IUTA Committee

	President Michael Gärtner - Neu-Isenburg, Germany Michael was born 1967 in Germany, where he still lives near Frankfurt and works as a self-employed civil engineer. He spends his free time mostly with training, his family and friends. After six Ironmans he tried his first Double IRON in 2003. Since then he has done several Double, Triple and Deca Triathlons. In the Ultra Triathlon community he enjoys most the family feeling -- "the ultra family" that gives him the time he spends with his ultra friends. His biggest goal is to finish in a few years the 100 Ultra Triathlon Distances. postal address: IUTA c/o Michael Gärtner Ludwigstrasse 80 63263 Neu-Isenburg GERMANY
	Vice-President Zsolt "Zoltman" Tamás - Bonyhád, Hungary Zsolt was born 14 December 1969 in Bonyhád, where he still lives. They have a family corporation where they make tarps for trucks and different decorations. He has been married for 18 years and has three children: Dorottya, Attila, Andráska. He loves animals and his hobby is birds and in breeding parrots. He looks for challenges and opportunities in life! His life philosophy is: I never give up that I set myself as an aim!!! Since winners never give up, if somebody gives up, he will never be a winner!!! Tamás has finished seven Double IRON, six Triple IRON and two Deca IRON Triathlons.
	Secretary Harn-Wei Kua - Singapore Harn Wei was born in Singapore where he still lives. He enjoys his time teaching students in the National University of Singapore. He loves Nature and spent his time researching and understanding the beauty of this world - through words, art-forms, mathematical equations and gestures. From Nature and its Ways, he finds inspiration, peace and deeper meaning in whatever he enjoys doing, including ultra triathlons. Triathlon shows him a Way of living and living defines the way he sees the art/science of triathlon. This complementary relationship is what he calls his "Tao" of Triathlon (or, the Pathway of Triathlon). He spent much time working and living around the world, including digging reservoirs in Indonesia, building houses in Tanzania (Africa) and learning/working in Boston (USA). Harn started racing in the IUTA circuit in 2002.
	Treasurer Jean-Pierre "JP" Morin - Lévis, Quebec, Canada Jean Pierre is an UltraTriathlete who started his career passionately in the sport by experiencing team sports such as hockey, softball and volleyball. He then started running 10k's 20k's and marathons. After a few marathons, which were under three hours, he decided to start Triathlons in 1989 and after a few Olympic distance triathlons he quickly switched to Ironman's, where he met people who did the Triple IRON in Fontail. He immediately became passionate by UltraTriathlons. Since that time, he has completed five Triple IRON and seven Double IRON Triathlons - which gave him the opportunity to start a Double IRON Triathlon in his own city of Lévis, Quebec, Canada which was held successfully for 9 years in a row. Two of those were World Championship events; first in 2002 and then 2008. Jean-Pierre has been working on the IUTA committee since 1998.
	Athlete Representative Emmanuel "McManu" Conraux - Collmar, France Emmanuel was born 1968 in France and lives in the town of ultra triathlon: Colmar (because Mr. Ultra Triathlon Guy Rossi also lives in this town, and there was a Double at the end of 1990’s). He was married for 4 years and has a son Thomas who is 13 years old. Manu is Director of a McDonald’s restaurant for 20 years which keeps him very busy, but with a very good atmosphere!! Manu started triathlon in 1993 with small distances, and after some long distance like Nice and Embruman, some Marathons and 100 km’s, he did his first ultra triathlon with a Triple: Le Fontanil in France(1998). He has now finished 21 ultra triathlons with 9 victories, 7 second places and 6 times world champion over all the distances (Double, Triple, Quintuple with the world record and Deca). He also likes ultra running ( 100 km’s/best 7h 27’, 24 hours/best 255 km’s, 48 hours/best 386 km’s, Spartathlon/34h 54’,…), ultra biking ( Paris-Brest-Paris/best 56h, Bordeaux-Paris best 22h) and Ironman (12 Embrunman/best 10h 44’, 1 Roth 9h 47’, 1 Hawaii 10h 20’). He likes Ultra Triathlon because it’s a small family and you can go beyond your limits. Manu has two great goals: breaking the world record of the Deca (less than 8 days) and breaking the French record of 24 hours biking ( 738 km’s). He wants to develop Ultra Triathlon so that it’s recognized by international and French federation of triathlon.
	Race Director Representative Steve "Kirb" Kirby - Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA Steve is the Race Director for the Virginia Double and Triple IRON Triathlons. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1999 after serving 26 years. He then helped organize Odyssey Adventure Racing for six years where they put on Adventure Races that lasted anywhere from 4/6 hours up to five days long as well as the Odyssey Double and Triple IRON Tri's. Steve took a break in 2004 and went back to school to get a 2nd Bachelors Degree, this one in Computer Information Systems. He now works for himself repairing personal computers and took ownership of the Double and Triple from Odyssey in 2005.

Pictures for the background are taken at the Double Virginia 2008 (with friendly permission from Harry Gerwien) and taken at the Double Hungary 2008