COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Triathlon today recognized the 2013 Elite Triathletes of the Year, highlighted by Gwen Jorgensen’s historic win at the Omegawave World Triathlon San Diego and other U.S. podium finishes.
Elite competitors nominated eligible athletes with the award selection being made by the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council (AAC).
“Every year seems to provide such deserving candidates and 2013 was no exception. From our rookies all the way to our ITU superstars, there were so many amazing performances, and picking the winners from our incredible list of nominees was a difficult task,” said Barrett Brandon, chair of the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council. “After we carefully examined the results of each nominee, we came up with this list of truly great and deserving athlete winners. The AAC would like to congratulate all of them on such a successful 2013 season.”
Jorgensen (St. Paul, Minn.) was named Olympic/ITU Athlete of the Year following a standout year on the international triathlon circuit. She made history in April when she became the first American woman to win an International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Series event in a sprint-to-the-finish showdown in San Diego. With her win at the event, she was also named the USA Triathlon Elite National Champion. She also claimed series wins in Yokohama and Stockholm, finishing fourth in the ITU World Triathlon Series Rankings.
Matt Chrabot (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Jarrod Shoemaker (Clermont, Fla.) also earned honors in the Olympic/ITU Athlete of the Year category. As the top-ranked American male in the 2013 ITU World Triathlon Series rankings, Chrabot opened his season with a podium finish at the Mooloolaba ITU World Cup and finished in the top 15 at World Triathlon Series events in San Diego and Auckland. He also won the USA Triathlon Elite National Championships. Shoemaker finished in the top five at late-season ITU World Cup events in Cozumel and Guatape, and was 12that ITU World Triathlon Yokohama.

Alicia Kaye (Clermont, Fla.) and Cameron Dye (Boulder, Colo.) were named Non-Drafting Athletes of the Year for their successes at domestic Olympic-distance events. Kaye was victorious at Life Time Tri Series events in Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis and Tempe. Dye, a repeat winner, also topped the podium at the Dallas, Minneapolis and Tempe events, as well as the Columbia Triathlon and TriRock Philadelphia.
For the first time in 2013, Paratriathletes of the Year were selected by the AAC, with top honors going to Megan Fisher (TRI-5, Seattle, Wash.) and Aaron Scheidies (TRI-6b, Seattle, Wash.). Fisher won her third ITU Paratriathlon Worlds title in September, having also earned wins in the TRI-5 division at USA Paratriathlon Nationals and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) World Paratriathlon San Diego. Scheidies was the top finisher in the TRI-6b division at USA Paratriathlon Nationals and CAF World Paratriathlon San Diego, and he earned a silver medal at ITU Paratriathlon Worlds.
Erin Jones (Hood River, Ore.) and Ben Kanute (Tucson, Ariz.) received recognition as the Under-23 Athletes of the Year. Jones and Kanute raced their way to the top times of the day in USA Triathlon’s inaugural Draft-Legal Collegiate Championships in April. Jones finished second at the Dallas ITU Pan American Cup, also earning top-10 finishes at three ITU World Cup events. Kanute won the non-drafting Olympic-Distance event at USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals and finished 14th at ITU World Triathlon Kitzbuehel. He was also the top finisher in the season finale of the USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series in San Diego.
Rookie of the Year accolades went to Katie Hursey (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Mike Hermanson (Louisville, Ky.). Hursey, a member of the USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program, scored back-to-back wins at ITU World Cups in Palamos, Spain, and Tiszaujvaros, Hungary. She also finished first at the USA Triathlon Super Sprint Series finale in San Diego. Hermanson, who competes in mostly long-course triathlon events, finished in the top 10 at Ironman 70.3 Raleigh, Ironman 70.3 Syracuse and Ironman Louisville.
2013 USA Triathlon Elite Triathletes of the Year
Olympic/ITU Athletes of the Year
Gwen Jorgensen (St. Paul, Minn.)
Matt Chrabot (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Jarrod Shoemaker (Clermont, Fla.)
Non-Drafting Athletes of the Year
Alicia Kaye (Clermont, Fla.)
Cameron Dye (Boulder, Colo.)
Paratriathletes of the Year
Megan Fisher (Seattle, Wash.)
Aaron Scheidies (Seattle, Wash.)
Under-23 Athletes of the Year
Erin Jones (Hood River, Ore.)
Ben Kanute (Tucson, Ariz.)
Rookies of the Year
Katie Hursey (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Mike Hermanson (Louisville, Ky.)