(St. Paul, MN - 2/27/08) Best of the US Management is pleased to announce that five of the triathletes who competed in the 2007 BOUS National Championship in Cypress Gardens, Florida, have earned USA Triathlon post-season honors, four as Honorable Mention in the "Athlete of the Year" category, and one for Honorable Mention "Master of the Year." They are (alphabetically):

PHILIPPE KOZUB, 32, Bethesda, MD: 2007 USAT Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention
Winner of the BOUS Championship in 2006 and runner-up in the 2006 Championship, Kozub was given high marks by the USAT AOY Selection Committee for his versatility. He demonstrated excellence at distances ranging from sprint to 70.3.

2007 Season Highlights:
1st @ Best of the US Championship
1st @ Crawfishman
1st @ Louisiana Triathlon
2nd @ Dallas US Open (behind USAT AOY Daniel Bretscher)
2nd @ Accenture Chicago Triathlon
2nd @ Half Max National Championship (behind Bretscher)
2nd amateur @ Eagleman Ironman 70.3
2nd amateur @ Columbia Triathlon
2nd @ River Cities Triathlon
2nd @ Mini Musselman Half Triathlon
5th @ USAT Age Group National Championship (3rd 30-34M)

KATIE ELLIS, 22, Phoenix, AZ: 2007 USAT AOY Honorable Mention
Only eventual AOY Bree Wee, herself a BOUS alum, got more support that Ellis for Athlete of the Year honors. Ellis, an age group world champion, won the 2007 Best of the US title. Like Wee, Katie has recently procured a pro license.

2007 Season Highlights:
1st @ Best of the US Championship
1st @ Soma Half
1st @ Tempe International, Rocky Point, Race for the Cure, Tempe Olympic and Sahuarita BOUS Arizona Qualifier
2nd @ USAT Collegiate National Championship
3rd @ ITU World Championship-Hamburg, GER (20-24W World Champion)
6th @ USAT Age Group Nationals (3rd 20-24W)

KIM WEBSTER, 31, Framingham, MA: 2007 USAT AOY Honorable Mention
Strong and very versatile, Webster almost caught Ellis at last year's BOUS Champs. When the dust cleared, only two seconds separated these two talented athletes. In addition to her success in road tris, Kim is also an accomplished Xterra, i.e. off-road, triathlete.

2007 Season Highlights:
1st amateur @ Timberman 70.3
1st amateur @ Lake Stevens 70.3
1st amateur @ Philadelphia Triathlon
2nd @ Best of the US Championship
2nd amateur @ Mooseman Half
2nd @ Lobsterman Triathlon

CATHY YNDESTAD, 29, Apple Valley, MN: 2007 USAT AOY Honorable Mention
Cathy enjoyed a breakout season in 2007, winning eight of the twelve races she entered. She won the prestigious Life Time Fitness Series handily, triumphing by big margins against talented fields at Minneapolis and Dallas, and taking second at Chicago. In the most exciting finish in BOUS's brief history, Cathy placed third at the Best of the US Championship, only 10 seconds behind Ellis and eight behind Webster.

2007 Season Highights:
1st @ Life Time Fitness - Minneapolis
1st @ Dallas US Open - Life Time Fitness Series Championship
1st amateur @ Newfoundland 70.3
1st @ Heart of the Lakes / Minnesota State Triathlon Championship (the day after she won Life Time Fitness - Minneapolis)
1st @ Pigman Sprint, Manitou Sprint & Timberman (MN) Olympic
2nd @ Accenture Chicago (Life Time Fitness Elite Series)
3rd @ Best of the US Championship
3rd @ ITU Hy-Vee Des Moines
10:12 @ Ironman Florida

STACY ORCUTT, 41, Seattle, WA: 2007 USAT Master of the Year Honorable Mention
Regionally invincible, Stacy is one of a handful of American "Super Masters." A fourth place overall finish at USAT Age Group Nationals was the highlight of her season.

2007 Season Highlights (National level):
1st master / 4th overall @ USAT Age Group Nationals
1st master / 2nd overall @ Seafairnbsp;
1st master / 12th overall @ Best of the US Championship