For Immediate Release

Contact:  Team Magic, 205-595-8633, races@team-magic.com

Powerman Alabama and Whistlestop Duathlon
March 28, 2004. 
Birmingham, Alabama
8k run, 55k bike, 8k run 
For complete race results, visit www.team-magic.com.

Desiree Ficker and Greg Watson win Powerman Alabama

The 9^th running of the Powerman Alabama Duathlon was greeted with summer-like temperatures, unlike the freezing temperatures in 2003.  Racers seemed pleased with the weather at the start, but realized the warm, sunny skies would also bring some cases muscle cramping and dehydration.  Overall, it was a great day in Birmingham for duathlon.

Pro Men
2003 champion Greg Watson of the USA stole the show in the men’s race, leading from start to finish.  Penalties among two of the favorites could have affected the ranking.  Vincent Aldebert of France received a penalty for littering on the course when he dropped an energy gel packet on the bike course.  Cameron Widoff for the second year in a row also received a penalty during the bike segment.  Greg Watson maintained a nice lead throughout the race and finished strong and happy in first place.

Pro Women
Desiree Ficker can put a third feather in her cap, as she also had a repeat win from 2003.  While she was a few seconds behind German favorite Tina Walters coming off the first run, she quickly gained the lead on the bike and maintained the lead for fantastic finish. 

Overall race results for the pros are below.  Another press release with more exciting race information will follow on Monday, March 29^th.

                    ******** FEMALE OVERALL PRO *********

    1     6 Desiree Ficker       28 Potomac            MD 2:35:18            

    2    25 Tina Walter          36 Nocity, Germany       2:37:33            

    3    21 Bianca Simpson       29 Auckland, Nzl.     NZ 2:40:46            

    4     8 Heather Haviland     31 Waukesha           WI 2:41:41            

    5     7 Deanna Frank         34 Hoover             AL 2:43:28            

    6    13 Marjan Huizing       36 Montgomery Village MD 2:45:49            

    7    23 Cecily Tynan         35 Philadelphia       PA 2:49:14            

    8     9 Gabriella Hnilkova-  29 Albuquerque        NM 2:51:37            

    9    14 Jamima Iley          30 Davis              CA 2:56:02            

                    ******** MALE OVERALL PRO *********

Place   No. Name                Age City                    Time

===== ===== ==================  === =====================  ======

    1     1 Greg Watson          38 Newark             DE 2:17:52            

    2     3 Tim Luchinske        33 Lafayette          CO 2:19:13            

    3     4 Richard Graemiger    35 Switzerland           2:20:03            

    4    10 Vincent Aldebert     33 France                2:20:44            

    5    19 John Phillips        27 Colorado Springs   CO 2:21:57            

    6     2 Cameron Widoff       35 Boulder            CO 2:22:32            

    7    15 Tom Jefferey         31 Richmond           VA 2:22:51            

    8    24 Florian Wagner          No City               2:27:42            

    9    12 Jonathan Hastings    30 Grove City         OH 2:28:02            

   10    26 Michael Simpson      21 West Vancouver     BC 2:33:22            

   11    22 Michael Stoick       27 St Paul            MN 2:34:51            

   12    17 Ryan Jones           25 Paoli              PA 2:57:19            

Powerman Alabama served as the first 2003 race in the Powerman Duathlon International Series.  For more information on the International Powerman Association and related events, visit www.powerman.org. 

The next race in the Powerman series is European Championship Powerman Holland, being held in Venray on 25 April 2003, visit www.powerman.nl