Celebrate Triathlons 50th birthday

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of Triathlon

Hosted by KOZ Events - San Diego Triathlon Series

Meet & Greet with pre-race dinner

Special Guests, Celebrities and Legends of Triathlon brought to you by Bob Babbit 

Saturday October 12, 2024

Location: Mission Bay Bonita Cove Park    

  Schedule for the Evening

Legends Reception / Meet and Greet / Dinner 5:00 pm

Program 6:00 pm – 7:00 PM

Attire

Smart Casual, grass-friendly shoes. This is an outdoor event.

Parking 

Bonita Cove Parking Lot or Mission Bay Lots

For more information, please email info@KozEvents.com

The List of Special Guest is Growing. Check Back for the latest additions!

Bob Babbitt
Co-Founder Competitor Group and CAF | Hall of Fame Inductee | Media Host | Triathlon Community Leader
Bob Babbitt has had a remarkable career in triathlon and related endeavors. He is a host of "Breakfast with Bob" and "Babbittville Radio," a co-founder of the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Competitor Magazine, and the creator of the Muddy Buddy Ride and Run Series. An inductee of both the Ironman Hall of Fame and USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, Bob started racing in the late 1970s and completed his first Ironman in 1980 on Oahu. Notably, he finished in the top 60 of the 1980 Ironman World Championship. His contributions have significantly impacted the triathlon community.
Books: "The Inspiring Journey of Triathlon's True Hero: Bob Babbitt"

Julie Moss

Julie Moss is an iconic figure in the world of triathlon, best known for her dramatic and unforgettable "crawl of fame" at the 1982 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawai'i. A college student at the time, Julie entered the race to research her thesis but soon found herself in the lead as she neared the finish. Exhausted and dehydrated, her body began to shut down in the final miles of the marathon. In a moment that has become legendary in endurance sports, Julie collapsed just yards from the finish line. Determined to finish, she crawled across the finish line on her hands and knees, capturing the hearts of millions worldwide.

Her courageous performance not only brought global attention to the Ironman but also inspired a generation of athletes to pursue the impossible. Julie Moss’s legacy lives on as a symbol of grit, determination, and the human spirit's ability to overcome the toughest challenges. She remains an active athlete, speaker, and advocate for triathlon to this day.

Book: Crawl of Fame - Julie Moss and the Fifteen Feet that Created an Ironman Triathlon Legend

Kathleen McCartney
Ironman World Champion | Hall of Fame Inductee | Motivational Speaker
Kathleen McCartney is an Ironman World Champion and a 12-time Ironman finisher. Her keynote speeches take audiences through her 35-year Ironman journey, including her dramatic finish in the 1982 Ironman, highlighted by Jim McKay as "the most inspiring sports moment he had ever witnessed." She has been featured on major sports programs and in national publications. Her gut-wrenching, dramatic and historic finish with 2nd Place Finisher Julie Moss, epitomizes “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” a courageous finish that inspired millions and brought Ironman to the attention of the world. ABC’s legendary sportscaster Jim McKay called the 1982 Ironman finish, “the most inspiring sports moment he had ever witnessed”.

Kathleen is the recipient of the Competitor Magazine Triathlon Legend Award and was co-awarded Triathlon Business International's Female Triathlete of the Year 2012."

Denise Mueller-Korenek
World Record Holder | The Fastest Cyclist on Earth
Denise Mueller-Korenek set the world record for paced bicycle land speed on September 16, 2018, at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, reaching an astonishing average speed of 183.932 mph. Known as "the fastest cyclist on earth," she was coached by Olympic medalist John Howard.

Don Shanahan - Co-Founder of the Sport of Triathlon!!
Triathlon Pioneer | Co-Founder of the First Triathlon | Triathlon Community Leader
Don Shanahan was intimately involved in creating the very first triathlon, contributing to the sport's origins and growth. His work helped establish the foundations for modern triathlon events and has had a lasting impact on the triathlon community.

Graham Fraser - The Man Who Made Ironman what it is today!
IRONMAN Hall of Fame Inductee | Founder of IRONMAN Lake Placid | Triathlon Community Leader
Graham Fraser is an IRONMAN Hall of Fame Inductee and the founder of IRONMAN Lake Placid. He served as the former CEO of Ironman and played a significant role in expanding the Ironman footprint throughout the U.S. His efforts in growing the sport and his contributions as a race director and CEO have left a lasting legacy in triathlon.

John Howard
Ironman World Champion | Olympian | Author | Triathlon Pioneer
John Howard won the first Ironman World Championship in Kona in 1981 and is a three-time Olympian cyclist. world record holding cyclist and Ironman World Champion who found inspiration in Major Taylor’s story when he very first picked up his autobiography. As a cyclist, Howard represented the US on three Olympic cycling teams, and he won 19 elite and masters national championships. He has been inducted into both the US cycling and triathlon Halls of Fame, and he has set world records at both ends of the cycling spectrum.

Books: Howard is the author of six books on cycling technique and the worlds of competitive racing: The Cyclist’s Companion, Multifitness, Pushing The Limits, Dirt!, Mastering Cycling, and his newest, The Black Cyclone about Major Taylor.

Mike Reilly - “You ARE AN IRONMAN!”
Voice of Ironman | Hall of Fame Inductee | Media Personality

MiKE REILLY has been announcing for running and triathlon events worldwide since the late 1970s, lending his voice to over 1,000 endurance events. He is best known as the “Voice of IRONMAN,” having called the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona for 33 years. Mike is the only person to be inducted into the IRONMAN Hall of Fame (2011), the Running USA Hall of Champions (2017), and the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame (2018).

Mike has announced 214 IRONMAN races worldwide, delivering his famous and heartwarming phrase, “You Are an IRONMAN!” to over half a million triathletes. Many consider these the greatest four words in sports.

He is also the author of the best-selling book Finding My Voice, which chronicles many of the amazing stories behind IRONMAN, the world’s greatest endurance event.

Mike’s endurance and passion on IRONMAN race day are legendary. Starting at 5:00 a.m., he welcomes athletes into transition and helps get them into the water. His day ends 19 hours later, and his energy and enthusiasm at midnight remain just as strong as they were when he called the race’s overall champions earlier in the day.

Mike competed in his first triathlon, the Horney Toad, in 1980. His wife, Rose, a marathon finisher, owned and operated Race Place Magazine for 25 years. Their daughter, Erin, a Boston Marathon finisher, is the mother of grandsons Graham and Leo. Erin’s husband, Andrew, is an IRONMAN finisher. Their son, Andy, owns Race Place event publication and Eventgrow.com, based in Southern California. He is a 2013 IRONMAN Arizona finisher and father to grandson Brooks.

Cherie Gruenfeld
Triathlon World Champion | Founder of Exceeding Expectations | Triathlon Community Leader | Inducted into the USAT Hall of Fame in 2021
At 80 years old, Cherie Gruenfeld is a renowned triathlete who won her 14th Ironman World Championship title in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i, at age 78! She started racing at age 48, and still is racing IM 70.3 races in F80-84 division. She has been featured twice in the annual NBC documentary of the race and is known for her contributions to triathlon through her book, "Become an Ironman: An Amateur’s Guide to the World’s Toughest Endurance Event." Cherie founded Exceeding Expectations in 2001, a program designed to help at-risk kids in San Bernardino, California, through triathlon and other educational opportunities.
Books: "Become an Ironman: An Amateur’s Guide to the World’s Toughest Endurance Event"

Lee Gruenfeld

Best Selling author fiction & nonfiction

STUMBLING TOWARD THE FINISH LINE: The Best of IRONMAN Columnist Lee Gruenfeld. "Best-selling novelist and non-fiction writer Lee Gruenfeld has been entertaining the triathlon world with hilarious essays, in-depth profiles and insightful observations for more than a decade. Now his best writings have been collected into a single volume that will let long-time fans relive their favorite pieces while introducing new readers to his unique voice. Anyone who likes sports – any sports – and great writing will love this collection of amusing, penetrating, and often totally off-the-wall observations."

Dennis Hearst

Ironman Triathlon Class of 1980 | Endurance Athlete | Mountaineer

Dennis Hearst is a distinguished endurance athlete with a passion for long-distance bicycle racing, triathlons, skiing, and mountain climbing. He completed the first of his five Ironman World Championships on Oahu in 1980 and 30-34 age group winner in Kona, five-time competitor at 800-mile Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race finishing first in 1995 in record-setting time of 43h20m, and numerous other competitions. His pursuit of reaching The 7 Summits has led him to climb many of the world’s highest peaks in his 60’s.

Missy LeStrange

USA Triathlon Hall of Famer | Age-Group World Champion | Triathlon Advocate
Missy LeStrange is one of the world's best age-group triathletes and a USA Triathlon Hall of Famer. Her first Ironman World Championship was in 1983, and she has since captured a record 19 age-group titles, including 10 consecutive wins in 34 finishes. Missy has also won 11 USAT Age Group National Championship titles and two Olympic-distance age-group world titles. She served on the USA Triathlon Age-Group Committee in the 1990s and helped initiate programs for women, seniors, youth, Clydesdales/Athenas, and paratriathletes.  Missy lives in Visalia, CA but was born and raised in La Jolla and frequently visits the San Diego area.

Paul Martin

Ironman Triathlon World Record Holder | Paralympic Cycling Medalist
Paul Martin, a below-knee amputee, once held an Ironman triathlon world record and is a two-time Paralympic Cycling medalist. His autobiography, "One Man's Leg," and his second book, "Drinking From My Leg," reflect his positive attitude and success in overcoming adversity. Paul has recently returned to bike racing, primarily gravel and cyclocross.

Books: "One Man's Leg", "Drinking From My Leg: Lessons From A Blistered Optimist"

Scott Endsley
Multisport Competitor | National Champion | Health Ambassador
Scott Endsley's triathlon journey began with his first race in Newport Beach in 1978, and since then, he has competed in over 1000 multisport races, 20 National Championships, and as a Team USA member in 19 World Championships. He has won nine National Championships, including Sprint, Olympic, Aquabike, and Winter National Championships. Scott has earned All-American honors from USA Triathlon. After crafting and sharing a new rehabilitation protocol following three knee replacements from 2000 to 2020, he has podiumed at numerous triathlon races including National Championships, served as a Sports & Health Ambassador to the Bahamas National Triathlon Federation, and shared his practices with more than 3,000 athletes through his holistic health website, TriBestHealth.com.

Greg Welch - Austrialian Athlete

He is known for having won "The Grand Slam", which includes the ITU Triathlon World Championships (1990), The Ironman World Championship (1994), the ITU Duathlon World Championships (1993) and the Long Course Triathlon World Championship (1994). Greg was an ambassador to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in 2000.[citation needed] He maintains contact with triathlon through his work as an advisor, coach and commentator with the World Triathlon

Wendy Ingraham

Wendy Ingrahamis a world-class triathlete and triathlon coach known as Wingnut. She has placed in the Top 10 in the Hawaii Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 7 of 8 years. She was the first American female to finish at the 1997 Hawaiian Ironman where she broke a 13-year-old course record for women in the swim leg. One year later, she shattered her own swim record again by over a minute. With multiple international wins at Ironman distance, she has now become one of the all-time leaders in Ironman competitions. Her training transformed to 8 Ironman wins and 38 top-ten Ironman finishes in 44 races.

Jim Woodman - Triathlete, Race Director, and Founder of Active.com

Woodman embarked on his triathlon journey by entering the February 1982 Ironman, despite having never run a mile and only started cycling two years prior. After his initial triathlon, he spent most of 1982 teaching windsurfing in Yugoslavia before moving to Austin, Texas, with no clear career path. He heard of a triathlon in 1983 at Texas A&M and surprised himself by finishing third in a field of 1,000. There, he seized the opportunity to direct the USTS Austin race, leading to his role in organizing the President’s Triathlon in Dallas, which grew to be the world's largest triathlon event from 1984 to 1986, involving over 2,400 athletes and coverage on ESPN and ABC regional TV.

After tiring of race directing, Woodman moved back to his native Miami to use his fluency in Spanish and French to get into the travel business. But he got sidetracked again by the sports bug and founded Florida Sports Magazine in 1987, which sold to Competitor Publishing in 1999. Anticipating the impact of the internet on sports event registrations, Woodman, with seed money from friend Lance Armstrong, launched ActiveUSA.com (eventually Active.com) in 1998. As CEO, he managed all aspects of the business, from venture capital fundraising to personnel management. By late 1999, he negotiated a merger with Racegate in San Diego and investment from Ticketmaster that brought him to San Diego. After never winning the argument with other board members and management that online registration should be less expensive than mail-in registrations, he left Active in early 2007 to pursue other endeavors.

Murphy Reinschreiber

In the early years, Murphy was active in all aspects of the sport: He raced triathlons and other multi-sport events beginning in the mid 1970s; He produced his first triathlon in 1980. He has raced or attended Ironman Hawaii every year since 1982. He was the first Executive Director of the organization that is now USA Triathlon, the sport’s national governing body. He created the race format that is now the Olympic format (Nike Horny Toad Triathlon). He was the race director for the first-ever US Triathlon Series Race. He wrote the sport’s first-ever drafting rule. And, he race directed the sport’s first-ever race with a prize purse (Horny Toad Invitational). He worked on the development and launch of the highly successful IronKids Series. He took on Paula Newby-Fraser as a client in 1987, launching the most successful athlete representation business in the history of the sport.

Race Director Los Angeles marathon

Kurt Madden
Head of Coach Development at TriDot | Education Leader | Triathlon Coach
Kurt Madden earned his M.A. in Exercise Physiology from San Diego State University and has over 25 years of teaching and coaching experience. He has served as a high school science teacher, physical educator, and school administrator. As the Head of Coach Development at TriDot, Kurt is responsible for building the skills of over 200 coaches worldwide and continues to coach triathletes at various levels.

Carl Brandt
Co-Founder of Movin Shoes | Hall of Fame Inductee | Running Community Leader
Carl Brandt is the co-founder and former owner of Movin Shoes, a staple of the San Diego running community from 1977 to 2018. Carl dedicated his career to serving high school athletes and has been active in running events as a participant, race director, and sponsor for over four decades. He was inducted into the Independent Running Retailer Association Hall of Fame in 2012 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Diego USATF in 2016.

Bill Randoll

2x National Masters Cross Country Team
Championship.
1x winner of Bob Babbitt’s famous Ride & Tie.
 1st place team at CAF half marathon with John Howard & Vern Rodgers
Former Guinness Book of World records in 4 x 1500 meter relay with Steve Scott, John Koenigh and Thom Hunt.