We start with a great story of friends bonding together, to get each other through a greuling, challenging sport and reach a common goal for the entire group.
With the championships just one week away, all the hard work is about to pay off.
Joeanne Gilchrist says, "it's really exciting that a whole group of us is going and a lot of us have achieved this goal and it's a huge accomplishment for us."
Ranging from ages 39-72, these ladies have trained over the past few years as members of the Women's Triathlon Club based at the Chico Sports Club. This group has helped many move from being particularly active to becoming seasoned athletes competing in various athletic events. The twelve triathletes have stuck together through thick and thin and admit that doing this individually would've been tough.
Back in 2006, these twelve North State women began training to compete in the 2009 International Triathlon Union World Championships held in Gold Coast, Australia on September 12th and 13th.
Teresa Kludt says, "what's encouraging and fun is the fact that it's a group, I think something like this would be really hard to do on your own."
Anne Yates adds, "these women mean so much to me, I don't know if I would have done this without them, their constant support, their encouragement, their competing next to me, their laughter, their stories, their sharing their lives, our sharing our racing together, it's just been a wonderful wonderful experience and time in my life."
When this group begins to race against other individuals from around the world, competing together as friends won't be the only aspect their proud of.
Margaret Bomberg and Mary Ann Bachus say, "it's all about USA too, so it's all you know very kind of patriotic, you run holding a flag, we're taking our big flags."
And for this group, being a part of team USA with your friends and competing in the World Triahtlon Championships has proved to be a once in a lifetime opportunity worth shooting for.
