Trifiniti is proud of the accomplishments of all our athletes from novice to elites. The dedication and commitment that’s required to train for and complete an endurance event is enormous. Below is just a sample of the athletes who have achieved their goals along the way to enhancing their lives through training and participating in endurance events.
Kathy Winkler – Trifiniti athlete since 2001 with 22 wins…and counting.
The Winkler girls, Kathy, Jo Jo and Mattie sweep their respective age groups at the 2007 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon (left). Kathy runs from behind to win the women’s 35-39 age group at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii (right).
Kathy Winkler - Trifiniti athlete since 2001 with 29 wins...and counting. Kathy's accomplishments since starting with Trifiniti in May 2001 is nothing short of phenomenal. Her strive for perfection and competitive spirit has enabled her to become one of the most accomplished age group triathletes in the history of the sport. As a single mother of two and school teacher, Kathy has mastered the art of juggling life's responsibilities with her love for athletics. She is a two time Hawaii Ironman World Championship age group winner, 2005 Vineman 70.3 overall women's champion and finished second place overall woman in her first multi-day stage race, the 2009 Ultraman World Championship in Hawaii. She continues to excel at all distances from Olympic to Ironman to Ultra. Kathy was undefeated in 2009 winning her age group in every competition she entered. Inside Triathlon featured her accomplishments in a recent full length article written by Susan Grant.
Kathy’s Complete Race Accomplishments
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| 2001 | Half Vineman | 2nd Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified |
| Kona Ironman WorldChampionship | 1st place Age Group/22nd overall female in her 1st IM | |
| 2002 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Place Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group / 1st Amateur Female | |
| Half Vineman | 2nd Place Age Group /IM Hawaii Qualified | |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| US Cycling Nationals/3 Master Tandem | 3rd Place Team | |
| 2003 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Place Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Donner Lake Olympic | 1st Place Overall Female | |
| USA Triathlon Nationals | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| Pacific Grove Olympic | 1st Place Age Group | |
| 2004 | ITU World Championships | 8th Place Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group | |
| San Jose International | 1st Place Age Group/2nd Female amateur | |
| Vancouver Women’s Triathlon | 1st Place Overall | |
| Half Vineman | 2nd Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualifier | |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Inside Triathlon Magazine | Ranked #1 All American Age Group | |
| 2005 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Place Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Pacific Crest Olympic | 1st Place Age Group/ 2nd Overall Female | |
| Half Vineman | 1st Overall Female | |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 5th Place Age Group | |
| 2006 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Place Overall/Course Record |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group | |
| San Jose International | 1st Place Age Group/ 1st Amateur Female | |
| Half Vineman | 1st Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualifier | |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| 2007 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Overall Female |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Age Group | |
| USA Triathlon Nationals | 4th Place Age Group | |
| Steelhead Half 70.3 | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| North Face Endurance 50 mile | 2nd Age Group, 5 Overall | |
| 2008 | Wildflower Olympic | 1st Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Age Group | |
| Honu 70.3 | 2nd Age Group | |
| Steelhead 70.3 | 2nd Age Group | |
| Ironman World Championships | 7th Age Group | |
| 2009 | Wildflower Olimpic | 1st Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Age Group | |
| Anchorman | 1st Overall Female | |
| San Jose International | 1st Age Group, 2 Overall | |
| Vineman 70.3 | 1st Age Group | |
| 2009 Ultraman World Championship | 1st Age Group, 2nd overall | |
Jeri Howland – Trifiniti athlete since 2000 with 28 age group wins and an Ironman world record.
Jeri at Ironman World Championship
Jeri’s Complete Race Accomplishments
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| 2000 | ITU Word Championship, France | 4th Place Age Group |
| Ironman Canada | 4th Place Age Group/Kona Ironman Qualified | |
| Wildflower Long Course Triathlon | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 1st Overall Female | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group/ 5th Overall Female | |
| Pacific Crest Ultra 50K | 1st Age Group/2nd Overall Female | |
| 2001 | Ironman Europe, Roth Germany | 1st Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified |
| Wildflower Long Course Triathlon | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| Alcatraz Challenge Triathlon SF | 1stPlace Age Group | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 1stPlace AgeGroup/2ndOverall Female | |
| Marin Headlands 50K Run | 1stPlace Age Grouop/4thOverall Female | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group/ 2nd Overall Female | |
| Mt Tam Hill Climb | 1stAge Group/ 3rd Overall Female | |
| 2002 | Ironman Austria | 1st Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified |
| Ironman California 70.3 | 2ndPlace Age Group | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group/ 4th Overall Female | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 1st Place Age Group/3rd Overall Female | |
| 2003 | Hawaii Ironman World Championship | 8th Place Age Group |
| Big Kahuna Half IM | 1stPlaceAgeGroup | |
| Ironman Coeur d’Alene | 1st Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified | |
| World’s Toughest Half | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group/ 6th Overall Female | |
| 2004 | Big Kahuna Half IM | 1stPlace Age Group |
| Hawaii Ironman World Championship | 9rd Place Age Group | |
| ITU Long World Championships | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| World’s Toughest Half | 2ndPlace Age Group | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 1st Place Age Group/3rd Overall Female | |
| Mt Tam Hill Climb | 1st Age Group/ 2nd Overall Female | |
| 2005 | Ironman Coeur d’Alene | 1st Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 8thPlace Age Group | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 2nd Place Age Group/5th Overall Female | |
| Way To Cool 50K Run | 1st Age Group | |
| 2006 | Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 3rd Place Age Group |
| Ironman Coeur d’Alene | 1stPlace Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| Mt Tam Hill Climb | 2nd Age Group/ 5th Overall Female | |
| Marin Headlands 50K Run | 1st Place Age Group/ National Champion | |
| 2007 | Ironman California 70.3 | 2nd Place Age Group/IM Hawaii Qualified |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 1st Place Age Group | |
| North Face Endurance 50K Championships | 1st Female Overall | |
| Hawaii Ironman World Championship | 10th Place Age Group | |
| Quadruple Dipsea Run | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| Sun Valley Back Country Run | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Full Vineman Aqubike | 1st Place Age Group | |
| Big Kahuna Half IM | 1st Place Age Group | |
| 2008 | Way Too Cool 50K | 1st Place Age Group |
| Honu 70.3 | 4th Place Age Group | |
| Ironman Lake Placid | 1st place age group, new course record/Hawaii Ironman Qualified | |
| Hawaii Ironman World Championships | 12th Place Age Group | |
| California International Marathon | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| 2009 | Boston Marathon | 15th Place Age Group, 3:29 |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 2nd Place Age Group | |
| Mt. Tam Triple Crown | Overall Female Champion | |
| Ironman Arizona | 1st place age group/2010 Hawaii Ironman Qualified | |
Grant Richards – Trifiniti athlete since 2003 undergoes the evolution of an Ironman
Grant flies high as he makes his final approach toward the 2004 Hawaii Ironman finish line I first met Grant in 2003 as a member of the Golden Gate Triathlon Club. He had recently taken up triathlon to justify his passion for running and exercise following a sedentary lay off that resulted in considerable weight gain. Although his San Francisco advertising agency was booming Grant realized that he needed to regain control of his body in order to stay focused on work and set an example for his two teenage sons. Grant had attended recent lectures I offered to the club and decided he would give Trifiniti a try. It was during our first meeting that Grant excitedly exclaimed that his goal was to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona. I recall being surprised at this declaration because as I had not seen the type of talent required for such a lofty ambition. I was surprised a few months later when he cleaned my clock at a local half Ironman event. He collected his Kona slot one year later at Ironman Brazil. That was the last time I found myself surprised as I have come to appreciate his hard work and dedication for training and racing. His transformation into an 8-time Ironman finisher and Kona qualifier continues to evolve. I have no doubt that he will be a regular at the Kona starting line for years to come. Grant is also credited as the designer of the Trifiniti logo. Thanks Grant!
Grant’s Top Race Accomplishments
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| 2003 | Treasure Island Olympic | 10th Age Group |
| 2004 | Big Kahuna Half IM | 8thPlace Age Group |
| 2005 | Ironman California 70.3 | 4thPlace Age Group |
| Ironman Brazil | 4thPlace Age Group/Kona Qualified | |
| Big Kahuna Half IM | 2ndPlace Age Group | |
| Kona Ironman World Championship | 56th Place Age Group/10:51 | |
| Ironman Florida | 16th Place Age Group/10:10 | |
| Half Vineman | 14th Place Age Group | |
| 2006 | Ironman California 70.3 | 6th Place Age Group |
| Napa Half Iron | 6th Place Age Group | |
| Honu Ironman 70.3 | 9thPlace Age Group | |
| San Jose International Triathlon | 3rdPlace Age Group | |
| Ironman Canada | 11th Place Age Group | |
| 2007 | Ironman Arizona | 14th Place Age Group |
| Ironman Honu 70.3 | 15thPlace Age Group | |
| Ironman Louisville | 4thPlace Age Group | |
Nate Helming – Trifiniti athlete since 2007 is the Rookie of the Year
Nate exits T2 for his first Ironman marathon completed in 3:32 (left) and stands proud on the Big Kahuna Podium (right) In only his first full season and at age 24, Nate has already shown he deserves to be on the leader board. Nate joined the 2007 group training program to help prepare him for his first Ironman of his young career. Based on his only half IM at the 2006 Napa Vintage Half Iron event we estimated that he had the potential to do the full distance in approximately 10:30 and would be a contender for a Kona slot. We were spot on this prediction as he completed Ironman Coeur d’Alene in 10:32, finishing 8th place in his division. With just one season under his race belt, this young lad has a bright future in the sport.
Nate’s Complete Race Accomplishments
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| 2007 | Ironman California 70.3 | 10th Place Age Group |
| Wildflower Long Course | 3rdPlace Age Group | |
| Ironman Coeur d’Alene | 8thPlace Age Group | |
| Vineman Ironman 70.3 | 4thPlace Age Group/Clearwater Qualified | |
| Big Kahuna Half IM | 2ndPlace Age Group/17th Overall | |
Tom Taylor – Trifiniti athlete since 2005 at age 72 he is the “Rip Van Winkle” of Triathlon
Tom (on right) at the 2007 Escape from Alcatraz with other Trifiniti athletes winning age group awards, Kathy Winkler, Jeri Howland, Sunny McKee and Coach D I met Tom in 2005 at the San Francisco Bay Club when he asked for help with some exercise equipment. I asked Tom if there was a specific sport or hobby that he wanted to train for. He said that he wasn’t training for a particular sport but proudly announced that he had been a “pretty good” triathlete in his younger years. As it turned out, Tom had not competed for more than 20 years. He was also one of the original contributing writers for Triathlete Magazine back when the sports only tabloid was first published in the early 80’s.
Among his contributions was his 1984 article "Iron Curtain Man", a spoof which drew an official denunciation from the USSR Sports Federation. Tom had been completely removed from the sport to focus on his law career and was now a journalist and published author. He seemed to me to be looking for a new challenge with his 70th birthday only days away. So I casually suggested that he consider returning to the sport. Tom visited me a week later excited about his decision that he would give Triathlon another try. Tom’s competitive nature quickly set his sights on becoming a top age group contender. It took a few months to bring Tom back to speed physically as and to educate him regarding all the new developments within the sport. When it came to triathlon, it is as if Tom had gone to sleep for 20 years then awoke to discover his brand new passion for the sport. Welcome back Rip, I mean, Tom. As you can see from his results he has held true to his goal of being among the top in his age group.
Tom’s Complete Race Accomplishments (since returning in 2005)
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| 2005 | Napa Valley Sprint | 1stPlace Age Group |
| Pacific Grove Olympic | 1stPlace Age Group | |
| Treasure Island Olympic | 1stPlace AgeGroup | |
| 2006 | San Jose International Tri | 1st Place Age Group |
| Folsom International Tri | 2ndPlace Age Group | |
| Sentinel Olympic | 1st Place Age Group | |
| 2007 | Auburn International Tri | 1s Place Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 3rd PlaceAge Group | |
| USAT Nationals | 17th Place Age Group | |
Mark Davis – Trifiniti athlete since 2002. Once big in size, always big at heart and now big in accomplishments
Mark before and after losing 180 pounds While it may be true that a picture says a thousand words, Mark's amazing before and after photos only scratch the surface of a story that continues to inspires us all. Mark was a successful and overworked accountant who was nearly 200 pounds overweight and faced life threatening health problems -- if he didn't turn things around fast. He quickly educated himself on proper nutrition and exercise then patiently whittled his body down by an astounding 180 pounds.
This process took four years but Mark was determined to keep the weight off and avoid the weight loss industry's "lose weight fast" schemes. He became certified by the American College of Sports Medicine then found himself in a new career as a personal trainer. I hired Mark at the San Francisco Bay Club so that he could realize his dream of helping others overcome obesity and stay healthy. It was about that same time that I encouraged him to take up triathlon to help maintain his own fitness. The media also found Mark's story fascinating resulting in several magazine articles and television appearances. Mark was featured in the 2001 Escape from Alcatraz television coverage. Mark has now completed over 30 triathlons and is a 4-time Ironman finisher. He has committed to the sport for many years to come and writes about it for Examiner.com (www.examiner.com/x-7447-SF-Extreme-Training-Examiner) and for Lance Armstrong's Livestrong.com. You can read more about Mark and his journey from "Fat Man to Ironman" at www.xbigman.com.
Mark and Sunny McKee – Trifiniti athletes since 2007 prove that couples who train together remain together.
Mark and Sunny McKee both reached the podium at the 2007 Triathlon at Pacific Grove It would be difficult to find a more pleasant couple that Mark and Sunny McKee. Both have been involved in the multi-sport lifestyle for many years. If the sport had a husband-wife division you would be sure to find them at the top. Their affection for each other and athletics can be witnessed on any weekend day in the Bay Area. I doubt there’s a husband-wife team who has escaped from Alcatraz more times than this tri-couple. While Sunny has a long history of regular appearances on the podium, Mark is quickly moving up to join her. And the way he’s improving it looks like they’ll be spending some time together on the top step. I’ve known the McKees for a few years and was honored when they asked me to work with them this year.
Mark’s 2007 Race Accomplishments
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| Wildflower Olympic | 4th Age Group | |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 8th AgeGroup | |
| USA Triathlon Nationals | 16thPlace Age Group/Worlds Qualified | |
| Enviro Acatraz Challenge | 1stPlace Age Group/17th Overall | |
| New York City Triathlon | 4th Place Age Group | |
| Triathlon at Pacific Grove | 3rd Place Age Group | |
Sunny’s 2007 Race Accomplishments
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| Wildflower Olympic | 2ndPlace Age Group | |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 3rd PlaceAge Group | |
| Enviro Acatraz Challenge | 1stPlaceAge Group/17th Overall | |
| New York City Triathlon | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| Triathlon at Pacific Grove | 3rd Place Age Group | |
Geoff Farrell – Trifiniti athlete since 2006. Next stop: USAT All American
Geoff (far right) salutes victory at the 2007 Half Vineman Triathlon I have a standing joke with my athletes who race in my age group. I tell them that if they beat me in an event I will raise their coaching fees. It hasn’t discouraged anybody so far, and I can’t say that I’ve lived up to my threat to raise fees. One athlete who qualifies for this price increase is Geoff Farrell, whom I known for many years as a fellow member of the Golden Gate Triathlon Club. Geoff was part of our 2005 Trifiniti Ironman training group. I always felt that Geoff had more talent than his race results indicated but since he was one of my competitors I wasn’t going out of my way to give any training tips. That was until he hired me as his coach last year. Geoff’s made some breakthroughs this year and it looks he may very well be on his way to his first USAT All American ranking. If so, I doubt it will be his last time as an All American or a candidate to be threatened with higher coaching fees.
Geoff’s Complete Race Accomplishments
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| 2006 | Big Kahuna Half IM | 6thPlace Age Group |
| Xterra Nevada | 3rd Place Age Group | |
| Treasure Island Olympic | 4thPlace Age Group | |
| 2007 | Wildflower Olympic | 5th Age Group |
| Escape from Alcatraz | 10thAge Group | |
| San Jose International Triathlon | 4th Age Group | |
| Vineman Ironman 70.3 | 14thPlace Age Group/Clearwater Qualified | |
| Santa Barbara Long Course | 6th Place Age Group | |
| Big Kahuna Half IM | 7hPlace Age Group | |
2007 Trifiniti Ironman Finishers
2007 GGTC IM Training Group athletes at the last supper before IM Coeur d’Alene.More than 200 Trifiniti athletes have completed Ironman distance events in the past seven years. Many prepared for the big day with others in one of our successful Ironman group training programs while others endured the rigorous training solo style. Congratulations to the following athletes who completed an Ironman event during this past year.
Ironman New Zealand |
Tony Meneghetti |
| Russ Silvestri | |
Ironman Arizona |
Grant Richards |
Ironman Brazil |
Jeff Block |
| Richard Kimura | |
Monica Moreno |
|
Ann Weinstock |
|
Mark Weinstock |
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Ironman Coeur d’Alene |
Margaret Baumgartner |
| Jason Burdge | |
| Pam Ching | |
| Anne Findlay | |
| Steve Fleming | |
| Nate Helming | |
| Kevin Kinkor | |
| Dave Lampert | |
| Francois Lariviere | |
| James Monahan | |
| Peter Rabover | |
| Dorette Sommer | |
| Chelsea Titus | |
| Gordon Tucker | |
| Kirsten Van Sickle | |
| Leslie Williams | |
| Andreas Wolf | |
Ironman Nice, France |
Barbara Walker |
Ironman Austria |
Mike Halper |
Ironman Canada |
Tom Crites |
| Stephanie Falkenstein | |
| Dave Lampert | |
| Chung-Man Tam | |
| Leishia Woolwine | |
Ironman Louisville, Kentucky |
Grant Richards |
| Marshal Villarosa | |
Ironman World Championship, Kona Hawaii |
Jeri Howland |
| Grant Richards | |
2008 Trifiniti Ironman Finishers
Ironman Brazil |
Bruce Bastian |
| Colleen Cassidy | |
| Dan Perez | |
| Francois Lariviere | |
Ironman Arizona |
Jorge Geronimo |
| Andrew McWhorter | |
Ironman Coeur d'Alene |
Anne Findlay |
| Ariane Buser | |
Jamie Collie |
|
Mary Collie |
|
Jill Griebel |
|
Malik Coates |
|
Rob Coons |
|
Ryan Carter |
|
Monica Moreno |
|
Rosie Castaneda |
|
Abby Bourgon |
|
Adam Smith |
|
Andrew Muff |
|
Chad Pajari |
|
Chris Lampert |
|
Christina Oberg |
|
Conrad Chan |
|
Doug Bourgon |
|
Elodie Marchalot |
|
Emily Hardy |
|
Henrik Olsen |
|
Janelle Hyatt |
|
Jim McCormick |
|
Josh Callahan |
|
Kevin O'Neil |
|
Kirsten Nelson |
|
Lynn Beach |
|
Meredith Kremer |
|
Michael "MJ" Jenkins |
|
Richard Fiedotin |
|
Rob Sturn |
|
Scott Fife |
|
Stephanie Falkenstein |
|
Todd Jordan |
|
Tracy McCormick |
|
Ironman France |
Kevin Lee |
| Kevan Corbett | |
Ironman Switzerland |
Ann Weinstock |
Ironman Lake Placid |
Eric Schwartz |
John Lane |
|
Jeri Howland |
|
Ironman UK |
Kim Burdge |
Jason Burdge |
|
Ironman Kentucky |
Eric Ortiz |
Grant Richards |
|
Ironman Canada |
Victor Shum |
Ironman World Championship |
Kathy Winkler |
| Grant Richards | |
| Jeri Howland |
2009 Trifiniti Ironman Finishers
Ironman New Zeland |
Dave Lampert |
| Francois Lariviere | |
Ironman Brazil |
Daniel Scarberry |
Ironman Coeur d'Alene |
Andrew Campbell |
| Dale Kane | |
| Lara Rafton | |
| Mary Ashby | |
| Preston McCaskill | |
| Nate Helming | |
| Rachel Lee | |
| Rahim Rahman | |
| Sydney Fang | |
| Tom Trauger | |
| Tom O'Brien | |
| Geoff Farrell | |
| Victor Shum | |
Ironman France |
Barbara Walker |
| Francois Lariviere | |
Ironman Switzerland |
Stan Beraznik |
Ironman Lake Placid |
Sarah Becker |
David Evans |
|
Dave Lampert |
|
Full Vineman |
Kenny Clews |
Ironman Canada |
Grant Richards |
Fernando Chilvarguer |
|
Jenn Davis |
|
Jamie Westcott |
|
Richard Valenzuela |
|
Chung-Man Tam |
|
Ironman Kentucky |
Jesus Trinidad |
Ironman Arizona |
Jim Allen |
Mike Fantasia |
|
Tom Koundakjian |
|
Daniel Scarberry |
|
Kevin Vaarsi |