The Clumber Classic Duathlon this Saturday 22 March gives age-group duathletes a second chance to qualify for the sprint and standard distance GB Age-Group Teams that will compete at the 2014 Pontevedra ITU Duathlon World Championships this June.
Dambuster Duathlon and Oulton Park Spring Duathlon provided the first races in which to qualify earlier this month, but attention will now turn to the scenic Nottinghamshire race. The well-known venue and a regular host of GB qualification events will welcome over 900 duathletes to Clumber Park, making the Clumber Classic one of the biggest duathlon events around.
The 2014 event will host qualification races for both the sprint and standard distance teams, with both courses taking you through the historic Sherwood Forest. The run sections for both races take place on fully closed tarmac roads, which have a slow incline going out with an obviously fast decent into transition and the finish area. The bike course in Clumber takes place on a mixture of open and closed roads, but the terrain is undulating making that final run even more challenging.
The Great Britain Age-Group Team has a history of success in duathlon and the competition for places is expected to be tough.
Message from the Team Manager, Jez Cox
“Clumber Park has grown to become one of the iconic races of the UK duathlon scene and Saturday's race looks to be a real classic as it once again hosts a qualifier for both sprint and standard ITU Duathlon World championships this year. The course is a really good mix of undulating parkland roads and straight flat fast roads through Sherwood Forest on the bike leg. It's one I really enjoyed racing even though I never did manage to win it, coming 2nd in 2008 having lost the lead with about 500m to go.
“It’s great to be able to watch the battles as they unfold throughout the age-groups and all the way down the field as the 'will I or wont I' of qualifying plays out during the race. The One Step Beyond team always put on a great show and they know how to keep the crowd entertained throughout as well. Good luck to all taking part and I look forward to seeing the battle commence in the beautiful surroundings of Clumber Park.”
For duathletes who miss the chance to qualify at Clumber Classic Duathlon, the final chance for the sprint distance team is Stockton Duathlon on 27 April and for the standard team Morpeth Duathlon Festival (6 April) provides the final opportunity to make the team for the 2014 ITU World Championships.
Click here to find out more about competing for the Great Britain Age-Group Team.
