Yvonne van Vlerken

Another duathlete doing well in the world of Ironman.
Guess we cant blame her for going where the $ is?
Check out her website at: http://www.yvonnevanvlerken.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Duathlon Nationals Course Maps Available.

Check out the new course revisions for 2009.

http://www.duathlonnationals.com/

Duathlon National Championships Course Changes

Course maps are not finalized yet, but here are some of the key changes to the DuNat courses that were decided yesterday: On-road age group championships - The bike course will have three loops instead of four. Switchbacks and sharp turns have been taken out. - The run course will be all on-road. The first 10k will be one simple fast loop. It'll have rolling hills and will still be challenging, just less repetitive than last year. The second 5k will be the most scenic part of the course along the canal and will also be the most difficult. Off-road championships - Both run courses are new with the first 7 miler over hilly very challenging terrain. - The bike course will be the same one used in previous XTERRA competitions Overall, the changes that were made (less loops, twists and turns, etc.) were done in an effort to reduce congestion and make the courses simpler for the athletes, but also still very challenging. It's noteworthy that Mike Plumb, the Duathlon Commission Chairman and a 2008 competitor said the on-road courses are now 'a night and day difference' compared to last year.

Joerie Vansteelants Website

Here is the site of the heir to the Vansteelant duathlon throne after the untimely death of King Benny.
http://www.joerievansteelant.com/

Erika Csomor's Website

Here is Erika's site. She does do tri's but we wont hate her for that, she still likes du's as well;)
http://www.csomorerika.hu/

Where does Duathlon belong? Part 1

I've been in the sport of duathlon since the mid 1980's and have seen the rise and fall of the sport from its heyday in the late 80' and early 90's to its less than stellar showing currently.
I think there are a number of factors involved in this decline in popularity, the first being the marketing giant that is Ironman Hawaii. Ironman is etched upon the populaces memory as the ultimate feat of endurance with visions of people crawling across the finish line utterly spent and all the special interest stories and sensationalism that would make a reality TV producer salivate.
The Ironman ranks are filled with a plethora of type A personalities that have grown weary of yet another marathon so for them Ironman is the natural progression for putting another notch on their things to achieve list.
Can duathlon compete with this? Should it even try?
I think one needs to look to when duathlon was popular and try and regain some of that once again. The distances were short, typically a 5k run, 30k bike and a 5k run which with some training is achievable by almost everyone. Of course there were big time sponsors involved such as Coors and Dannon and maybe we need to find another company bold enough to take a chance on duathlon. I dont think it is realistic to think that you are going to have a field of 2000 plus athletes even it the larger metropolitan areas but I think 500 or so is a real possibility and if one markets it correctly that should be achievable. I think even shorter distances such as 2 mile, 12 mile, 2 mile may even be more popular.
Currently "short course" duathlon is 10k, 40k, 5k and is quite a daunting task for a beginner. Thats almost 10 miles of running not to mention 24 miles on the bike in between. To compete in such a race will take quite a bit of training and commitment that most either don't have the time or the desire to do.
Why cant duathlon be like the 5k is to the marathon. If someone has the time and money train for an Ironman, if someone has more modest fitness goals a duathlon could be just the thing they are looking for.
Anway, I think this article can be put in the "to be continued" catagory for now but I would welcome your thoughts.

USAT Announces 2009 Duathlon Championship Sites

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (December 9, 2008) -- USA Triathlon (USAT) has announced the dates and locations for its 2009 National Championship events.

Elite Long Course Duathlon Powerman Alabama Irondale, AL April 12, 2009

Short Course Duathlon National Duathlon Festival Richmond, VA April 25, 2009

Long Course Duathlon Auburn International Duathlon Auburn, CA May 31, 2009