Following quickly on the heels of British success at the ETU Duathlon European Championships in Kalkar, Germany, attention turns this weekend to the off-road format.
A championship event for the first time last year, the 2016 ETU Cross Duathlon European Championships takes place in Târgu Mures, within the Transylvania region of Romania from 23-24 April.
A small team of around 20 British Age-Group athletes have been preparing for the event, which includes three of the four medal winners from the inaugural championship in Spain.
Kirsty Prior was Great Britain's sole Age-Group Gold medallist in Castro Urdiales, Spain, last year and she returns to defend her European title in the 40-44 category. Other returning medal winners include Nicola Noble (25-29, Silver) and Richard Hardy (60-64, Bronze).
Heading the Elite race from a British perspective is Louise Fox. Previously a World Championship medal winner as an Age-Group athlete in Duathlon, Louise excelled in the off-road discipline of the sport in 2015, including Elite representation at the European and World Cross Triathlon Championships. Finishing her year in Spain, she than added a first international Elite medal, earning Silver in the first edition of the European Cross Duathlon Championships.
"Winning Silver at Castro Urdiales was the highlight of 2015 for me. I have been looking forward to racing in Transylvania ever since! I was hoping with a good winter's training (and minus the Spanish heat), I'd have a chance of moving up to the top step of the podium.
"However, life can sometimes get in the way! I returned to my full-time office job the week after Spain (after 15 months away), which makes training much more challenging to fit in. I've also had a couple of health/family setbacks meaning I was unable to train at all in December or February. So, I am coming into Romania with only three months of training since Spain, and I haven't raced since then either.
"On the plus side, I moved to a new coach, Mark Pearce, in October; a decision I am very happy with! I feel we have made the most of all the training I have been able to do, so maybe I will surprise myself! I will certainly be giving it my best shot. The course looks great - even tougher than Spain if that's possible - but it will be worth finishing just to get the vampire-themed T-shirt and visit Dracula's castle!"
Louise will be joined in the GB Elite team by Flo Dannah, with Llewellyn Holmes representing the Elite Men.
Both Elite and Age-Group athletes will race over distances of 8.25km (3 laps) / 28km (4 laps) / 2.75km (1 lap) , with Juniors over a shorter format of 5.5km / 14km / 2.75km, all within the forest area of Platou Cornesti.
British Elite athletes - ETU European Cross Duathlon Championships, Tárgu Mures, Romania
Elite Men: Llewellyn Holmes
Elite Women: Flo Dannah, Louise Fox
For a full list of competing Age-Group athletes, please click HERE.
Schedule
Saturday 23rd April: Age-Group, Elite Women, Elite Under-23 Women
Sunday 24th April: Paraduathlon, Elite Men, Elite Under-23 Men, Elite Juniors
Event website: www.crossduathlon.ro
