Chris Lieto showed that he is very competitive at any distance as he won the 2008 Columbia Triathlon in Columbia, Maryland despite a very competitive field. Rebecca Wassner led wire to wire and took the victory in the women’s race.

Paul Amey won the 2008 Ford Ironman 70.3 Florida thanks in part to a very impressive bike split and a somewhat expected solid run. The women’s event was won by Leanda Cave who had to battle Dede Griesbauer most of the day.

Like many of us, Mike Pigg was inspired to race triathlons when he watched Dave Scott win the 1983 Ironman on TV. Unlike most of us though, the man who would soon be known as Pigg Power managed to finish 7th overall at that event 2 years later.

Ryan Barnett’s surgery apparently went better than the doctors had anticipated. No damage to his spinal cord was detected and doctors inserted a titanium plate in his back, running from T1 to T6. They hope to have him starting his rehab sessions as early as tomorrow!

The Dutch Masters (the bike makers, not the cigar makers) have struck again. The Ventus is a tri bar to be taken seriously: not just as eye candy atop the P3Cs ridden by Cancellara and the CSC team.

Janda Ricci-Munn had a tough setback in 2007 but closed out his season as the fastest age grouper at 70.3 Worlds in Clearwater and a top 20 finish overall. He has announced that he has turned professional for 2008 and confirmed that he’ll actually quit one of his other day jobs.

After entering the TT world pitching the Plasma as “superlight,”, Scott is adding a new focus: aerodynamics. Here’s Adrian Montgomery with details on the new Plasma 2.

I know what you’re thinking: “This has to be the hardest task facing a race promoter.” Yes, you’re right. But it doesn’t have to be. Just invest in a little creative thinking, and you’ll find that getting lucrative sponsors is not that hard.

Frederic Belaubre won the 2008 European Triathlon Championships and thus earned his 3rd European title in 4 years. Vanessa Fernandes was victorious in the women’s race and now has won a record 5 titles, and that is not even counting her U23 and Junior crowns.

Mike Neill won the 2008 edition of the Gulfcoast Triathlon in Panama City Beach, Florida and narrowly defeated Zach Ruble. The women’s pro title was snagged by Gabriela Loskatova, but the fastest time of the day belonged to age grouper Amy Kloner from Atlanta, Ga.

To escape the wet and cold Northern European spring, many European athletes head to the island of Mallorca to get ready for the upcoming season. German pro triathlete Uwe Widmann recently came back from such a training camp and he reports for Slowtwitch.

The Los Angeles Triathlon has known one RD since its inception. But a group of Angelenos and triathlon’s national federation have teamed up, and are hoping for a change.

In part three of this series, Colin gives us some insight into the preparation and training behind his efforts to qualify for the 2008 Canadian Olympic Team.

Blue Bicycles’ Ryan Barnett was hit by a truck and landscape trailer while warming up for the Roswell Criterium on Saturday and sustained serious injuries. Ryan works for Blue Bicycles as their marketing manager.

Road testing the 3T Ventus aero bar properly required a bit of trigonometry, a dash of ingenuity, and smidge of creativity, some nerve, and a credit card with room on it.

Craig Alexander won the 2008 St Croix Ironman 70.3 triathlon thanks in part to his fantastic 1:15:58 run time. Just like Alexander, Mirinda Carfrae utilized a superb run to take the women’s title.

Current ITU World champion Daniel Unger won the 2008 ITU Richard’s Bay World up in South Africa by out-sprinting Matty Reed. Carolyn Murray captured the women’s race and with it her first World Cup win.

Macca bided his time on the bike and matched Eneko Llanos on the run to take the title by just 19 seconds. Sam McGlone stretched out Leanda Cave to win in an impressive 4:31:38.

Where do you go to find a good bike retailer in your area? With F.I.S.T.-cerfitifed retailers and Barnett-schooled mechanics? That carry your preferred bike or wetsuit brand? Now you can find out.

Davis Tarwater is the 2005 and 2007 US Champion in the 200m Butterfly and he also won that event at the 2007 Duel in the Pool. He is currently preparing for the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska and shared a few of his thoughts with Slowtwitch.

Now it’s not simply what races take place where, when and across what distances. It’s what races have enough Port-o-Johns!

We are starting a new interview series featuring industry people who are doing what they are preaching. Our first subject of “industry athlete” is Kevin O’Connor, the owner of Gear West Bike & Tri. He has been as fast as 9:13 in Kona and just recently finished in 9:35.

Matty Reed was victorious at the 2008 St. Anthony’s triathlon and had the fastest bike split of the day. Sarah Haskins convincingly won the women’s event and showed that she is a force to be reckoned with come Hy-Vee.

Current World Cup leader Tim Don (GBR) won the 2008 Tongyeong BG Triathlon World Cup in Korea with a blazing fast run. Veteran Samantha Warriner (NZL) had to outduel rookie Hollie Avil (GBR) for the crown in the women’s race.