MelRad Racing, the first team led by two professional XTERRA World Champions, has confirmed its roster of 20 athletes – 13 men and 7 women – chosen from each region of the United States to race as part of the amateur squad.
Headlining the team are reigning USA Overall Pro XTERRA Series Champions and combined 6x XTERRA Pro World Champions, Melanie McQuaid and Conrad Stoltz. Aside from their goals on the race course, both athletes have taken on personal coaching roles for up and coming world champions and general triathlon enthusiasts. Mentoring the MelRad amateur squad will allow them to further their reach into the present and next generation of triathlete, by sharing their experience with team members.
The MelRad Racing team will also benefit from every advantage offered to McQuaid and Stoltz racing as professionals. The team shall be using the Avi-Stoltz shoe from AVIA, Epic mountain bikes from Specialized, custom race gear by Pactimo, Genesis helmets from Lazer, GU energy products, PROBAR whole food meal replacement bars, eyewear by Sundog Eyewear, multisport essentials such as velocity laces and transition bags from Nathan, goggles and swim gear from TYR, T6 training heart rate monitors from Suunto, wetsuits and training clothing by Profile Design, gloves from Bellwether, Genuine Innovations Big Air canisters, and Powertap power measuring devices and trainers. This lineup of sponsors would be the dream team for any professional athlete but was only offered to the exceptional group of amateur competitors in 2009.
Beyond the two XTERRA World Champions, the MelRad amateur team has a diverse roster:
Katherine Pollard is the 2008 XTERRA USA National Champion in the 15-19 year category.
Dr Tom Monica, the 2007 XTERRA 50-54 World Champion, is an ‘athletic phenomenon’ with a PhD from Stanford in Biochemical Engineering.
Derek Engelsman who saw a podium finish at XTERRA Nevada in 2008, races in the 25-29 years category.
Shawn Moran, a 12 year veteran of the US Border Patrol, races in the 30-34 year category.
Keri Grosse, the 2008 Overall Amateur Female XTERRA World Champion, will race 2009 in the 40-44 year old category.
Alexia Droz, in the 35-39 years category, is a personal trainer who qualified for the XTERRA World Championships for the first time in 2006.
A mother of two balancing a full time job, and a husband with a new business, Becky Batizy, races in the 30-34 years category.
Bruce Wacker is a 2008 XTERRA World Champion in the 60-64 years category.
Jennifer Luebke races in the 20-24 year old category.
Kristoffer Nielsen, winner of XTERRA Onteora in 2008, races in the 30-34 year category in 2009.
Don Kinne is a state trooper from upstate New York who races in the 45-49 years category.
Bruce McLaughlin, second overall in the 50-54 year category for the mid Atlantic region in 2008, also won XTERRA Trimax and XTERRA King of the Hill in 2008.
John Close is MelRad Racing’s Team Captain and is a feared competitor on the XTERRA circuit in the 40-44 years category.
Shannon Knott joins the team from Mississippi where he lives with his wife and three sons and runs a bike and fitness shop.
Todd Poole is a 45 year licensed barber from Monroe, Louisiana, and is a two-time Ironman Coeur D’Alene participant.
Frank Fernandez-Posse joins the team from Florida to race XTERRA and Ironman Florida.
Fred Smith IV is from Knoxville, Tennessee and will race in the 30-34 years category.
Ellen Sauter is a four-time Midwest regional champion from Ohio who races in the 45-49 year category in 2009.
Heather McNamara, the 2007 Midwest Regional Champion and husband Greg Seaman, call Michigan home. Heather and Greg will both be racing XTERRA and 70.3 events in 2009 in the 45-49 and 50-54 category respectively.
