The ITU Long Distance World Championships were held on September 22, 2002 at the 21st annual Nice Triathlon.  Eighty-six American athletes traveled to Nice, France to represent the United States as part of Team USA.  Team USA had a strong showing in the women's race, with Susan Williams placing fourth in the Elite Women's Division, and Megan Fix (Stanford, Calif.) placing third in the Women's Age Group Division.  The American men also fared well, with Michael Lovato placing 33rd in the Men's Elite Division, and Darrin Rohr (Alamo, Calif.) placing 18th in the Men's Age Group Division.  The overall winners of the race were Cyril Neveu of France, with a time of 6:19:45, and Estedt Ines of Germany, with a time of 7:06:43.  The top male finisher from the Mid-Atlantic region was Bill Hauser (Malvern, Pa.) with a time of 7:36:45. Ruth Monnig (Chapel Hill, N.C.) was the top female age-grouper from the region, finishing with a time of 8:52.53.
 
The Nice Triathlon, which consists of a 2.5 mile swim, a 120 kilometer bike, and a 30 kilometer run, is famous for its challenging and breathtaking bike course through the French Alps.  The racers initially face a ten kilometer climb with a 6-7 percent grade before descending down the mountain for several more kilometers. The racers then face several other lengthy climbs before reaching the final, highly technical descent.  This year, as an added bonus for the racers, the final descent was modified to include 16 switchback turns in a five kilometer span.
 
The swim and run legs of the event were much more serene, both being held along the beautiful Cote d'Azur.  For the first time, the race began with wave starts, allowing for a smooth swim through the calm, clear waters of the Mediterranean.  The run course consisted of two fast, flat laps along the coast before the racers finished in the heart of Nice amongst an enthusiastic crowd of international supporters. Spectators lined the entire run course cheering for the competitors who traveled from many nations to compete in this World Championship event.
 
21^st Nice International Triathlon
September 22, 2002
Nice, France
(4k swim/120k bike/30k run)
 
Finishers from the Mid-Atlantic Region:
           

William Hauser, Jr. (Malvern, Pa.)	7:36:45
Gary Slade (Chapel Hill, N.C.)	7:46:54
Frank Keane (Hoboken, N.J.)	8:02:33
Vinnie Monseau (Morgantown, W.Va.)	8:04:54
Ben Willis (Virginia Beach, Va.)	8:29:30
Gerry Farris (Huntersville, N.C.)	8:29:50
Keith Koniares (Monmouth Beach, N.J.)	8:32:12
John Sallah (Weyers Cave, Va.)	8:37:55
Ruth Monnig (Chapel Hill, N.C.)	8:52:53
Amy Rappaport (Gladstone, N.J.)	8:56:57
Pamela Morris (Bethesda, Md.)	9:07:37
Diane Hauser (Malvern, Pa.)	9:59:44
Stephen Knott (Virginia Beach, Va.)	10:34:16
John Tansey (Williamsburg, Va.)	10:38:10

                                                           
For complete results, visit http://www.fftri.com.