CLERMONT, Fla. – The national champion Arizona State triathlon team kicked off their spring non-championship season in earnest with impressive finishes at the 2017 Clermont Draft Legal Challenge among some of the nation's best under-25 triathletes.
 
"It's nice to be able to have an early season competition with a large field and get a good benchmark," said head coach Cliff English. "It was a very strong field and for the first [team] race of the season, it was a good performance."
 
In the U25 Elite Development Race (EDR), Amy Darlington had the Sun Devils' highest finish (12^th) followed closely behind by Sarah Quintero (15^th). ASU's competing quintet was rounded out by Kendal Williams (25^th), Delaney Bucker (27^th), and Lillie Robinson (33^rd).
 
Darington had the seventh fastest bike time while Quintero had the 12^th fastest swim time among the tough field of competitors.
 
The 750m swim, 20k bike, and 5k run was a similar distance to the collegiate triathlon national championship and took place at the Orlando suburb's Lake Louisa State Park. Following the swim, participants biked four loops on the bike course followed by a two-loop run course.
 
The Sun Devils have one more race scheduled for the spring, which will return them to the Sunshine State. The CAMTRI Sprint Championships in Sarasota, Fla. take place Saturday, Mar. 11 and Katie Gorczyca and Charlotte Ahrens will represent Arizona State in a field that includes three Rio Olympians.