Athletes prepare for European Duathlon Championships

British triathlon has confirmed an exciting team of eight athletes for the 2010 Nancy ETU Duathlon European Championships, next weekend (1-2 May). The team contains a mix of talented juniors and new and developing senior athletes looking to gain valuable experience in the lead up to Britain hosting the 2010 Edinburgh ITU Duathlon World Championships in September.



Trigold athlete Katie Ingram, who was recently crowned National Elite Duathlon Champion, will make her international duathlon debut. The 2009 Commonwealth Mountain Running Champion joined the British Triathlon set-up just six months ago and continues her rapid transition into multisport.



Mark Buckingham also joins the squad from an elite running background. The 24-year-old has been successful as a national level runner and steeplechase athlete. He finished a close third at the British Elite Championships behind former ITU Duathlon World Champion, Tim Don, and Will Clarke. Phil Wylie, a former British Elite Champion from 2008 is Britain’s other senior representative and a member of the British Triathlon Multisport squad.



Kat Grimmett also a member of the Elite Multisport squad and Emma Dews join Ingram in the senior women’s race. Grimmett this week was a convincing winner for the Police at the Inter Services Duathlon Championships in Wiltshire and has also been selected to represent England Athletes in a half marathon international against Germany in Denmark on 8 May.



Grimmett, from Hampshire, led last year’s Concord ITU Duathlon World Championships but was knocked off her bike within metres of the end of the bike section by the rider behind. Dews is the current World and European Age Group Duathlon Champion.



Sophie Coleman makes the step up to Under 23 level after winning the world junior title for the last two years. Lois Rossindale, the British Universities Champion, also races the Under 23 event and Tom Bishop takes on the men’s junior event.



Performance Director, Heather Williams, said: “We have several athletes who are stepping up a level, and some exceptional runners in the team who are capable of controlling and influencing the overall pace of the races. The European Championships will provide a valuable stepping stone as we prepare for the World Championships in Edinburgh in September.”

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.