Triathletes Turn to ITU Duathlon World Championships

by Peter Holmes on 21 Sep, 2009 05:38

With the Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship Series completed many of the world’s principle elite triathletes turn their attention to the ITU Duathlon World Championships which are being held this weekend in Concord, North Carolina, USA.

Duathlon, which consists of a 10km run, 40km cycle and 5km run, requires high levels of endurance and power, with the ability to run strongly off the bike a necessity if athletes are to place highly. As such there are many specialist elite duathletes the world over who prefer their running to their swimming, and they won’t want the triathletes spoiling their big day.

The elite men’s race sees Paul Amey going in search of his fourth duathlon world title, the New Zealand born Brit trying to take advantage of a weakened Belgian team who only send one athlete, Jurgen Dereere, to the championships.

The Belgian men have a strong history in the sport with many of their athletes making the transition across from pro cycling. Benny Vansteelant, a four time standard distance world champion, was their big hero until he was tragically killed whilst training two years ago.

2008 bronze medallist, Sergio Silva from Portugal, makes the trip along with experienced team mate Lino Barruncho. Adam Bowden from Great Britain could stir things up at the front as the international steeplechaser makes the switch to multisport.

American hopes lie on the shoulders of Jarrod Shoemaker, the Hamburg Dextro Energy Triathlon – ITU World Championship winner, who is a renowned runner, clocking some impressive 5km race splits in the lead up to the 2009 season. With most of the duathletes just starting their autumn campaigns, and with Shoemaker just finishing his season, it will be interesting to see how the athletes compare.

Athletes in the junior men’s race will have to keep an eye on Mario Mola from Spain. Coming off the back of an incredible run in the junior triathlon world championships, it will take somebody special to stay ahead of the flying youngster.

In the women’s competition the only medallist from last year’s world championships in Rimini, Italy, Ana Burgos, makes the cross-Atlantic trip from her home in Spain. Having taken bronze behind Portugal’s Vanessa Fernandes and Britain’s Catriona Morrison in 2008, Burgos will be targeting the top step of the podium.

She will face stiff competition from Athens Olympic gold medallist Kate Allen who will retire at the end of the season. Allen’s weakness in 2009 has been her swimming, and with duathlon only encompassing running and cycling skills, the Austrian will fancy her chances to take home a world title.

Going in search of her second world title of the year is New Zealand’s Samantha Warriner, the Kiwi looking to add duathlon to her aquathlon medal success. Having struggled through the year with injury and bad luck Warriner is due a lucky break, and Concord could serve her well. The other big name to make the triathlon switch is Vendula Frintova from the Czech Republic who will be hoping her legs can hold up for one more race following an intensive triathlon season of racing and travel.


Article gallery
Related Event: 2009 Concord ITU Duathlon World Championships
26 Sep, 2009 • event pageall results
Results: U23 Women
1. Evgenia Sukhoruchenkova RUS 02:09:04
2. Kinga Lauf HUN 02:23:21
Results: U23 Men
1. Alessandro Fabian ITA 01:49:50
2. Antoine Duvivier BEL 01:50:03
3. Tiago Silva POR 01:50:07
4. Bojan Cebin SLO 01:50:08
5. Derek Oskutis USA 01:50:42
Results: Junior Women
1. Sophie Coleman GBR 01:04:30
2. Vicky Graves GBR 01:04:42
3. Marjon Van Der Wansem NED 01:04:49
4. Adriana Barraza MEX 01:05:08
5. Jessica Cecilia Berrones MEX 01:07:32
Results: Junior Men
1. Lukas Verzbicas USA 00:55:29
2. Mario Mola ESP 00:55:38
3. Carlos Chavez MEX 00:55:59
4. Vid Pucelj SLO 00:56:03
5. Nathan Coombes NZL 00:56:04
Results: Elite Women
1. Vendula Frintova CZE 02:08:17
2. Sandra Levenez FRA 02:08:22
3. Ana Burgos Acuña ESP 02:08:30
4. Ruth Van Der Meijden NED 02:08:40
5. Anne Haug GER 02:08:47
Results: Elite Men
1. Jarrod Shoemaker USA 01:49:01
2. Damien Derobert FRA 01:49:03
3. Jurgen Dereere BEL 01:49:09
4. Sergio Silva POR 01:49:26
5. Victor Manuel Del Corral Morales ESP 01:49:28
Results: 80-84 Male AG
1. Edwin Bixenstine USA 03:03:17
2. Edward Maruna USA 03:32:26
Results: 75-79 Male AG
1. Roger Brockenbrough USA 02:39:19
2. Arnott Kidd GBR 02:39:46
3. Robert Chapman AUS 02:42:06
4. Gene White USA 02:55:35
5. Robert Wild CAN 03:04:13
Results: 70-74 Male AG
1. John Wood NZL 02:21:23
2. Donald Ardell USA 02:24:28
3. Charles Towse USA 02:26:58
4. John Elliott USA 02:30:12
5. James Girand USA 02:34:14
Results: 70-74 Female AG
1. Frieda Metz GER 02:41:45
2. Sharon Roggenbuck USA 03:10:26
3. Pat Fossum USA 03:22:13
4. Gabriele Pelz GER 03:41:32
Related articles
Tracker Pixel for Entry