<?xml version="1.0"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Events - Duathlon247</title><link>http://www.duathlon247.com/index.html</link><description>Latest events articles from Duathlon247</description><item><title><![CDATA[Race preview: Newlands Duathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5774.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[8k   trail run/44k road cycle/4k multiterrain run
The Newlands Duathlon is   scheduled to take place on Sunday 17th April and is regarded as one of the   country&#039;s toughest duathlons, involving cycling over two challenging mountain   passes. With last years male and female winners Phil Addyman (Ryton Tri) and   Angela Armstrong (Carlisle Tri) back on the start line the competition is   guaranteed to be fierce.
Based from Newlands Adventure Centre, near   Keswick the event comprises an 8k trail run based around Catbells area, a 44k   road cycle taking in the climbs of Whinlatter &amp;amp; Honister passes, followed by   a further 4k run in the Newlands Valley.&nbsp;The first 8k run takes competitors out   along the Allerdale Ramble, which is a spectacular undulating trail along the   base of Catbells. This is followed by the steep rocky climb up to the col at   Hause Gate midway between Maiden Moor and Catbells. There are some stunning   views across Derwentwater for anyone wishing to help alleviate the pain on this   ascent. From here, the route goes straight across the grassy col leading into a   traversing descent back to T1 at Stair.

The 44k bike course passes   through Braithwaite village and heads up over the forested climb of Whinlatter   Pass, followed by a long sweeping descent to the Vale of Lorton. The route then   passes through Gatesgarth via a stunning&nbsp;section along the shores of Crummock   Water and Buttermere, leading onto the lower slopes of Honister Pass. Starting   with a gradual incline the route winds it&#039;s way up through this dramatic valley,   which is flanked by the imposing sides of Fleetwith Pike. The second&nbsp;part of   this climb is very steep with gradients of up to 25%, finishing with &#039;The Wall&#039;   at the top of the pass. This is a good point to catch your breath, take in some   amazing views &amp;amp; marvel at the old mine workings built into the hillsides   before a steep &amp;amp; technical descent to Seatoller. The&nbsp;final stage of the bike   course&nbsp;winds through the spectacular Borrowdale Valley, turning left at Grange,   then following the road along the western side of Derwentwater &amp;amp; back to T2. 

The second 4k run, shorter &amp;amp; &#039;easier&#039; than the first, heads out   along the minor road to the farming hamlet of Littletown. There&#039;s a final sting   in the tail up the old mining track before finally stretching the legs on the   fast descent to the finish. With spectacular views of the Skiddaw massif in   front it&#039;s worth savouring the moment at this point and feel the sense of   achievement from completing such a challenge. 

The event also includes a   relay category where One person cycles and the other runs. This is open for   male, female &amp;amp; mixed teams and is ideal for specialist runners/cyclists or   beginners who would like to test themselves over a single discipline.
Newlands is also the final counter in the High Terrain Events Duathlon   Series. Unlike the previous three races in which the bike leg consisted of   mountain biking, anyone with aspirations of winning the overall series will need   to prove their ability on the road. Current series leaders are Simon Gibbs   (Wallsend Harriers) and Susan Rigby (Bike Shop Hexham), but with a number of   athletes still in contention both titles are still wide open.
We are   pleased to announce Up &amp;amp; Running Keswick as our main sponsor. They will be   supporting the event with some fantastic prizes, a &pound;10 voucher off running shoes   to all participants and providing free sports nutrition and hydration products   during the event.
The event is suited for all abilities, particularly   those who relish a challenge. So if you are new to multisport come along and   enjoy this friendly and informal event in one of the Uk&#039;s most beautiful   areas.
For full details and online registration visit www.highterrainevents.co.uk]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Edinburgh set for 2010 GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5750.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The 2010  GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships are set to take place this  weekend (3-5 September) in Scotland, UK. World titles will be contested at  Edinburgh&#039;s iconic, and very hilly, Holyrood Park &amp;ndash; one of the most challenging  courses ever used for an ITU Duathlon World Championships, as confirmed by  those athletes already at race site. 
The Edinburgh crowd will be  hopeful of a home win from former World and European Champion, Catriona  Morrison, who lives and trains in Broxburn, a few miles away from Holyrood  Park. She has scored victories on the Ironman circuit this season, including  Ironman Lanzarote &amp;ndash; where she won despite stopping to help a fellow athlete who  had dangerously crashed and then waiting forty minutes by the roadside after  her chain snapped.
Morrison will have to overcome the  European Champion, Ruth Van der Meijden (NED) and runner-up Katie Ingram (GBR)  from the ETU Duathlon European Championships in Nancy, France (1 May, 2010).  Van der Meijden was also 4th at the ITU Duathlon World Championships in  Concorde, USA, last year.
The 2009 defending champion,  Vendula Frintova (CZE), is not racing this year, but runner up, Sandra Levenez  (FRA) will be. The women&#039;s line up also includes Gwen Jorgensen (USA), an  exceptionally fast runner and one to watch. She was second earlier this year at  the World University Games Triathlon.
In the elite men&#039;s event Sergey  Yakovlev (RUS) starts as number one based on his current world number one  ranking. Manuel Del Corral Morales (ESP) is number two and was second at the  ETU Duathlon European Championships this year in Nancy (FRA).
Damien Derobert (FRA) won silver  behind the USA&#039;s Jarrod Shoemaker last year in Concord. Shoemaker is not racing  as he will contest the ITU World Championships Grand Final in Budapest.
Bryan Keane will carry Ireland&#039;s  hopes, the former professional cyclist turned triathlete was seventh at the  recent ITU World Sprint Championships in Lausanne.
Joerie Vansteelant features in a  strong Belgian team. Although the distance might not suit him, the former World  Long Distance Duathlon champion will be one of the best known international  names at the event. His late older brother, Benny, was one of the best  duathletes the world has ever known.
The GE Great Britain men&#039;s team  features Adam Bowden, who has successfully converted from athletics to  triathlon through British Triathlon&#039;s trigold programme and recorded a second  place finish at the 2010 Geneva ITU Triathlon European Cup (15 August). 
Local Scottish athlete, Ritchie  Nicholls will race for the GE Great Britain team in the Under 23 event. He is a  former European Under 23 triathlon champion, having beaten Alexander Brukhankov  (RUS) in 2007.
The elite races will be preceded  on Friday by the elite Paraduathletes race and on Saturday by amateur athletes  racing for world duathlon titles in their age group. Scotland and Great Britain  will be well represented alongside athletes from Spain, Argentina, Brazil,  Canada, New Zealand and the USA.
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[London Duathlon: 12th September 2010]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5748.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The  London Duathlon offers racing on traffic free roads within the confines of  London&#039;s largest Royal Park 

  Ultra Distance (20km Run &amp;gt; 80km Bike &amp;gt; 10km Run) 
  Challenge Distance&amp;nbsp;(10km       Run &amp;gt; 20km Bike &amp;gt; 5km Run) both with a team relay option, 
  Fun Distance&amp;nbsp;(5km Run &amp;gt; 10km Bike &amp;gt; 5km Run)

  10km Run Only Option  
We have added a 10km Run only option which will slot into the middle of the  days racing, to give people the opportunity to enjoy running in the park while  we have the benefit of the traffic-free environment.  
With Kids event for 3 years upwards, there is a racing for the whole family  available in one of London&#039;s most scenic locations.   
If  you haven&#039;t already signed up then there is still an opportunity to sign up for  The London Duathlon&amp;nbsp; (Fun, Challenge or Ultra), the 10K run or get your  children onto the kids event.   
For  more information on The London Duathlon please go to&amp;nbsp;www.thelondonduathlon.co.uk
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Over 300 GB Age Group Duathletes to compete In Edinburgh]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5747.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[On Saturday 4 September, at the 2010  GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships in Holyrood Park, over 300  leading British amateur duathletes will compete in one of the largest GE Great  Britain Age Group Teams to represent Great Britain at an ITU Duathlon World  Championships.  211 men and 111  women (246 from England and 76 from Scotland) aged between 18 and 76 will  compete in 23 age categories.   
The GE Great Britain Age Group Team  will race over a standard international duathlon course - 10km run followed by  a 40km cycle and a 5km run, all completed as a continuous activity.   
Edinburgh&#039;s course, consisting of  multiple laps around Holyrood Park and Arthur&#039;s Seat (six times in total by  foot, and a further five times on the bike), will be one of the most  challenging ever used on the international circuit. 
Craig Dale, a 4th year medical  student at Edinburgh University, will be amongst the favourites to win gold in  his category having won the 20-24 Age Group at the ETU Triathlon European  Championships in Athlone, Ireland in July.   Dale said: &#039;For me, multisport events present a challenge that an  individual sport just can&#039;t match.  I  love the variety of training and how easy it is to avoid the monotony of one  sport alone.  I am really looking  forward to competing in Edinburgh in such a prestigious event - painful on the  legs, beautiful on the eyes but a race I&#039;ll never forget!&#039; 
Twenty-year-old Angus Killean, from  Edinburgh, is the youngest member of the British team and local hero Arnott  Kidd is the most senior Scottish athlete at 75. Kidd was second in his age  group last year at the 2009 Concord ITU Duathlon World Championships, and has  won the European title for the last three years in a row.  He has high hopes of winning the  World title on home soil. 
Britain&#039;s top paraduathletes will  also race in the elite international event on Friday 3 September with the  elite, under-23 and juniors all racing on Sunday 5 September. 
The 2010 GE Edinburgh ITU Duathlon  World Championships is the most prestigious duathlon competition ever to be  staged in the UK and offers the perfect opportunity for Edinburgh residents,  visitors to the city and running, cycling and multisport enthusiasts to watch  the best duathletes in the world for free.  
In September the 2010 GE Edinburgh  ITU Duathlon World Championships will join two other major international  sporting events - the IFSC World Youth Championships for Climbing and the  (FITA) Archery World Cup Final - In Edinburgh&#039;s Super September of sport - and  will welcome thousands of competitors and spectators to the city. 
For more information on the 2010 GE  Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships and an event schedule for go to - http://www.edinburghduathlon2010.com/ ]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Weyer ready for Powerman Austria]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5746.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Extreme athlete Ussher joins the race favourites 
Powerman Duathlon Austria is ready for take-off. 600 staff members are mobilised and waiting for the excellent field of athletes. Weyer and its surrounding communities are well prepared for a star-studded event, where the male challengers first are: national favourite Karl Prungraber (AUT), Andy Sutz (SUI) and Anthony LeDuey (FRA). Organisers are geared up for them as well as for all other pros, age groupers and all other athletes. Eagerly awaited is also the attractive women&#039;s field: Erika Csomor (HUN) contests with Michelle Parsons (GBR) and Victoria Beck (NZL) for the title on the long distance. Furthermore, a very interesting athlete decorates the women&amp;rsquo;s field: Elina Ussher, native-born Finn, was a cross-country skier once. She lives in New Zealand at the moment and is looking forward
  to the challenge which is waiting for her in Upper Austria.
Austrian top favourite Karl Prungraber was asked five questions with regard to the upcoming race:
Powerman: Weyer is almost a home race for you as you are living in Linz. What are you most of all looking forward at?
Prungraber: To the great atmosphere here! A lot of people know me here, they are cheering me and giving me strength!
Powerman: How are you preparing for the race?
Prungraber: I did the course several times in the run-up to the race to get sure that I know every stone and every unevenness. I prepared especially for the hilly parts, the difficult bike course.

Powerman: How do you estimate your chances at the Powerman Austria Duathlon?
Prungraber: My goal is to get top three. Then I would really be satisfied. I do not speculate with winning, there are other candidates.
Powerman: Who would be&amp;hellip;
Prungraber: My favourite is Andy Sutz from Switzerland. He has been on the podium already often in Weyer. He is ripe for winning.
Powerman: You are doing duathon besides your profession as a chemical worker. Also, you are having a family who wants to spend time with you. How do you unite those different interests?
Prungraber: It&#039;s not easy, time is lean. But I have an exactly calculated training schedule. And I try to utilize good the time that remains. Let&amp;rsquo;s see. I really would love to come on the podium next weekend. And the next goal would be a top-result at the Ironman K&amp;auml;rnten next year. Then I would have reached my most important goals&amp;hellip;]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[London Duathlon Launches Elite Race 2010]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5741.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[London Duathlon is confirming today that the  Elite race for 2010 will be over 10km:20km:5km Challenge Distance course around  the closed roads of Richmond Park on Sunday 12th September.  The switch  from the short course used in recent years follows consultation between the new  event organiser&#039;s Mass Participation Events and athletes to find the most  attractive race format. 
Kevin Stewart, Managing Director of MPE said &amp;ldquo;Having returned to organising the  London Duathlon, I have looked at a number of improvements to the race.   This started with the launch of the Ultra Distance (20km:80km:10km) and we have  changed the Challenge Distance first run to a full 10km lap, from the previous  9km.  Having then considered the Elite race format, it appears the Challenge  distance is of greater appeal to athletes, so we are now asking for athletes  who wish to apply for a place in the draft legal event to contact us on runbikerun@thelondonduathlon.co.uk.&amp;rdquo;
Athletes should anticipate completing the course in sub 1:32 for men and sub  1:42 for female.  There will be a &amp;pound;500 prize pot divided between top three  finishers male and female.  The Elite race will be scheduled around 8.45am  giving them an opportunity to race on a clear course followed by the Ultra  Distance, Challenge Distance and the Fun Distance in the afternoon.
For further information on the event visit: www.thelondonduathlon.co.uk 

]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Duathletes line up for Emberton Qualifier]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5724.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The Big Cow Emberton Duathlon  features as the third of four qualification events for the 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon  World Championships this Sunday (11 April) in Buckinghamshire. The event will  feature the recently crowned 2010 British Duathlon Age Group Champion, Eimear  Mullan.
Five hundred athletes across all  Age Groups will contest the standard distance duathlon, covering a 10km run,  40km cycle ride and 5km run hoping to secure places in the Great Britain Age  Group Team for the ITU Duathlon World Championships in Edinburgh from 3-5  September. 
The tried and tested Emberton  route is the same as last year&#039;s British Sprint Duathlon Championships,  featuring two laps of the undulating bike course and multiple laps of the flat  run around Emberton Country Park.
Organiser, Nigel Woods, said: &amp;ldquo;The  cycle course is undulating. There are a couple of hills but nothing to worry  about! The run is dead flat, so it should be quick. We&#039;ve got 500 entered,  which is more than last year when we hosted the National Championship, so  interest in the ITU Duathlon World Championships must be high.&amp;rdquo;
Athletes of all age groups are eligible to qualify for the  British Age Group Team as long as they are a member of their home federation  and have registered their interest with British Triathlon. Full qualification  information is available from British Triathlon via the link HERE. The final opportunity to  qualify for 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships is at the Cambridge  Duathlon on 2 May 2010.
To find out more about the 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World  Championships see www.edinburghduathlon2010.com and visit the facebook site for regular updates HERE.
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5716.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[On the weekend of 03-05 September  2010, Edinburgh will stage the ITU Duathlon World Championships, the  highest-level competition in the sport&#039;s annual calendar and the most  prestigious duathlon competition ever staged in the UK. 
A week before the 2010 Budapest ITU  Triathlon World Championships up to 1,000 of the World&#039;s best Elite and Age  Group duathletes will descend on Edinburgh&#039;s Holyrood Park for the ITU Duathlon  World Championships to compete for six World Championship titles, twenty seven  age group gold medals and a total prize fund of 75,000 Euros (for the Elite  competition).  
The Elite, U23 and Age Group  athletes will all compete over a standard duathlon course consisting of a 10km  run followed by a 40km cycle and a 5km run, all completed as a continuous  activity. The Edinburgh course will consist of multiple laps around Holyrood  Park and Arthur&#039;s Seat making it one of the most challenging ever used for an  ITU Duathlon World Championships. 
British duathletes have an  impressive record in major competitions, boasting many medalists at both World  and European Championships in recent years.    In the last four years Scotland&#039;s Catriona Morrison, from Broxburn near  Edinburgh, has garnered five major titles to her name, including ETU Duathlon  European Champion  (2007 -  Edinburgh - &amp;amp; 2009 - Budapest) and ITU Long Distance Duathlon World  Champion (2007 &amp;amp; 2008).   
In 2007, in Gyor, Hungary, Paul Amey  was crowned ITU Duathlon World Champion with Silver medals in the women&#039;s and  junior men&#039;s competitions going to Michelle Dillon and current World Triathlon  Champion, Alistair Brownlee.   
In 2009, Sophie Coleman and Vicky  Graves won gold and silver respectively at the Junior Women&#039;s ITU Duathlon  World Championships held in Concord, North Carolina.  The win in Concord, delivered a  double victory for Coleman, successfully defending her World Junior Duathlon  titles from 2008.  
For the ITU Duathlon World  Championships in Edinburgh, British Triathlon are expecting to field at least  400 Age Group athletes, one of the largest teams ever to represent Great  Britain at a Duathlon World Championships.   The GB Age Group Team will be announced in the summer following a number  of qualification races throughout the UK. 
The 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World  Championships offers the perfect opportunity for Edinburgh residents, visitors  to the city and running, cycling and multisport enthusiasts to watch the best  duathletes in the world demonstrate their incredible levels of endurance and  tactical ability. It will also showcase the city of Edinburgh and Scotland as  the perfect destination for the world&#039;s biggest and best sporting events.  
For more information on the ITU  Duathlon World Championships, Edinburgh, in 2010 got to www.edinburghduathlon2010.com]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Spring preview]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5708.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The evenings are just starting to get lighter and all across the country people are starting to feel the racing itch having suffered a winter disrupted with snow and cold weather. Before you know it spring duathlons will be blossoming all over the country and the ever growing mix of newcomers, old timers and triathletes looking to taste the greener grass of Duathlon&rsquo;s pastures will be donning their lycra and pinning on numbers. 

 This spring promises to blossom early than ever in Duathlon&amp;rsquo;s history with the national Duathlon Championships being held at the Clumber Park Duathlon on the 6th of March. Knowing the large number of athletes that want the chance to test themselves against the best nationally this will mean that many will be revved up and ready to go from March onwards so I have chosen six must-do races this spring and some of my inside tips on how to get the most from them. 

With this year&rsquo;s European Championships being in Nancy, France on 1st May, and then the Worlds at the other end of the season in Edinburgh many Duathletes will be thinking of trying to qualify for age-group teams for one of or both and the qualification races are:

ETU European Duathlon Champs. Nancy, France:

Clumber Classic Duathlon - 6th March
Stirling University Duathlon - 28th March
Steyning Duathlon - 5th April
 

ITU World Duathlon Champs. Edinburgh, Scotland:

Clumber Classic Duathlon - 6th March
Stirling University Duathlon - 28th March
Big-Cow Emberton Duathlon - 11th April
Cambridge Duathlon - 2nd May


For more information on applying for the age group teams and the qualification process click here:  

I&rsquo;ll start by previewing three big Classic races:

Clumber Classic Duathlon BTA National Championships - 6th March  
     
This is not one of the oldest Duathlons on the UK scene but has rightly gained itself a reputation amongst the best UK races. With a rolling run on closed roads within the park it provides an ideal competitive testing ground for running form before heading out onto the bike. Classic distance athletes find themselves doing two out and back runs on the first run and this is an ideal platform for seeing where you are in the race and where your rivals are too.  Just make sure you practice the &ldquo;I&rsquo;m gonna catch you even though you&rsquo;re three minutes ahead of me&rdquo; look for the second lap when the leader comes past. Either that or be the leader...Your choice! 
 
The bike leg is a strong bikers dream. I went from seventh after a bad run up to first with a minute lead by the end of the bike leg in the 2007 race, and this was proof that if you have a bad run (and I was crawling by the end!) you can still make good in-roads on this course. It&rsquo;s the sort of bike course that suits strong efficient bikers that can hold a good rhythm. And if that&rsquo;s not you then my top tip might just help:

Top Tip: The bike course takes in a long main road before you head back into Clumber Park and on this there is a painted white or yellow line which appears intermittently along the edge of it. When it does, try to ride on it and stay on it. You&rsquo;ll find it&rsquo;s much smoother and faster that the standard tarmac. Just make sure you keep focussed on the road conditions around you and take care if it&rsquo;s wet because the lines can become slippery.

Big Cow Emberton Duathlon  (Emberton) 11th April
             
The Emberton race is a classic which has become a mainstay of the national series and has hosted a number of National championships. It&rsquo;s a course which has rarely changed and as a result many of the competitors this year will have raced there before so, if you haven&rsquo;t, a drive around the bike course in advance would be advantageous so that you can see where the hills are and get a feel for the course overall.

 The run course is utterly pan-flat as it uses multiple-laps of a series of lakes on a service road. This could be seen as a blessing, but that would depend what kind of runner you are. Being pan-flat means that it becomes what I call a &lsquo;rhythm run&rsquo;;  meaning that your rhythm should hardly ever change save for the occasional speed bump on the way round. This can be some people&rsquo;s downfall though. Where Clumber has an early hill to force athletes to back off a bit and pace it Emberton Park has none of that and so it can be easy to run too fast over the first 5k, and then suffer badly over the second half as a result. Careful Pacing is the key on the first run.  The bike course is open and exposed and has two climbs of note on it. They are longer rolling climbs and again, when paced out correctly shouldn&rsquo;t leave you struggling to recover too much after them.

Top Tip: After your second transition, going out onto the final run, aim to have a lighting quick transition but then run just within yourself and holding back for the first 30 seconds. That will allow you to get beyond transition and onto the road having crossed a narrow section of off-road trail.  Running within yourself for those 30 seconds will just allow for your body to adapt without risking cramping before you unleash the beast on the final run. Oh;  and never EVER look back. It serves no purpose...

Steyning Duathlon (Sussex) 5th April 

Steyning has long been held on Easter Bank holiday Monday and this has always been a mixed blessing in the past. The fact that it is on a bank holiday means that the town centre run course and transition area become packed with people out to watch a good race and as such the atmosphere is excellent. The fact that the bike course for many years has snaked close to one of the main trunk roads down to the coast has been the source of problems in terms of traffic bunching up. The organisers have stuck with the date and now seem to have found the perfect all-round bike course which has a mix of fast stretches and some testing hills.  This is a race to do for the atmosphere on the run course, the slightly shorter first run (which suites the strong bikers!) and the fact that it&rsquo;s the ideal opportunity to take family and friends so that once the race action is over you can go and sample the coast (at spring time) which is just a short drive away.

Top Tip: I&rsquo;d say the majority of people overcook the first 3k of the opening run by going too fast. It starts downhill and has a great crowd spread along the main street which your ego will want to dash along but trust me, once on the quieter back road you&rsquo;ll be paying for it before you turn back onto the high street again. Even pacing and tunnel vision might just help you stay on track on the first run.    

Now I&rsquo;ve chosen some smaller races which really deserve a big reputation. These are my Hidden Jewels:

Maidstone Duathlon (Kent) 7th March  

A rolling country lane first run followed by a rolling (mostly) A-road bike course which is fast and exciting. The out and back nature makes it ideal for measuring your effort. A straight up and down two sides of a hill makes the short final run. Lovely people, nice atmosphere and easy to get to just off the A2 in Kent.

Top Tip: For your warm-up, run right out of the car park and up what will be the hill for the final run so that you can run the length of it and know how to pace it at the end of the race. 

1485 No Frills Duathlon (Market Bosworth) 21st March

A pan-flat run around a picturesque water park followed by a rolling country lane bike course. The bike course is a great blend of testing rises and fast windy lane sections. The final run is another flat fast run out to a turn and back. 
Top Tip: Wear trail shoes for the run sections if you have them. You could even wear cross country &lsquo;spikes&rsquo; just whack some elastic laces in them to save time.   

Knockburn Duathlon (Scotland) 4th April
 
Duathlon is set to be a big part of Scotland&rsquo;s sporting landscape in 2010 with the World Championships being held there in September. The Knockburn Duathlon is the final round of the Aberdeenshire winter series and comes not long after the Stirling world championships qualifier so it&rsquo;s an ideal time for Scottish Duathletes to polish their form on a beautiful course.

A loch-side first run gives way to a hilly and exposed cycle section before doing exactly the same run again.

Top Tip: The bike course has some tight and fast turns on it. Always remember: try to take these bends by going wide, tight, wide by clipping across the apex of the bend and staying low on the bike to maintain a low centre of gravity. Obviously make sure that you ride safely within the lane though.  

Gower Duathlon (Welsh Championships) 15th May

This young but ambitious event has gained the status of a Welsh Championship this year which should be the start of it growing into being one of the all time great British Duathlons. It deserves it with a course like that!

A slightly rolling cliff top run overlooking Rhossili beach will take your breath away before you head out onto a hard but exhilarating bike loop which takes in most of the Gower peninsula and really shows off the landscape before heading out and back to another stunning view which you could easily have missed on the final cliff top run. The views are so good you&rsquo;ll feel guilty for not stopping!

Top Tip: Make sure your tyres are well inflated. If it&rsquo;s wet you would be better leaving them at your standard pressure that letting any air out for better traction as it&rsquo;s a rural loop with often gritty roads and you don&rsquo;t want a puncture to ruin a great day out. Soft tyres deform more easily around a piece of grit or a thorn and welcome it into it&rsquo;s rubbery clutch. A hard tyre says &ldquo;Oi! Thorn! No!&rdquo;  and leaves it sitting upright for the next person behind you.




  ]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[London Duathlon launches Ultra Distance]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5706.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[London Duathlon,  the world&#039;s biggest duathlon event to be held on Sunday 12th September 2010,  has launched a new Ultra Duathlon distance that will appeal to the thousands of  athletes now focussing on longer distance racing. The 20km : 80km : 10km  event will be integrated into the existing Challenge and Fun distance events for  the London Duathlon, held annually in Richmond Park - the only day in the year  that the Park is closed to vehicles. 

Mass Participation Events, organisers of the Goodwood Duathlon and Liverpool  Triathlon, recently acquired the London Duathlon, though Kevin Stewart,  Managing Director of MPE, was instrumental in establishing the original London  Duathlon as a Director of London Triathlon Ltd. He said &amp;quot;I am delighted to  be involved with the event again. Richmond Park provides a stunning venue and  we feel that by launching an Ultra Duathlon, we can draw a new audience to the  London Duathlon. This is one of several new initiatives we are looking at to  build on the existing success and make 2010 the best event to date.&amp;quot;

The Ultra distance will involve two laps of the Park for the first run,  followed by seven laps on the bike and a further full lap of the Park to  finish. Places in the event will be available on a first come, first  served basis and limited by the route capacity. Athletes will start in the  first waves of the day and be limited to 6hrs 15 mins to complete the  distance. 
Entries are open now: www.TheLondonDuathlon.co.uk]]></description></item></channel></rss>
