By Brent Smith
For U.S. Olympian Andy Potts, a little bit of déjà vu bodes well for 2008, especially considering last year’s Oceanside victory set the tone for a stellar season. His success on the ITU World Cup circuit complimented the non-drafting prowess that earned him his first individual world title at the Ford Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Accordingly, USA Triathlon awarded Potts both the Olympic/ITU Triathlete of the Year as well as the Multisport Non-ITU Athlete of the Year.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (March 29, 2008) – With the 2008 Beijing Olympics right around the corner, this is certainly an exciting year in the sport. Athens Olympian Andy Potts kicked his season off at Ironman 70.3 California with a thrilling win over 2007 Ford Ironman World Championships Runner-up Craig Alexander.With water temperatures considerably warmer than last year, Potts set a demanding pace and put nearly two minutes on the contenders in the race heading into the transition area. Despite the off-season work he put into his cycling, Potts only equaled last year’s bike split due to tough, windy conditions on the roads of Camp Pendleton.
“It was definitely colder on the bike this year, especially with the wind chill,” said Potts. “The wind was really swirling and while I didn’t go faster than I did last year, I felt that my effort was at a higher level and I was able to hold off a much stronger field, so I know I’ve improved.”
Heading out on the run, Potts still had a minute over cycling powerhouses David Thompson and Bjorn Andersson, which Potts considered a nice surprise.
“With three weeks until Olympic Trials, I knew this was the perfect race to really challenge myself,” said Potts. “The field was strong and I expected to get reeled in on the bike but I was able to keep that gap from closing.”
“By the time I was running out of transition, I could see them coming off the bike, so I had an idea of how large my lead was. At the turnaround I had 1:20 on Alexander and put another 10 seconds on him over the next 5K, which he took right back by the time we got to the turnaround on the second lap.”
“He really put the hammer down to catch me. I couldn’t believe how quickly he closed the gap. When he threw in a couple of surges, I just focused on responding to every move he made so he wouldn’t pull away. I was confident in my speed and knew that if it came down to a kick, I’d make sure I came out on top. He fought all the way to the line and really made it a great race.”
Last year’s event proved to be an excellent early-season indicator for Potts, who is working hard to have an even more successful 2008.
“You have to be able to work for it and hurt, even when you’re not peaking for a race,” said Potts. “You’re not as sharp, but it’s worth it in the long run. When you’re rested and ready to peak, you still have to make yourself hurt, only at a whole new level of intensity. I was really happy with my preparation and the outcome of this race.”
Next on the schedule, Potts will be contending for the second spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Triathlon roster on April 19 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.