Linn-Mar Girls Cross Country

Jenks: 'Tough decision' to skip X-C

Sports fans know Stephanie Jenks as an outstanding distance runner and world-class triathlete, but the 15-year-old sophomore at Linn-Mar High School is also a top-notch student.

That's one of the reasons Jenks has decided to skip the 2013 cross country season with the Lions and sacrifice a chance to defend her state title.

Jenks will spend 10 days in London next month while competing for Team USA in the ITU Junior Elite World Triathlon Championships. She is concerned about missing that much time in school and wanted to lighten her load this semester.

Jenks will continue to train and compete with the Linn-Mar swim team, just as she did last year, but she will not run for the Linn-Mar cross country squad.

"It was a really tough decision," Jenks said Tuesday night. "We spent days on it. I knew I had to swim for sure. It was whether I'd run cross country or not."

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Jenks will swim (not run) for Lions

State cross country champion Stephanie Jenks will swim for the Linn-Mar Lions this fall, but she will not compete with the cross country team, according to a story on the Iowa Prep Sports website.

Jenks, a sophomore, is one of the top triathletes in the nation in her age group. Her running and biking times in the triathlon are among the best in the nation and the world, but her swimming time occasional lags behind her competitors.

That could be one reason why Jenks will skip the cross country season and focus on swimming. She participated in both fall sports last year for Linn-Mar.

Jenks won two titles at the Drake Relays and two more titles at the state track meet this past spring.

Jenks takes 3rd at USA Triathlon meet

WEST CHESTER, Ohio - Linn-Mar High School sophomore Stephanie Jenks placed third at the USA Triathlon National Championships in the Women's Junior Elite division Saturday in rainy West Chester, Ohio.

Tamara Gordon of Rapid City, S.D., won the title in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 31 seconds. Devon Dabney of Alanta placed second in 1:03.42. Jenks finished third in 1:04.09.

Cedar Rapids Washington senior Shannon Gorman placed 31st in 1:10.31.

Jenks finished the 750 meter swim in 10:42, the 20 kilometer bike race in 34:16 and the 5K run in 17:20.

Jenks sisters honored by USA Triathlon

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Stephanie and Jennifer Jenks have been named All-Americans for 2012 by USA Triathlon, the organization announced Wednesday.

Stephanie Jenks, a freshman at Linn-Mar High School, won the Class 4A state cross country title this year and is one of the top young triathletes in the country.

Jennifer Jenks is an eighth grader in the Linn-Mar school system and will be joining her older sister at Linn-Mar High School for the 2013-14 school year.

The Jenks sisters were named Female Youth Elite All-Americans in the 13-15 age group.