Olympian Katie Zaferes Joins Team UCAN
March 9, 2021
The World Triathlon Series Champion has turned to UCAN to fuel her pursuit of Olympic Gold
Olympian Katie Zaferes has made the switch to UCAN to fuel her training and racing at the highest levels in the sport of triathlon. Zaferes is ranked the #1 short-course triathlete in the world, is the reigning World Triathlon Series Champion, and a favorite for Olympic Gold in Tokyo. Zaferes has a consistent track record of progress among the best in the sport having been ranked 5th in the WTS Rankings in 2015, 4th in 2016, 3rd in 2017, 2nd in 2018 and 1st in 2019. She competed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio and has won or podiumed at dozens of major races worldwide. Zaferes has turned to UCAN to fuel her journey to the top of the podium at the Olympic Games this summer.
“Properly fueling my sessions is critical so that I can recover and perform over and over again in my training,” says Zaferes. “I’ve been loving the long-lasting energy from UCAN, a product that’s been thoroughly vetted by my sports dietitian and one that I trust to deliver the nutrition I need to conquer my goals.”
Fueling has been one of Zaferes’ weaknesses during hard sessions and races as she struggles to take in the proper amount of calories. One of UCAN’s unique features is its ability to be used as a “preload”, consumed prior to an effort the releasing energy steadily into the body over several hours. UCAN is gentle on the stomach due to its low osmolality, a desirable feature for athletes who need to fuel while taxing the body during intense efforts.
“What used to be a weakness for me is now a strength. I take UCAN before my sessions and it simplifies my nutrition approach,” says Zaferes. “Not having to worry about nutrition during my races and hard efforts allows me to focus on execution.”
UCAN was originally created with a purpose to provide energy for a child with a rare condition that prohibits the body from producing its own blood sugar, resulting in frequent and dangerous episodes of hypoglycemia. Out of this need came SuperStarch®, a patented, slow-releasing carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy with no spikes and no crash.
After conducting clinical trials on athletes, who also work to manage their glucose levels to reduce fatigue and optimize their nutrition, UCAN launched an assortment of products powered by SuperStarch. A few of the top athletes utilizing UCAN include the fastest active women’s marathoner Sara Hall, 4x Olympian Meb Keflezighi, pro triathlete Tim O’Donnell and 8x CrossFit Games qualifier Scott Panchik, amongst many others who have achieved world-class performances while trusting it in their training, racing and daily lives.
“Katie is a remarkable athlete who inspires us all with her performance, drive, commitment and professional way that she approaches her sport,” says Shoba Murali, CEO of UCAN. “We are very excited to support her as part of the UCAN Family on her way to gold in Tokyo 2021.”
About Katie Zaferes:
Katie Zaferes has been competing in triathlon professionally since 2013. Zaferes climbed the World Triathlon Series Rankings from 5th in 2015, 4th in 2016, 3rd in 2017, and 2nd in 2018. In 2019, Zaferes won 5 WTS races including the Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland to become World Champion. In 2016, Zaferes raced for the U.S. at the Rio Olympics and is considered a favorite to win Olympic Gold in Tokyo 2021. Zaferes has won or been on the podium at dozens of major triathlon events worldwide. Prior to her professional career, Zaferes competed in Track & Field for Syracuse University and her talent was recognized by the legendary Barb Lindquist. Katie is married to fellow pro triathlete Tommy Zaferes and lives in North Carolina.
About UCAN:
Based in the US, UCAN is a company obsessed with the science of health and performance. UCAN enables athletes to gain confidence in their inherent abilities to surpass their performance by unlocking their body’s full potential through smart nutrition. UCAN products utilize SuperStarch®, a patented, slow-releasing complex carbohydrate that delivers steady, long-lasting energy without triggering an insulin response. Originally created for a child with a rare metabolic disorder, UCAN Energy Powders, Energy Mix and Energy Bars are trusted by over 80 colleges, 40 pro teams, Olympic marathoners, elite triathletes, cyclists, group fitness coaches, thought leaders in health and performance, boxers, and recreational athletes for foundational nutrition to unlock performance. Learn more at ucan.co and get the latest news in the UCAN world by following @GenUCAN on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. UCAN nutrition products are currently available in powder, granola and bar formats, in a variety of flavors, at 350+ specialty run, bike and tri stores around the country, Lifetime gyms, and can be purchased online at ucan.co or on Amazon.