Professional Athletes
NAME: Luke McKenzie
AGE: 38
NATIONALITY: Australian
RESIDES: Noosa Heads, Australia
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 9 x Ironman titles, 2nd Ironman World Championships 2013, co-founder of WYN republic & MALO republic
FAVORITE RACE: Ironman Cairns
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: Bend, Oregon
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN: Take up tennis.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN: Go on a low carb diet.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: Salty hot chips ('french fries', for you Americans).
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Instagram - @lukemckenzie
Twitter - @lukemckenzie
Facebook - @lukemckenzietriathlete
NAME: Jackie Hering
AGE: 35
NATIONALITY: USA
RESIDES: Madison, WI
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2013 Ironman WI champion
6-time 70.3 champion
2nd American at 2018 & 2019 70.3 World Championships
2020 Campeche 70.3 champion, qualified for 70.3 World Championships
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION:
Trail running at Blue Mounds State Park, right here in WI!
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: When in doubt, leave it out.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: Anything that involves comparison to other athletes, chasing 'x' amount of hours training OR any crazy new fad that will supposedly make you faster.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: Ice cream! (not a meal...but always like a treat post hard effort!)
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: Instagram - @jackiemhering
Strava - Jackie Hering https://www.strava.
NAME: Meredith Hill
NATIONALITY: Australian
RESIDES: Peregian Beach, Australia
RESIDES: Sunshine Coast, Australia
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
-Challenge China winner 2020
-Embrunman 4th 2019
-Norseman 2nd 2017.
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: In my own backyard! The sunshine coast has almost everything we need. It could do with a few more mountains though!
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: Going into a race, its better to be 5% under-done than it is to be 1% over-done.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: That I should cease all caffeine (namely coffee) for 2 weeks before a race. Life would be miserable.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: 2 x Zinger burgers and large fries
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: Instagram- @meredith.a.hill
NAME: Matthew Burton
AGE: 32
NATIONALITY: Australian
RESIDES: Perth, West Australia
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2nd @ IMWA 2019 in 7:55*
1st Challenge Malaysia 2018
2nd Challenge Wanaka 2020
Several Challenge and Ironman event podiums.
*Qualified for Ironman World Championships 2020
*Qualified for Ironman World Championships 2020
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: HOME-Perth
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: No single session is as important as the next.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: high fat diet is the way
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: No favourites just a man of variety
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: @mattburton_01
NAME: Clayton Fettell
AGE: 34
NATIONALITY: Australian
PLACE OF BIRTH: Wollongong
RESIDES: Lennox Head
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: All my ironman podiums are special to me as they are a reflection of the sacrifice and training that has gone into the preparation.
FAVORITE RACE: Ironman Australia
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: Lennox Head
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Instagram- @claytonfettell_
NAME: Beth McKenzie
AGE: 40
NATIONALITY: USA
RESIDES: Noosa Heads, Australia
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Ironman Switzerland Champion, Ironman Bintan 70.3 Champion, co-founder of WYN republic & MALO republic
FAVORITE RACE: Ironman Wisconsin, Cebu 70.3
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: North County San Diego, California
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN: Take up tennis.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE I'VE BEEN GIVEN: You're almost there.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: A California Burrito with guacamole.
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Instagram - @bethgmckenzie
Twitter - @bethgmckenzie
NAME: Courtney Gilfillan
AGE: 30
NATIONALITY: Australian
RESIDES: Gold Coast Australia 🇦🇺
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Vancouver world champs junior Olympic distance 2008 🥇
Australian ITU sprint championships 🥈 2018
Ironman 70.3 champion Japan 🇯🇵 2019
Challenge Korea 🥇 2019
Qualified for 70.3 World Championships 2020
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: Northern New South Wales, Australia
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN:
“triathlon is one sport, not 3 individual sports”
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN:
Rock up just as transition is closing! Always leave enough time to prep before a race. Helps you stay relaxed and in control.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: Pizza
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Instagram: @courtneygilfillan
Facebook: Courtney Gilfillan Athlete
NAME: Laurel Wassner
AGE: 44
NATIONALITY: USA
RESIDES: New York, NY
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
2008 USA Triathlon Rookie of the Year
2014 Challenge Atlantic City Champion
2017 Ironman Taiwan Champion
2017 Israman Champion
2016 Ironman Mt Tremblant 2nd place
2019 Ironman 70.3 Xi'an 3rd place
2015 & 2016 Ironman Hawaii (24, 23rd place)
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: Lower Manhattan and Catskills, NY
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: You don't have to win February.
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: "Don't put on clothes, you'll get hot.", then almost got hypothermia.
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: fresh coconut and papaya
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: @athletestyle on IG @laurelwassner on twitter
NAME: Rebeccah Wassner
AGE: 44
NATIONALITY: USA
RESIDES: New York, NY
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
*result most proud of: 3rd place 2019 IM 70.3 Shanghai as a mother of 3
2004 USA Triathlon Rookie of the Year
2008 Olympic Trials
If you miss a workout, don’t try to make up for it, move on and prepare for the next one.
“You are a mom now, you can’t be fast.” In 2013. Glad I didn’t listen to that and happy to see that moms are the ones defining “fast” in triathlon these days.
2009 USA Triathlon Athlete of the Year
3 time New York City Triathlon Champion
4 time Philadelphia Triathlon Champion
Multiple Ironman 70.3 Podium Finishes
FAVORITE TRAINING LOCATION: Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz, NY
BEST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN:
WORST TRIATHLON ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN:
FAVORITE POST-RACE MEAL: arepas are the finish line of 70.3 Cartagena
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES: @athletefood and @becwassner (Instagram)