Pro file: Leanda Cave

Leanda Cave says that an important part of her job as a triathlete
is to give to others, as she is doing through her Great Athlete Auction.
Photo courtesy Leanda Cave and Katalyst Multisport Management

Leanda Cave is a risk taker, not one to shy away from a challenge. A former protégé of the daredevil Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, Cave has the iron will and pluck to grab the bull by the horns and win Kona with pure guts.

The two-time Escape from Alcatraz champion's motto, "To win by choice, not by chance," shows the dedication that has brought her success in her 8-year-long career as a pro triathlete; a career that includes both ITU and 70.3 titles. Cave's biggest dream is to become the first triathlete to include both a Kona title and an Olympic gold medal in her trophy case. With the genesis of the 70.3 series, short course athletes have been bridging the gap from Olympic distance to Ironman and proving that speed, not endurance, is the key to success at the Ironman. Cave has just the experience and pedigree to follow in the steps of other Olympic-come-Ironman triathletes as Chris McCormack, Craig Alexander, and Andy Potts.

Cave competes in triathlons for the experiences it offers, not the money. This year in Kona she will be lending the fame and exposure that she gets from the race to the Blazeman Foundation's war on ALS through what she is calling The Great Athlete Auction. At a time when most pro's are hiding in their Kona bungalows, opening their doors only to masseurs, Cave has been devoting all of the free time from her taper to setting up her fund raiser. She has amassed nearly 50 donations from athletes, race directors, and triathlon retailers with a combined value of tens of thousands of dollars, which she will be auctioning on ebay next week. Bidding begins on October 4 and will finish during the race on October 10. Fans can click back and forth from the race coverage to the Great Athlete Auction as they sit glued to their computer screens on race day.

Jon Blais was a teacher, mentor, poet, and age group triathlete from Seekonk, MA who was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) when he was 33 years old. Having received a death sentence, Jon was determined to finish an Ironman before he was confined to a wheelchair. Although he had already lost the use of his hands, Blais willed his treacherous body to cover the 140.6 miles before the 17-hour cutoff, rolling across the finish line in Kona in 16:28:56. Blais passed away two and a half years later in May 2007.

Cave was touched by the Blazeman story, and after meeting Jon at the 70.3 championships in 2006, she decided to use her triathlon career as a platform to support the Blazeman War on ALS. Although some may speculate that Cave is dedicating too much energy to the Great Athlete Auction when she should be resting up for Kona, countless athletes have found strength within themselves by racing for a charity. Surely when the race gets tough, Cave will be bolstered by the knowledge that thousands of victims of ALS, including Jon Blais's parents will be urging her on.

Leanda Cave's Statistics

Nationality: English

Age: 31

Pro since: 2001

Career highlights:

• 3rd place 70.3 World Championships 2007
• 1st place Ironman 70.3 Florida 2008 & 2009
• Escape from Alcatraz Champion 2007 & 2008
• 1st place ITU Long Distance Championships 2007
• 1st place ITU World Short Course Championships 2002

What she rides: Pinarello Montello

Sponsors: K. Swiss, Pacific Health Labs, TriSports.com, Pinarello, Quelle Challenge Roth, Blue Seventy, Reynolds, Nuun, Giro, Katalyst, Compuart.com