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Duathlon takes a Spanish turn this weekend

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Alcobendas provides the backdrop to this weekend’s ETU European Sprint and Standard Distance Duathlon Championships, where age-groupers and elite competitors will battle for coveted European titles.

A total of 404 duathletes will adorn the Union Jack as part of the Great Britain Age-Group team. 246 of these will take on the sprint distance, featuring a 5km run, 18.8 km bike, followed by a final 2.5km stint on foot. The further 158 will partake in the standard distance race and compete over a 37.6km bike leg sandwiched between 10km and 5km runs.

The pressure will be on for age-groupers to deliver close to the 44 sprint distance and 8 standard distance medals they accumulated in 2014. Returning standard distance medallists include Elspeth Knott, who topped the W60-64 podium in Weyer last year. She will be hoping for similar success on the Spanish mainland as she steps up an age group.
Sprinters hoping to reclaim gold medals include Peter Ellis who clocked 56:59 in 2014 to top the M30-34. Peter remains in the same age-group and is likely to come face to face with old rivals.

Managing the Great Britain Age-Group Team for the duration of the championships will be Joan Lennon. We spoke to Joan prior to departing; “We’ve got a great team heading out to Alcobendas,with a mix of new talent and great experience.

"With both the sprint and standard distance championships taking place across the weekend, there’s going to be a great atmosphere and will provide huge support for the teams during their races. I’m looking forward to what we can achieve”. 

10 duathletes will also compete in the elite championships over the course of the weekend, with six seniors and U23’s taking on the standard distance and the remaining 4 toeing the line in the sprint.

Reigning ETU Duathlon European U23 Champion George Schwiening will line up in the standard distance race in central Spain. Looking to retain her title this weekend, she said; “I'm enjoying training at the moment -especially as the recent weather has been somewhat closer to the Spanish climate!

“University work has been busy for the past couple of weeks, so more than usual I'm looking forward to doing something a bit different. I just hope that my legs are ready and keen to be tested”

For a full list of competing athletes, please visit here.

Elite races will take place on Saturday 25 April, beginning at 9:00am (local time) with the Junior Women. The age-groupers step up to the mark on Sunday, with races commencing at 8:30am.

Keep updated with the championships in Alcobendas as they unfold by following British Triathlon’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

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