Julie Dibens: Xterra World Champion + Ironman 70.3 World Champion = Bad Ass
Photo Credit: Paul Phillips
What is your definition of a bad ass? An athlete who works her ass off to be the best? An athlete who is crowned World Champion? What about an athlete who is crowned World Champion twice?
I don’t think “bad ass” adequately describes Julie Dibens. At the Xterra World Championships she didn’t just win, she broke a world record – she’s the first person ever to win the crown jewel of off-road triathlons three years in a row.
Then a mere three weeks later she rocks the Ironman 70.3 – a race that‘s almost the polar opposite of the Xterra, raced entirely on the asphalt. The two races are so different from one another that they could almost be considered two separate disciplines. The 70.3 ended in another victory. Another World Championship.
Her personal slogan is “Not a One Trick Pony.” And now I know why.
I asked Julie what it feels like to look back on a month most traithletes spend their lives hoping for.
“Geez…where do I start?” she said. “I’m not gonna lie…it’s been a pretty awesome month!”
No kidding!
“My run down the finish shoot [of the Ironman 70.3] was all that you dream about, and one that I will seriously never forget. It was awesome.”
Of the Speed Concept bike she rode in the Ironman race she said, “The bike is fast, plain and simple. I seriously went into that race feeling I had an unfair advantage before we had even pedaled a stroke.”
I told her
that everyone here at Trek is so proud of her and honored to be working with
her.
“The fact
that I know I have a whole team of superstars behind me developing products
that are not only made for me, but made for speed - plain and simple - gives me
so much confidence,” she said. “I am also having a lot of fun with it all, and
seriously am so happy to be working with you all.”
All I can say to that is that the love fest is 150% mutual. It would be hard to articulate how stoked we are that Julie Dibens is a Trek Woman.
One of the last things she said was, “I really just wanted to prove that i'm no one trick pony.”
I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to argue with her on that one.
Natascha, Women's brand manager.
