| Clearwater 2009 |
|
ASHLEY MORGAN WINS AGE-GROUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP place
Ashley's 4:18:33 time earns her the top podium spot at Clearwater place We have known for a long time that Ashley Morgan is ONE of the best age group triathletes in the world. On November 14, we confirmed that she is THE best. In a performance that left most of us speechless, Ashley tore up the Ironman 70.3 World Championship course in just 4:18:33 and stood on top of the podium at the Woman's 18-24 World Champion. Her approach was simple: leave nothing on the course. A day before the race, Ashley stated "I am going to go out really hard on the swim...then I am going to go as fast as I can on the bike, and push as hard as I can on the run. She did just that. She completed the swim in just under thirty minutes, averaged a mind-numbing 25.3 mph on the bike, and brought it home with a 1:30 half marathon. Her finish time was more than 13 minutes faster than her performance from a fast Ironman Augusta course in September and 25 minutes faster than her Ironman Kansas time in June. But what really turned heads in Clearwater was that Ashley would have finished 11th among the professional women; the best half-ironwomen the sport has to offer.
As team sponsors rained in congratulatory phone calls and the West Point brass tried to determine if she is the academy's first-ever World Champion, Ashley modestly accepted the accolades of officers and cadets alike. She was named the Brigade Athlete of the Week and was the personal guest of the Commandant at the weekly Quarterback Luncheon. The Road to a World Championship began back in June when a portion of the team went to Ironman Kansas to complete in the Collegiate Ironman Championship. In winning the collegiate title, four team members qualified for Ironman 70.3 World Championships. In addition to Ashley, the Clearwater qualifiers were Bryan Lagasse and 2009 graduates Nick Sterghos and Randy Wintermantel. On Friday, November 13th, these four converged on Clearwater for a triathlon reunion at the World Championships. Joining them was a strong entourage of team supporters. Dan Webster, Lou Tharp, Jim Stock, Ashley's parents, ..and the majority of the Lagasse family came to cheer on the team. Additionally, Preston Miller '68 and his son, Brett came as race qualifiers and participants, giving the team a loud and prominent fan club. There were many highlights to the weekend. For starters, the 80 degree weather and palm trees of Florida were a welcome change from the 40-50 highs of New York State. The Race conditions were optimum for fast times, with warm weather and flat roads. Every team member set a personal record. Bryan Lagasse 4:17:18 was highlighted by a 1:26 half marathon. Randy Wintermantel's 4:54 was good enough for 9th in her age group, and Nick Sterghos beat a good number of pros with a 1:18 run. There was no doubt that the team came prepared and represented the academy and Army well. Clearwater's race atmosphere did not disappoint either. There was no doubt that this was a World Championship event. In fact, the team had the ability to see and interact with several legends of the sport including current Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander, this year's Ironman 70.3 World Champion Michael Releart and sister Madonna Buder. Bryan and MAJ Caine were even interviewed by the local FOX affiliate while doing a warm-up run the day prior.
Ashley, MAJ Caine, & Bryan rubbing shoulders with Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander place The award ceremony, held along the Clearwater Beach at Sand Key Park was first class in every way. Giant jumbo screens flanked the awards stage showing highlights of the race and the top splits of the day. It concluded with an impressive firework show against the backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico. However, in the end, the race was defined by Ashley on center stage, accepting the Championship Trophy from Mike Reilly, "The Voice of Ironman." In a moment that was almost surreal, Mike proclaimed to a crowd of 2,000 world-class triathletes that "the 2009 Woman's 18-24 Ironman World Champion, represented West Point and the United States of America, is Ashley Morgan!" It was a day in West Point Triathlon history to be long remembered.
|
