Tripp Hipple

Former age grouper turned professional triathlete Tripp Hipple has packed quite a lot into his sporting life so far, having been a springboard diver and gymnast in his earlier days.

But after getting into triathlon via a high-school friend, it is swimming, cycling and running all the way now for the Denver native. Though he does love skateboarding too.

Tripp, who is especially proud of his religious faith and “knowing I can compete with the best guys and gals in the world”, turned professional in 2016 having claimed an excellent seventh place in his age group at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2015.

Since then, despite admittng to being scared of “anyone on the start line of a race”, Hipple has completed regularly over both middle and full distance to pretty good effect.

His career highlights include a string of top-10 finishes at what his effectively his home event in Boulder (notably a fourth over full distance in 2019), and more of the same in Canada, Louisville and Texas.

His most painful moment though came at what is his favourite race, IRONMAN Lake Placid, as he slipped from third to seventh in the space of two agonising miles.

Not surprisingly given he was born there and lives there, Tripp loves Colorado, and his favourite holiday destination is Keystone in the early fall (“crisp air and a hot tub”). He also enjoys training with Justin and Jeannie Metzler, Nick Granet, Amanda Wendorff, and Lisa Becharas.

Hipple has some sage advice when it comes to race craft, telling us: “trample the weak, hurdle the dead”.

And while he may be proud of his achievements so far, he isn’t ready yet to talk about his triathlon legacy. “Ask in a few years!” he says.