West Point Trophy Point team place five in top 25

By Kathy Eastwood, Pointer View Staff WriterSeptember 10, 2009

West Point Trophy Point team place five in top 25
Six of the fourteen-member West Point Trophy Point Triathlon Team, which had five of the top finishers in the Diamond Girl Triathlon at Harriman Park Aug 30, are pictured (from left)-Melanie Shatton, Cathy Baka, Lisa Kling, Andrea Harrison-Wells, Gin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

In June, the West Point Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Fitness Center enlisted 20 community women in a 12-week triathlon-training program to prepare for the Aug. 30 New York Diamond Girl Sprint Triathlon at Harriman State Park.

"We spent an average of four hours per week during the 12-week training program swimming, biking and running all around the West Point area," Dana White, personal training and athletic development instructor for the West Point team, said. "Fourteen women entered the triathlon and all completed the entire event, which included a 500-meter swim, 15.5-mile bike (ride), and four-mile run."

This is the first time the fitness center sponsored training for the annual Diamond Girl event and eight of the women competed in their first triathlon.

Members of the Trophy Point Triathlon Team included moms with 25 children combined, a firefighter, four former active duty servicemembers, two West Point graduates, one tactical officer, one participant whose spouse is deployed, one wife who is expecting and three women who own a business or freelance.

"Out of 81 women who entered the race, our group had five place in the top 25," White said.

"Our top finisher was Andrea Harrison-Wells, who took 10th overall with a total time of 1:46:49. Wells along with Cathy Baka, Lisa Kling and Melanie Shattan swept the top four slots in the Athena Division. Beth Feldman finished third in the 35-39 age group."

White said several members are competing in the inaugural Vassar Triathlon Sept. 12, two are running the Marine Corps Marathon in October and about half of the group has started training for the Philadelphia half-marathon in November.

"We will continue to train informally through the off-season," White said. "I plan to start another official group in February in preparation for a May 2010 triathlon."

For more information or questions on triathlon training, e-mail White at teamwhitefitness@gmail.com.