2006 was a banner year for LifeSport athletes racing around the globe, with unparalleled international success at every distance and discipline.

Lisa Bentley
Who can forget the 2006 season of Lisa Bentley? She kicked it off in January with her 5th consecutive 1/2 Iron win in Pucon, Chile by a mere 2 seconds! A brilliant win at Ironman Australia (her 10th career title), was followed by equally impressive podium performances at such classics as St. Croix 70.3 1/2 Iron, Disney 70.3, Muskoka Chase, Spirit of Racine 1/2 Iron, and Ironman Canada. Lisa finished her season with back-to-back World Championship medals. Hawaii Ironman was her first time on the podium in Kona, where she won bronze. 3 weeks post-Hawaii, Lisa recovered and won a hard fought Silver medal at the inaugural 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida.

Brent McMahon
Brent's sophomore Xterra season reaffirmed his status as one of the World's premier off-road triathletes, with 2 wins and 4 podiums in total at Xterra. Recovering from a serious late season knee injury, Brent rallied to an impressive 6th place at the Xterra World Championships in Maui. Brent also represented Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Australia this year in Olympic Distance racing.

Lucy Smith
Lucy had an impressive comeback season after missing all of 2005 to the birth of her 2nd child. Lucy won 3 national crowns: 2 in distance running (10km and 1/2 marathon) and one in duathlon. She squeezed in an 8th place at Ironman Canada, and knocked 16minutes off the course record at the Osoyoos Half Iron, the site of 2007 long course nationals. Her season highlight was winning her 2nd Silver medal at the World Duathlon Championships in Canada, 10 years after winning Silver at Duathlon Worlds in Italy (1996).

Chris Lieto
Chris flew into Kona a little under the radar screen this year to most, but those "in the know" realized he had raced well overseas, finishing 2nd at Ironman Malaysia and winning Ironman Japan. He set bike course records at both races! He also bike raced, finishing 11th in the G.C. at the Tour of Utah stage race, and 4th on the final stage. Chris' season was capped off with a 9th place finish in Kona, where he was the top American.

Other notable performers:
Early in 2006, Coach Lance Watson was awarded Triathlon Canada's "Elite Coach of the Year" for the 5th time in 6 years.

Kim Loeffler was crowned U.S. Long Course Champ in Racine this year, podiumed at Wildflower and Timberman 70.3, and finished the year with a strong 15th placing in Kona.

Kirsten Sweetland went undefeated in Junior Triathlon racing, and won Gold at the World Junior Triathlon Championships in Switzerland.

Paul Tichelaar finished 8th at Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Charlene Waldner cracked 2 top 10's at Ironman- 4th at Ironman Canada and 10th at Ironman Florida.

Carolyn Murray packed in podium finishes at Baja 70.3 in Mexico, and Canadian National Olympic Distance Champs amongst top 20 finishes on the ultra competitive ITU World Cup circuit.

Breakthroughs of the year were AJ Johnson placing 3rd overall at Ironman Coeur D'Alene, and Lisa Mensink scoring two ITU Olympic distance podiums in her first year pro.

About LifeSport:
Internationally renowned coaching leaders Lance Watson and Paul Regensburg proudly offer endurance coaching to athletes of all abilities. Both are level IV certified coaches who have represented their country at Olympic, Pan American and Commonwealth Games, and have coached athletes to Ironman and 1/2 Iron excellence.

In 2006 LifeSport held over 20 camps and clinics around the world including Hawaii, Israel, and Switzerland.

Visit www.LifeSport.ca or contact coach@LifeSport.ca for more information.