American Derek Kite is a former professional runner, a 2x Olympic Trials competitor, a former Mammoth Mountain Ski Patroller, and an LA County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard on Malibu's famous Zuma Beach. After a two and half year hiatus from running, he commenced his triathlon training at the end of January 2003.  Two and a half months later, Kite made an astounding entrance into the sport when he won his first Age Group race on April 13th. On April 26th and 27th, he flew to two different parts of the country to achieve two more victories and qualify for his USAT professional license.  This was an unusual circumstance and accomplishment in itself, because he had only raced three times in two weekends prior to becoming a pro.  Inexperienced in his new career, Kite jumped head first into the professional triathloning world.

Seventh months and 8 races later, he won his first ITU race, becoming the only American male to have won an ITU race in his first year of racing and one of two American males to have won an ITU race at all in 2003!  Not to mention that at his sixth race, he placed an incredible 9th (3rd American) at Escape from Alcatraz, voted the #1 triathlon in the country. In addition, Kite qualified for the ITU Duathlon World Championships in the first duathlon he ever tried.  This was an unplanned event for Kite, and he only entered in the race for more bike experience prior to the Pacific Coast ITU the following week.  At the World Champs, he placed top American and led the field in the challenging 10K run course with a time of 29:32.  This was actually 6 days after he injured himself at the Geneva ITU.  For five weeks afterwards, Kite had to take time off from training completely due to that same injury.  It was two weeks after he got back into training that he placed second at the Dannon Duathlon in Cathedral City, his longest race ever, and two more weeks later when he won his first ITU.

Thus far, Kite has been the winner of five triathlons in his rookie year and holds the USAT title for 2003 Top Rookie Duathlete of the Year. He's a madman with unbelievable, untapped talent on the bike, and an incredible, unprecedented running ability, who is quickly rising the ladder of success.

What does he like to do in his spare time?  Sleeping, eating, and hanging out with his wife during the training months.  And when not training, you can find him surfing and making rescues at the beaches in Malibu.