Team blueseventy UK are go!

**NEWS FLASH!**

It has been discovered that blueseventy's UK Operations Manager, Sharon Bates, has quietly signed up for the Timex Women's Triathlon to be held in Eton on the 4th of July. Sharon will be competing in the sprint distance of a 400m Swim, a 20km Bike, and a 5km Run and this will be her first triathlon.
Best of luck Sharon, and we will be looking forward to a full race report! :-)
BOOOM!

blueseventy crosses finishline first in Brazilian FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup

The first race of the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup 2009, which was held in Santos (BRA) on January 24, has been hailed as a resounding success by organisers and in global open water swimming circles. The competition doubled as the widely popular Maratona Aquatica Internacional de Santos / Travessia Renata Agondi and the event included festive amateur races in the distances of 1km, 2km and 4km in addition to the premier 10km. More than 1000 athletes participated in front of thousands of spectators.
To the delight of the crowds, the winner of the women’s 10km race was home favourite Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA, 2h09:49), in her blueseventy nero swimskin; the 16 year old who finished fifth in the Beijing Olympic Games 10km, while her compatriot Poliana Okimoto (seventh in Beijing) took silver in 2h09:58. Third among women was Nadine Pastor (GER, 2h10:00), while Olympian Martina Grimaldi (ITA) took fourth just one second later. Among men the medals went to three Italian swimmers. Gold was reserved for Simone Ercoli (2h05:44), silver for Luca Ferretti (2h05:49) and bronze for Valerio Cleri, defending 10km MSWC champion from 2008 (2h05:54). Finishing seconds later in fourth and fifth were Olympians Allan do Carmo (BRA) and Luis Escobar (MEX). As a result of their top local finishes, Cunha, Okimoto, do Carmo and Marcelo Romanelli Soares (15th, BRA) have earned berths to the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome this July.

Above, blueseventy's VP swimming sales Roque Santos with Ana Marcela Cunha after she won the women's event in her nero swimskin.

The official FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup event shirt (with blueseventy as a sponsor).

blueseventy partners with TBB

Top swim and triathlon brand, blueseventy, is delighted to announce a new sponsorship deal with TeamTBB. From 2009, the brand will supply wetsuits and swimskins for all team members as well as being the official supplier of wetsuits and swimskins to TBB stores.

blueseventy is the world leader in triathlon and open water wetsuits and swimskins. Since 1993, the global brand has designed, tested, refined and crafted products that have instilled confidence in swimmers of all levels and carried world-class athletes to victory.

Dean Jackson, Global Sales and Marketing Manager at blueseventy, comments; “We’re thrilled to be associated with one of the best triathlon teams in the world and one which is genuinely committed to improving the lives of young people through sport.”

TeamTBB is a development squad that provides hope and opportunity to many young athletes and struggling pros that would have had no opportunity or pathway to being able to become an earning professional athlete. TeamTBB provides physical, psychological and mechanical information to all of its athletes and more importantly its current leading athletes are the role models to the rookie and development athletes.

In addition to its professional and amateur athlete programs, TeamTBB also works to ensure that youth around the globe can participate in multi-sport events through its social development projects and its franchise, The Bike Boutique. The Bike Boutique provides unique lifestyle services through its bike lifestyle stores and encourages cycling as a means of transportation supported by its bikeLodging™ services.

Alex Bok, Managing Director of The Bike Boutique Holding and teamTBB comments; "We’re delighted to be able to team up with the industry’s leading wetsuit and swimskin brand. We want the absolute best for our athletes - in all aspects of life – and blueseventy are proof of this commitment.”

A focused Chris McDonald at Challenge Wanaka...

Above is a great shot that our Sponsorhsip Manager, Guy Crawford took of winner Chris McDonald preparing for the start at this year's Challenge Wanaka, held in New Zealand. Congrats on another win Chris!

blueseventy athletes storm Challenge Wanaka

Blitzing the course record, blueseventy's Aussie Chris McDonald powered home to win the third Challenge Wanaka long-distance triathlon in 8hrs 37.41secs yesterday, nearly seven minutes clear of New Zealander Keegan Williams. Czech Petr Vabrousek rounded out the podium just 30 seconds in arrears in what turned out to be a close-fought battle on the run.

The race takes place on a scenic course through the Southern Lakes region and along the Clutha River in the South Island of New Zealand.

McDonald exited Lake Wanaka two and a half minutes down on the race leaders but by 30km into the cycle had moved to the front. "I got on the bike and hammered the bejeezus out of the first 80km," he said, noting he'd clocked 1.55 over the distance. "I thought I better slow down."

McDonald came into the transition area with four minutes on training partner Justin Daerr, a young American triathlete who finished fourth on the day. He went through the first 21km of the run in 1.23 and at 32km learned he had seven minutes in hand and settled into a steady pace. Behind him, though, it was all change as Daerr dropped back under the withering pace of the veteran Czech campaigner and the young Williams, who was off the bike third more than six minutes adrift of McDonald.

The win makes a great start to McDonald's 2009 campaign, one that follows on a win at Ironman Wisconsin one week after a second at Ironman Kentucky and a fourth place in the Quelle Challenge Roth. "I couldn't be happier. What a way to start the year," he said.

Defending champion and fellow blueseventy athlete Gina Ferguson exited the water first and was never headed to break her own course record by some five minutes and finish in 9.28.27.

"The swim was hard," she said at the finish. "I had a great ride."

In her helix tst wetsuit, she exited the lake with the top male swimmers in 54.34, then set a new bike course record of 5.14, breaking the 2007 mark set by Aussie Belinda Granger.

Ferguson (right) said she struggled from 20km to 30km on the run then came right. "You just have to keep pushing," said the Christchurch-based athlete, who was a winner at December's Ironman Western Australia after an eighth at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. She arrived in Wanaka with only three weeks of training after a bit of a break after the Australian event.

"It was tough to do it yourself all day long-mentally tough," she said. "I hope that will stand me in good stead when I go to race in Hawaii."

Wanaka's own and Merryn Johnston (also wearing blueseventy), fourth here last year in her professional debut, improved to second in 10.03.56. Third spot went to American Hillary Biscay, who was second here last year, in 10.16.39.

Challenge Wanaka is part of the global TEAMChallenge series that features six events in France, Germany and Spain, as well as New Zealand. Now in its third year, it drew more than 470 athletes from 21 countries for a weeklong festival of sport that also included short distance events in the Contract Tri Series on Friday evening.

Results

Challenge Wanaka

MEN

1) Chris McDonald (AUS) 8.37.41 (57.12/4.45.34/2.51.33)

2) Keegan Williams (NZL) 8.44.08 (54.41/4.55.04/2.50.41)

3) Petr Vabrousek (CZE) 8.44.38 (57.09/4.55.42/2.48.25)

WOMEN

1) Gina Ferguson (NZL) 9.28.27 (54.34/5.14.28/3.15.19)

2) Merryn Johnston (NZL) 10.03.56

3) Hillary Biscay (USA) 10.16.39

The 'Hottest Couple in Triathlon'; sponsored by blueseventy

The American National Examiner has dubbed blueseventy's Michael and Amanda Lovato the "hottest couple in triathlon". Below is what Roman Mica wrote about the couple;

"It can be somewhat unusual when professional athletes meet, fall in love, and get married.

The first couple of triathlon has to be Michael and Amanda Lavoto. While both have seen their fair share of success in their chosen profession of triathlon, the two share a distinction that is very unusual and unique in the world of chiseled and ultra fit professional triathlets.

According a story published today in the triathlon web site xtri.com they met as age group triathletes competing at the World Championship in Montreal, Canada.

"No one knows me better than my husband. I am number one in his life and he is number one in my life, with or without triathlon. And our marriage comes first...ALWAYS," said Amanda Lovato.

On New Year's eve they celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary which Amanda chronicled in her popular blog: "Hear me Roar!"

"The day that ML became my husband, was the day my life changed...for the better. I never thought I would meet someone who I thought could be my perfect match...," Amanda Lovato writes in her Blog.

But the couple also shares another very unique distinction that is very unusual even for professional athletes.

In a recent online poll they were both selected as the Hottest Triathletes of 2008.

With thousands of votes cast Amanda Lovato was just edged off the Hottest Podium, and was voted the 4th Hottest triathlete in the world.

While her husband Michale Lovato took the second place on the Hottest Podium just below the famous bachelor triathlete Andy Baldwin.

Which means that when combined as husband and wife, Amanda and Michael are certainly the hottest couple of triathlon."

Aussies sink results at the Junior Pan Pacific Games in nero

Australian blueseventy nero swimskins fans recently came out on top at the Junior Pan Pacific Games in Guam, Jan 09, with amazing results.

Ryan Nepolean (pictured above just after one race) ended up with 4 Gold and one Bronze and a time in the 800m free that makes it onto the 'all time fastest top 8 ' list of any Australian in history, touching the wall in 7:58.66! In the 400m free he also claimed a meet record of 3:51.12 and a gold medal win.


Amy Smith (above, seen stepping onto the side of the pool) just missed out winning the 200m fly behind USA swimmer Camille Adams in 2:10.55 and was part of the Australian Bronze winnning team in the 4 x 100m medley relay. USA and Canada came 1st and 2nd respectively.

Ned McKendry is only 16 and ended up with a silver behind Ryan in the 400m freestyle clocking a 3:54.70 and third in the 800m freestyle in a time of 8:07.90.That's not too bad considering this was the first time Ned had given this event a go.

Heddi checks in; learning how to swim with one arm....

I had my second session with Paralympic coach, Kiko VanZandt, and was really excited to see my progress.

Since my car accident, I've taught myself to swim one-handed but am really happy to find a coach that understands the ways I need to compensate for the injury. I need to rely on my rotation even more than most swimmers, so I don't injure my good shoulder.

I am rotating a lot more, since Kiko had me work on the timing of my stroke. I'm leading less with my shoulder, and more with the hip rotation. She had me practice turning my hip as my hand pulls next to it under the water. She calls this "opening the door to the garage" :)

It's amazing how much less effort this takes, when the timing is right. She also noticed that I was dropping my elbow a bit as my arm came out of the water. Kiko had me work on rounding my arm, to scoop the water with my hand and whole arm as it enters the water.

I also did some work with a swim paddle to find the right hand position. I was amazed to feel the difference, depending on which angle my hand enters the water. This is going to be a great tool to find both the best pull
position, but also to feel when I use my shoulder more than I should. It really hurts if I get the angle wrong!

Kiko also noticed that my left leg gets a bit lazy when I'm going for air on the left side. Since I only have one arm working, it's more important to keep a good strong kick going. I'm definitely going to have to concentrate on that, since I caught myself doing it a number of times in the session.

I talked to Kiko about mentioning her name in this blog, and she said she loves blueseventy! She sends thanks to Roque for providing her paralympic swimmers with skinsuits--they really loved them, and the records they set with them. I just tried mine out in the pool, and it was a blast slipping through the water:)

Heddi

Racing Kiwis in Cromwell

Pictured above are Tony Dodds and Aaron Barclay, having a laugh just before they raced the Lake Dunstan Triathlon, in Central Otago in New Zealand over the christmas period. It was a chilly day, so their blueseventy helix wetties came in handy! Dodds went on to win the event.