Avia announced recent wins by Team AVIA athletes at the inaugural International Triathlon Union (ITU) Cross Triathlon World Championships, held in Extremadura, Spain, and women’s Ironman Australia and St. George, Utah.
Conrad Stoltz, the four-time and reigning XTERRA World Champion, made his return to the ITU and crossed the finish line for the gold in the elite men’s division. AVIA athletes Josiah Middaugh and Eneko Llanos finished in the top six. In the elite women’s division, AVIA athletes swept the podium with three-time XTERRA Champion Melanie McQuaid capturing the gold; reigning XTERRA Champion Shonny Vanlandingham securing silver; and teammate Emma Garrard, a bronze winner at the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships, grabbing bronze.
Caroline Steffen claimed her first Ironman victory at Ironman Australia held at Port Macquarie. A member of the AVIA-sponsored teamTBB, Steffen was the runner-up at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Heather Wurtele defended her title as last year’s winner of Ironman St. George and broke her own previous course record.
“Coming off a year of six world championships, it has been an amazing start of the 2011 racing season for Team AVIA, with two ITU World Championships and a podium sweep on the women’s side, the courageous win by Caroline at Ironman Australia, and record-breaking performance by Heather Wurtele at Ironman St. George,” said Shawn Frack, Sports Marketing Manager at AVIA. “Everyone at AVIA is extremely proud of our sponsored athletes. Conrad, Melanie, Caroline and Heather are not only elite athletes, but also true ambassadors of the sport and deserving of these championships.”
