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Will Minnesotans Rock @ Du Nationals?

Saturday, 10 March 2018 23:10

ED. Duathlon Nationals is earlier than usual this year, happening in South Carolina on the 7-8 of April. Are Minnesota run-bike-runners aware o this? We hope so. We'd love to see the 2018 season kicked off with Minnesota success at Nationals. This would be a great lead-in to our state's spring du season, which starts with Falls on April 28, then heads to Square Lake (Cinco Du Mayo), Oakdale and then to Sartell (Apple). 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The top amateur run-bike-run athletes in the country will compete for national titles next month, as the USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships head to Greenville, South Carolina. Three action-packed races will take place over two days from April 7-8 at Lakeside Park, a scenic venue in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. More than 1,000 athletes are expected to compete.

On Saturday, April 7, duathletes will toe the line for the Draft-Legal Sprint Duathlon National Championships. The first wave is set to go off at 7:30 a.m. ET, and competitors will cover a 5-kilometer run, draft-legal 18-kilometer bike and another 2.85-kilometer run. The fast-paced draft-legal format, which enables athletes to pace off each other and work together on the bike, is typical in elite International Triathlon Union races and is becoming increasingly popular at the age-group level. ...

The draft-legal event, which was a World Championship qualifier but not a National Championship in previous years, is considered a National Championship for the first time this year.

The action continues Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET with the Non-Drafting Standard Duathlon National Championships, which cover an 8.45k run, 39k bike and 4.5k run. The Non-Drafting Sprint Duathlon National Championships follow at 1:05 p.m. ET, covering the same distances as Saturday’s sprint race but in a non-draft format.

In all three of the weekend’s races, athletes have the chance to qualify to represent Team USA in duathlon competition at the 2019 ITU Multisport World Championships Festival in Pontevedra, Spain. For more information about qualifying for Team USA, comprised of the nation’s top amateur multisport athletes who represent the U.S. at ITU World Championship events, visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa. READ MORE