Duathlon: Athletes revved up for nationals

Taupo Motorsport Park will host the Contact national duathlon championships this weekend for the second year.

Despite cool race day conditions last year, the venue is proving popular with participants, so much so that numbers are up on last year's overall entries with close to 500 lining up in various categories from national schools to age group national champs events in individual and team races.

Tri NZ event manager Kate Blood says the venue is perfect.

"The response last year was incredible in regards to the venue; athletes are never far from the heart of the event with the run and bike both taking in the motorsport circuit and, for the bike, some of the nearby roads.

"Riding on the motorsport circuit itself brings its own excitement on the smooth tarmac with cambered corners making for fast and safe riding while spectators can see much of the action from the grandstand on top of the garages that instead of providing shelter for cars and crews, provide a great hideaway for athletes, teams and supporters to base themselves in for the day."

Athletes of all ages will line up on Sunday, from as young as 10-year-old David Barker, from Gisborne Intermediate School in the Year 7 sprint, to Ray Bennett, from Christchurch, who will take part in the men's standard distance championship in the 75 to 79-year age category.

Race distances are varied, with the youngest competitors racing over a 2km run, 7km cycle and 1km run course while the standard distance offers the challenge of a 10km run, 40km cycle and a 5km run to national honours.

And the quality of the elite races will be high, in particular in the women's races, with 2011 world long distance duathlon champion Mel Burke back to defend her national standard distance crown in the elite women and current ITU U19 elite triathlon world champion Mikayla Nielsen lining up in the U19 event as she continues her buildup to the ITU world triathlon championships in Auckland next month.

Nielsen will have stern opposition from fellow triathlete Maddie Dillon.

Schools will be vying for individual honours as well as bragging rights throughout the day, with racing from Year 7 to U19 on the cards for athletes from all around the country with entries received from as far south as Ashburton and Whangarei in the north. Gisborne is also well represented across many age groups while there is a strong representation from local central North Island schools.

Late entries are accepted until 5pm on Friday. For more info: www.triathlon.org.nz and go to the events section.

Race distances

Standard Distance: 10km Run/40km Cycle/5km Run

Sprint Distance/U19: 5km Run/20km Cycle/2.5km Run

U16: 3.5km Run/15km Cycle/2.5km Run

Short Distance/U14: 2.5km Run/10km Cycle/2.5km Run

Year 7 & 8: 2km Run/7km Cycle/1km Run