Showing the power of the whole ARK concept.
Congrats to all!
ARK is the mechanism to introduce the sport to more youth and families and to bring in the revenues necessary to not only have full-time coaches to organize specific training like Patrick and Meghan have done but to also assist in costs for travel, lodging, etc. But in the end it is the dedication of the athletes themselves that gets them to the big races.
...of course, but without having the "mechanism" there in the first place it´s a lot tougher even if you have the dedication...