December 19, 2005 --
Triathlete magazine has
announced Australia’s Greg Welch
and New Zealand’s Erin Baker as
its 2006 inductees into the
Triathlete Hall of Fame.
One of the greatest
triathletes of all time at all
distances, Welch has won
virtually every world title,
including the ITU short-course
world championship and the
Ironman World Championship.
Welchie currently serves as the
voice of Ironman Live and is
widely recognized for his
tremendous sense of humor and
generosity of spirit.
Like Welch, Baker was
dominant at all distances,
winning Ironman Hawaii twice,
the Nice long-course triathlon
three times and ITU worlds two
times. Had Baker raced at any
other time (other than during
the reign of Triathlon Hall of
Famer Paula Newby Fraser) she
almost certainly would have won
many more world titles.
With their induction, Welch
and Baker join the inaugural
Hall of Fame class of 1998,
which consists of triathlon
founders Tom Warren, Bill
Shanahan, David Pain, Bill
Phillips and Jack Johnstone; the
1999 class of Dave Scott, John
Collins, John Howard, Sally
Edwards and Valerie Silk; the
2000 class of Julie Moss, Scott
Tinley, Carl Thomas and Jim
Curl; 2001 inductee Scott
Molina; 2002 inductee Mark
Allen; 2003 inductees Sylviane
and Patricia Puntous; 2004
inductees Dan Empfield and Mike
Pigg; and 2005 inductee Paula
Newby Fraser.
