USTS 1982-1985
I’m going to do a series of posts about the mid-1980s Triple Crown. You know. When USTS Hilton Head, Nice and the Hawaii Ironman were all held within a 5 week window in September and October.
So you’re going to need to know some back-story about the USTS. I’m covering the basic Nice history in a podcast with my brother soon. I guess I’ll also do the Hawaii stuff one day. Maybe bust some myths.
Image: Triathlete (USA) January 1987
In the late-1980s, teenage tri-nerd Ross used to get very excited about any USTS race reports that might appear in Tri-Athlete (UK). I could drive my Skoda Estelle to Swindon or Redbridge or Milton Keynes. To check out rounds of the Le Coq Sportif Grand Prix Series.
But I couldn’t see Pigg, Cannon, Allen, Bulman, Glah, Ripple, Molina, Hanssen or Robinson. Diving into Californian waves, riding on hot highways, running through golf resorts and wearing the Coke GP leader’s jersey and helmet cover. In the USTS men could also race bare-chested. I’m not sure why I wanted to do this. As I had very few visible muscles.
I actually imagined spending a season in the states. I’d buy an old car and drive from race to race. Staying in cheap motels and eating in diners.
I’d go to San Diego. To do the Tuesday Run at Rancho Santa Fe and the Wednesday Ride along the Pacific Coast Highway. After those tough sessions I’d definitely be needing a pint or two at Tugs Tavern. Maybe some of the former J-David team members would be there.
Images: Competitor (USA) September 1990
The USTS debuted in 1982 with just 5 events. In San Diego. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. The creators, Carl Thomas (who worked for Speedo) and Jim Curl (a lawyer), believed that not all aspiring triathletes were interested in doing the Ironman. And a race series would give the pro and amateur athlete a narrative to their season.
That first race was held on 12th June 1982 at Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego. It was the day that professional triathlon kicked off. Dave Scott won by 2 minutes and used the race to launch his campaign to take back his Ironman title that Scott Tinley took from him in February.
Luckily for him. He didn’t have to wait long to win in Hawaii again. As there was a second Ironman in 1982. As the organisers hoped moving the race to October would get more European athletes to make the trip.
Second that day in San Diego was Scott Molina. Followed by Scott Tinley in 3rd and Mark Allen in 4th. It was Mark’s first ever triathlon. The soon-to-be Big Four were the first four.
Dave won $800 for first. As did women’s winner Kathleen McCartney. There weren’t that many triathlons on the calendar in 1982. So San Diego was the first rematch between Kathleen and Julie Moss, since the Hawaiian crawl-a thon in February. In fact, Julie finished third in San Diego as Leslie Mendez passed her on the run for second place.
Images: Triathlon (USA) Fall 1983
In 1983 the growth of triathlon allowed the series to expand to 12 events. In Tampa, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Austin. With a final in Bass Lake.
Colleen Canon won 3 times and Linda Buchanen and Patricia Puntous won twice each. Molina and Tinley both won 3 rounds. Then Molina won the final in Bass Lake. His first of 4 consecutive male titles. Here are all the results except Bass Lake. I also need to find out who won the women’s race there.
Two triathlon magazines, Triathlon and Tri-Athlete, both launched in the Spring of 1983. The USTS gave them plenty to put in their pages.
Images:
Triathlon (USA) July 1984
Triathlon (USA) Oct-Nov 1984
In 1984 the distances were changed from 2000m/35km/15km to 1500m/40km/10km. Wave starts were introduced. And Bud Light took over from Speedo as headlines sponsors. Scott Tinley had advised the organisers in the early days on the distances. But by 1984 Carl Thomas, who became very active in international triathlon politics, was already thinking about triathlon’s possible entry in to the Olympics.
There were 11 races in 1984. Out went Seattle, New York and Austin. And in came Denver and Minneapolis. Molina won 7 times and then the final again in Bass Lake. Tinley, Allen and Dale Basescu won once each.
In the women’s races Colleen Canon, Sylviane Puntous and Patricia Puntous won two rounds each. Again, I need to find the women’s Bass Lake results.
Images:
Tri-Athlete (USA) April 1985
Tri-Athlete (USA) August 1985
1985 had 13 events and Coca Cola came in with a $10,000 bonus for the series winners. New venues were Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Phoenix, Baltimore and Detroit. Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Minneapolis were gone. Hilton Head became the new location of the final. As Bass Lake had super-cold water and was a pretty out-of-the-way location.
I’ll pick the USTS history tomorrow with the first of four posts about the Triple Crown. Here’s a 1986-1989 USTS YT Play-List.
Sources:
Carl Thomas on The History Of Triathlon
Feature: Looking Back at 40 Years of Professional Triathlon
Dawn Of The Big Four by Mike Plant
New Wave Triathlon by Jim Curl
