Duathlon247 columnist and Great Britain's former leading duathlete, Tom Lowe, takes a look at this weekend's ITU World duathlon Championships and gives us his take on what the course holds for the athletes, and also the ones to watch out for on the day.

From the 24th – 27th September the city of Concord. North Carolina, will host the 2009 World Short Course Duathlon Championships. Rather prestigiously the event will be held at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway (my own speedway!), home every year to a round of the NASCAR series. According to the track’s official website it has a seating capacity of 140000, so there shouldn’t be any need for more seats! One obvious bonus though is that spectators should be able to see more of the action due to the enclosed nature of the course. The start lists look very impressive with many of the top names competing including a few well-known triathletes who fancy their chances now that the World Series has finished for the year.

Many duathletes will have noticed that there hasn’t been a World Long Course Duathlon Championships this year, which is very unfortunate. However, what I hope this does provide is more money in the pot to send a larger team out to Concord, and it appears that the BTF haven’t let us down. With five senior men selected it’s fantastic to see that athletes with little experience of elite racing, but with lots of potential, have been chosen as well as the regular team members. The experience that racing at this level provides is extremely valuable and will have the long-term bonus of increasing the strength and depth of the sport within Great Britain.

Multiple medalist at European and World Championships over the last few years, Cat Morrison, will unfortunately not be competing due to the rather daunting matter (to me at least) of preparing for the World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Cat will be missed, however Duathlon247 sends her best wishes for the race on October 10th.

Kat Grimmett will be the only senior woman to make the trip to Concord. After a 7th at the European Championships in Budapest earlier in the year, Kat has had some great results; the highlight of which must be gaining an automatic qualification slot for the World Half Marathon Championships. Kat ran an amazing 1.13.08 at the recent Bristol Half Marathon and would’ve been selected for the race by UK Athletics had the Duathlon Championships not been only 2 weeks before, raising the question as to whether she could recover in time or not.

As previously mentioned the men’s team is comprised of a vast range of experience but with plenty of talent. The current World Champion and winner in 2005 and 2007, Paul Amey, heads the team having recently been confirmed as a starter. A recent DNF at Monaco 70.3 where, looking at the splits, something seems to have happened on the bike, is one of the few results sheets I can find Paul Amey’s name on this year. There was also a 44th at the Hy-Vee ITU Elite Cup in June as well as a seventh at the Rev3 Triathlon in the same month. You can be sure though that if Paul is on the start line it means he is in good shape. French Grand Prix Duathlon regulars Rich Hobby, Phil Wylie and Dave Roper will join Paul, along with runner turned triathlete Adam Bowden.

Phil’s recent results include a 30.09 at Cardiff 10k earlier this month and a 10th at the last French Grand Prix Duathlon of the season in Nancy, a race that incorporated the French Duathlon Championships. Dave Roper was 16th in that race and, for those who follow the English club running scene, posted a swift time of 17.57 for Cheltenham Harriers at last weekend’s Midland six Stage Road Relays. This will be his first outing as an Elite and although drafting racing isn’t a complete unknown for Dave it will be a great learning experience and something for the 24 year old to build on in the future. Former professional cyclist Rich Hobby is still based in France and although not a regular on the UK scene he still competes for Tri Du Pays Grassois in France and has gained solid results this season in the French GP series.

With times of 7.51 for 3km and 13.50 for 5km in 2008, and 29.31 for 10km this year, you can be sure that Adam Bowden will find himself in the front bike pack at Concord. Adam has had a successful first triathlon season having come from a running background and with continued work on his biking he could be a serious force to reckon with in the future of multi-sport. Should the bike play into his hands at the World Championships anything is possible when you possess the pure running ability that Adam does.

Along with the defending champion Paul Amey, other athletes to watch include the running speed machines of Jurgen Dereere (BEL) and Sergio Silva (POR). It seems that the Belgians are suffering a very depleted team with Joerie Vansteelant recovering from his Powerman Zofingen win, Rob Woestenborghs recovering from a very serious bike crash earlier this year and Bart Aernouts concentrating on Triathlon. Bart recently won the French Duathlon Championships though and it wouldn’t surprise me if he were to be found on the start list as a late entry considering his current form.

Home advantage lies with Jarrod Shoemaker, the Hamburg Dextro Energy Triathlon World Series Champion who is known for his running prowess and makes a switch to Duathlon now that the World Series has come to a close.

Jarrod isn’t the only triathlete who is attempting the run/bike/run format. In the senior women’s race Athens Olympic Gold Medalist Kate Allen (AUS) will toe the line along with Samantha Warriner of New Zealand and Vendula Frintova (CZE). Another notable duathlete on the women’s start line is Ana Burgos (ITA) who is the only medalist from last year’s Worlds competing in North Carolina. Vanessa Fernandez (POR) is still suffering the after affects of a season full of injuries so won’t be racing.

Our only representative in the U23’s is Non Stanford. The former Welsh Schools 1500m Champion (2002,2003 and 2004) and 2004 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year started multi-sport this year as a break from pure running.

Reigning World Junior Duathlon Champion from Rimini last year, Sophie Coleman, heads the Junior Women’s GB team. Sophie’s results this year include a 3rd at the National Elite Sprint Tri Champs as well as winning the British Junior Championships at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship race in Hyde Park, London. Vicky Graves the current European Duathlon Champion who also earned a bronze at the Europeans in 2008 will join Sophie to make an extremely strong junior women’s squad.

Tom Bishop who was fifth at the 2009 ETU Triathlon European Championships in Holten is the sole GB representative in the Junior Men’s race.

The flat circuit should provide some extremely fast and close racing, ideal for the swifter runners to lay down their marker on the first and second runs. Good luck to all GB athletes competing this weekend.