marie Pruszenski (Fairbanks, Alaska), 1:34:12

M35-39: Cody Priest (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:20:42

F35-39: Jessica Vetch (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:34:12

M35-39: Eric Flanders (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:18:55

F40-44: Morgan Aldridge (Sterling, Alaska), 1:45:53

M45-49: Jared Nieters (Amissville, Virginia), 1:26:37

F45-49: Kimberly Riggs (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:45:24

M50-54: Travis Wales (Springville, Calif.), 1:46:22

F50-54: Allison Melodic (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:45:34

M55-59: Christian Otto (Scarsdale, N.Y.), Christian Otto, 1:35:06

F55-59: Danelle Winn (Anchorage, Alaska), 1:59:58

M60-64: Brent Peacock (Jackson, Wyo.), 1:30:56

M65-69: Mark Drangsholt (Seattle, Wash.), 1:50:41

F65-69: Sheri Schrock (Cohasset, Minn.), 2:24:38

M70+: Rick Christen (Bend, Ore.), 2:19:04

F70+: Gay Hunter (Port Angeles, Wash.), 2:50:17

RUN-BIKE-SKI: CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT 2023 USA TRIATHLON WINTER TRIATHLON NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

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