Zipp News

Rinny and Greg Bennett visit Zipp

Top triathletes Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae and Greg Bennett were headed to Indiana this week to race in Saturday’s Ironman® 70.3 Muncie. So, we just had to invite them to stop by our Indianapolis factory on their way to the race. For us, it’s a chance to get invaluable feedback on our products. For Rinny and Greg, it was a chance to see first hand how their wheels are made.

What they’re riding:
Greg: Zipp 101, 303 Firecrest, 404 Firecrest, 808 Firecrest, Sub-9 and 900 Discs. On the importance of aero: "Every second does count. You're constantly trying to figure out, where can I get free speed. That's what everyone is trying to figure out." 
Rinny: 404 650c, 840 Tubular 650c Disc. On importance of top equipment for smaller riders: “SRAM and Zipp are willing to cater to my needs, and they’re different from most athletes. I’m smaller. There’s a lot women coming into the sport of triathlon and I think finally the technology is catching up with that.”

Impressions of Zipp factory:
Greg: “I’m blown away by how much thought goes into everything. As athletes, you receive a wheel. It’s a bit lighter, or a bit stiffer. But you don’t really think about how much thought and how many great minds have gone into making it happen, and the passion that goes with it. The engineers are passionate, and you don’t think about an engineer being passionate.” (Our engineers are, indeed, passionate!)

Rinny: “It’s really cool to come here and see how much work goes into every single wheel that goes out. It makes me feel rest assured that I’m on equipment that’s cutting edge. It’s always an advantage when you can go to a race and roll in knowing you’re on the good stuff.”

Goals and how Muncie 70.3 fits in:
Greg: “I want to do well at the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas. I want to do well at Kona Ironman®, and I want try to try to win Hy-Vee (5150 U.S. Championships) again this year, so I have the three big championships in September-October. I decided I needed a little bit more experience racing the 70.3 distance…. To win in Las Vegas, I need to know myself a little bit better.”

Rinny: “If you’re serious about winning Kona, then the whole year has to be mapped around that race. That’s how I’ve approached it the last couple of years, and how I intent to approach it again this year.”

“I race (Muncie) this weekend and then race Ironman® 70.3 Lake Stevens next weekend, have a little mid-season break and then really push for Kona… We have the mid-season break around the end of July, take a week off and really rest so I’m mentally and physically ready to take on what needs to be done. It’s sort of a four or five week pretty intense training block where I’m never really feeling that great, but you’re putting all the work in. I come out of that and put a race in and from there I’m pretty much done.”

See more photos of Greg and Rinny’s visit to Zipp