GB Duathlon Ready for Takeoff at Concord

With the Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series completed, the focus now turns to the 2009 Concord ITU Duathlon World Championships which are being held this weekend in Concord, North Carolina, USA.



The weekend will feature more than 750 age group competitors (including over 55 duathletes making the trip from GB) and 150 Elites racing on a 10k run, 40k bike, 5k run course in and around Lowe’s Motor Speedway as the USA hosts the ITU Duathlon World Championships for the sixth time in its history.



The two sports of duathlon and motor racing will come together on the oval banked track of the speedway as the Elite competitors slipstream each other in a battle reminiscent of the Indy 500 or NASCAR Series. The smooth paved 1.5 mile loop provides a unique technical aspect to the bike course which is unparalleled to any previous world championship venue. In addition the speedway’s infield features a twisty road that is incorporated into both the bike and run sections of the event. With transition taking place in the pit lane, it’s as if duathlon has its own Grand Prix.



The Senior Elite GB team that will compete includes 2009 newcomer to the elite scene, Kat Grimmett who has turned down the chance to race with Paula Radcliffe at the World Half Marathon Championships in preference of racing at Concord. She will be able to look for experience and advice from the defending world Champion, Paul Amey who will also be in action looking to repeat his victory in Rimini last year and claim his fourth duathlon world title.



Rich Hobby, Dave Roper, Phil Wylie and Adam Bowden will all compete in the Senior races, with Bowden appearing in his first major championship following his transition into the world of multisport. In the U23 races, our only representative will be Wales’, Non Stanford, a Great Britain international endurance runner who has had a great debut triathlon season in the British Triathlon Super Series.



The Junior race will feature promising youngster, Sophie Coleman who added to her British Junior Duathlon title when winning the British Junior Triathlon Championship title at the Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Series event in Hyde Park, London. She will be competing alongside Junior European gold medallist, Vicky Graves.



British Triathlon Federation Chief Executive, Zara Hyde-Peters is confident of a good performance in Concord commenting: “We are taking a strong team to the event and all the Elite athletes will be thankful of the ever-present support from the fantastic Age-Group squad. Following the success earlier this year at the European Duathlon and the medal haul of our triathletes earlier this month at the ITU Triathlon World Championships on the Gold Coast we will be looking to continue our golden month in Concord”.



The British athletes will want to do well, as they know they will have the opportunity to defend their titles on home soil next year, as the 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championship comes to the Scottish capital. To find out more about the event visit: www.edinburghduathlon2010.com