The May 20 Auburn Triathlon featured the fifth annual classic - World's Toughest Half - and two new events, the 1.5k-40k-10k Auburn International Tri and the 3k-56mi-13.1mi Auburn International Duathlon, the west coast age group qualifier for ITU Duathlon Long Course World's. Athletes enjoyed perfect conditions (77 degree sunny weather, 70 degree lake water) on a spectacular course in the Sierra foothills gold rush town of Auburn, CA. The World's Toughest Half came as advertised, with the bike course heading steadily up the eastern slope of the Sierra to accumulate over 6,000' of climbing. The run course in the Auburn State Park featured two incredible climbs - a 400', 1.5-mile ascent of the "Dam Wall" and another 1.2-mile Cardiac Bypass climb.

Gina Kehr, surprise fourth place finisher at Hawaii Ironman in 2006, enjoyed a tune-up at on the International course with a remarkable 6th place overall. Top ranked master Gordy Holterman won the duathletes vs. triathletes battle with an incredible 4:32 to come across the line first in the Duathlon and overall, 15 minutes clear of the next finisher. Two-time US Olympian Victor Plata overcame bike wheel difficulties to catch front runner Lars Finanger of Inside Triathlon and join an impressive list of winners (DeBoom, Bjorling, Byrn) in the World's Toughest Half. Hawaii age group world champion Diana Hassel of Ft. Collins, CO enjoyed her first overall female victory, placing an 17th overall in the Half. Recent Cal grad Steve Sexton blitzed an extremely hilly International course in an amazing 2:08. Melanie Roberts paced the female duathlon competition, placing 14th overall. Over 600 entries represented a new high for the fast growing race. Details at www.auburntriathlon.com