Triathlete and longtime outdoor industry leader Jay Curwen lives outdoor recreation in his job and his personal life alike, seamlessly shifting from his role as vice president of the Nantahala Outdoor Center to races like the recent Tsali Adventure Triathlon, in which he placed first. Last year, he also won the Asheville Triathlon and the Enka Triathlon at Biltmore Lake among other competitions, making him the man other racers hate but want to emulate.

Curwen has won more than 125 races in his 35-plus years as a competitor and has twice been a member of the USA World Triathlon Championship Team. This year, he hopes to compete and place in the USA Triathlon Off-Road National Championships, Long Course Duathlon National Championships, Olympic Distance National Championships, Sprint National Championships, Long Course (1/2 Iron) National Championships, and several local runs in and around Asheville.

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Peter "Treeman" Jenkins