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IXTAPA,  Mex.—Canada’s next generation of triathletes proved they remain one of the strongest in the world after battling through blazing heat to rack up three medals at the PATCO Junior Continental Championships in Ixtapa, Mexico on Saturday.

With high surf pounding onto Mexico’s shores forcing organizers to change the event to a duathlon, the young Canucks took advantage of their running legs to win gold and bronze in the women’s event, and silver in the junior men’s race.

Joanna Brown, of Carp, Ont., captured her first international title after clocking a golden time of 57 minutes 24 seconds. Brown had a steady two-kilometre run before transitioning in the front of the pack with teammate Christine Ridenour. The two 17-year-old Canadians managed the pack for the 20-kilometre bike before setting out for the final five-kilometre sprint to the finish where Brown became the fourth-straight Canadian to win the Junior PATCO Championship.

“This was a good race, but it was a little different for sure today without the swim,” said Brown, who is known as a strong runner. “This feels great to get my first major win but it is a little bittersweet because I want to prove myself in all three disciplines. Christine and I worked really well together and it was great to have the Canadians at the top.”

After tactfully managing the bike with Brown, Christine Ridenhour, of Cowichan Bay, B.C., came out of the second transition shoulder-to-shoulder with her Canadian comrade. Ridenhour held on for third spot and a time of 57:58.

“I tried to not get too excited, and stay calm when I heard it would be a duathlon, and I am happy I was able to go out there and charge for it even though I didn’t get wet today,” said Ridenhour. “Having two Canadians on the podium is pretty exciting to know that we can both go out there and compete with the best at our level.”

Mexico’s A. Barazza was sandwiched between the two Canadians on the podium in second spot at 57:51.

Three other Canadians finished in the top-10. Amelie Kretz, of Quebec, was sixth at 59:31, while Victoria’s Alison Hooper was seventh (59:42), and Gabrielle Edwards, of Saskatoon, finished eighth (59:49).

The Canadian trail to the podium continued in the men’s race when Ottawa’s Ian Donald sprinted to the silver medal in the junior men’s duathlon with a time of 52:20.

Donald hopped onto the podium with two Mexican athletes. D. Mendoza was first at 52:09, while J. Lopez rounded out the junior men’s podium in third with a time of 52:31.

Canada’s Joel Howlett, of Saskatoon, was fourth at 52:34. Alexander Hinton, of Kingston, Ont., and Taylor Reid, of Terra Cotta, Ont., were seventh and eighth respectively.

The junior men’s race was filled with crashes on the bike which included five Canadians including Tim Maclean, Marc-Antoine Cristin, Matt Sharpe, Josh Drad and Riley MacCharles, along with numerous DNF’s due to the heat.

When the dust finally settled in the junior ranks, it was a strong extremely deep field of men’s and women’s elite athletes who took to the start line for the ITU PanAm Cup race.

Victoria’s Jeff Phillips, who is a member of Canada’s national development team, took a year’s experience at the elite level with him to post his best-ever elite result when he crossed the line fourth with a time of 1:43:55.

A strong runner, Phillips entered the first transition in second spot after the opening three-kilometre run. Not wasting too much energy on the bike, Phillips rode smart with the main pack through the 40-kilometre ride that saw a group of four athletes breakaway. Phillips was within a group of athletes that caught the breakaway group in the first two-kilometres of the run, and sat in second spot at the mid-way point of the final 10-kilometres to the finish. The winner of the 2009 Canada Summer Games, Phillips faded back in the second last lap, but managed to hang onto fourth spot.

“It was a good day, but I did really want to swim to see where I was at because I have made a lot of progress in the pool,” said Phillips. “I learned a lot from my races last year to be much smarter. I think I did that today and I have to be very happy with this result.”

Sean Jeffereson, of the United States, was first at 1:42:26, while Seth Wealing, also of the United States, finished in second with a time of 1:42:44. Mexico’s Crisanto Grajales locked up third at 1:43:36.

Andre Paul Baillargeon Smith, of St. Catherines, Ont., was the only other Canadian to crack the top-10, finishing eighth at 1:45.00

Victoria’s Kyla Coates finished as the top Canuck in the women’s elite race in 11th spot at 2:05:51. Brazil’s Carla Moreno clocked the fastest time at 1:59.01.

Canada’s junior triathletes will return home to prepare for a Teck National Junior Series Race in Coteau du Lac, June 27, 2010.

Triathlon Canada is the governing body for triathlon in the country. Recognized as an Olympic medal sport since 2000, Triathlon Canada’s mandate is to promote, foster, organize and develop the sport of triathlon, and its related disciplines, in Canada. For more information on Triathlon Canada, please visit us at http://www.triathloncanada.com/ on the Internet.

Complete PATCO Championship Results : http://www.triathlon.org/
Top-Five Junior Women’s:
1.Joanna Brown, Carp, Ont., CAN, 57:24; 2. A Barazza, MEX, 57:51; 3. Christine Ridenour, Cowichan Bay, B.C., CAN, 57:58; 4. K. Whitley, U.S.A., 59:00; 5. A. Diaz, MEX, 59:26.
Other Canadian Results:
6. Amelie Kretz, Quebec, 59:31; 8. Gabrielle Edwards, Saskatoon, Sask., 59:49; 11. Abby Miller, Saskatoon, Sask., 1:00:16; 14. Rachel Edwards, Saskatoon, Sask., 1:01:09; 15. Maghalie Rochette, Quebec, 1:00:18; 17. Dominika Jamnicky, Port Hope, Ont., 1:02:02; 27. Rebecca Staynor, North Vancouver, 1:06:14.

Top-Five Junior Men’s Results:
 1. D. Mendoza, MEX, 52:09; 2. Ian Donald, Ottawa, CAN, 52:20; 3. J. Lopez, MEX, 52:31; 4. Joel Howlett, Saskatoon, Sask., CAN, 52:34; 5. O. Oliveros, MEX, 52:35.
Other Canadian Results:
7. Alexander Hinton, Kingston, Ont., 52:52; 8. Taylor Reid, Terra Cotta, Ont., 53:09; 17. Cole Stewart, Victoria; DNF. Marc-Antoine Christin; Timothy Maclean; Tristan Woodfine; Matt Sharpe; Josh Drad; Riley MacCharles.

Top-Five Elite Men Results:
 1. Sean Jefferson, U.S.A., 1:42:26; 2. Seth Wealing, U.S.A., 1:42:44; 3. Crisanto Grajales, MEX, 1:43:36; 4. Jeff Phillips, Victoria, CAN, 1:43:55; 5. Eligio Gervantes, MEX, 1:44:41.
Other Canadian Results:
8. Andre Paul Baillargeon Smith, St. Catherine’s, Ont., 1:45:00; 20. Austin Horn, Victoria, 1:47:15; 35. Andew McCartney, Victoria; DNF. David Gagnon, Leif Baradoy, Aaron Thomas.

Top-Five Elite Women Results:
1.Carla Moreno, BRA, 1:59:01; 2. Vanessa Gianinni, BRA, 1:59:43; 3. Dunia Gomez, MEX, 1:59:55; 4. Alejandra Diaz Fuentes Favia, CHI, 2:00:25; 5. Flavia Fernandes, BRA, 2:02: 17.
Canadian Results:
11. Kyla Coates, Victoria, 2:05:51; DNF. Dorelle Hinton; Stevie Moore.