Competition is fierce in downtown Richmond.

Colorado newcomer Matt Russell (in photo) combined drafting tactics on the bike and speed on the run to win to the USAT Duathlon National Championships in1 hour, 58 minutes, and 2 seconds here today.

"I worked with Ryan Ignatz and another guy and we saved a lot of energy sharing pulls," said Russell, who caught up to Richmond's Tom Jeffrey, the defending national champion with two miles left in the 10 kilometer run, 40 kilometer bike, 5 kilometer run event. "I started the second run in third place and then opened it up."

Russell, who has been a professional duathlete for only four months, spent much of the bike portion in the company of Ignatz and Chicago runner Ryan Guiliano. In the draft-legal format, the trio took turns while Jeffrey gambled that solo riding would bring him his third consecutive national duathlon title. Though he led for most of the bike segment and was the first runner out of the transition for the final 5K segment, Jeffrey faded to fourth place at 1:59:29.

"I enjoyed the course," said Russell, who earned $1,500 for first place. "The run is a little bit cross-country, which suited me. I'm definitely coming back."

Guiliano (1:58:58) and Ignatz (1:59:13) were second and third respectively.

On a day when rain-slick streets caused many a rider to spill and slide, Richmond's downtown course provided plenty of challenge, opportunity, and delight for participants. Anne Curi Preisig found it entirely to her liking as she won the USAT Women's National Championships in 2 hours, 20 minute, and 52 seconds. "I loved going around the island on the run," said Curi Preisig, a 40-year-old mother of two. "For me, being downtown, it's just amazing that you can run around this beautiful island (Belle Isle Park). And then all the trees are flowering. I like going along all these pretty streets."

Bianca Simpson was second at 2:22:38 and Canadian Nik Vogler was third at 2:25:46.

In all, 450 duathletes from around the country competed in the national championships as pros, age group athletes, sport racers, juniors, and youth racer. Sunday's on-road events were part of the two-day National Duathlon Festival which featured off-road duathlon national championship events that were contested by 175 participants on Saturday. The National Duathlon Festival marks the first time off-road national championship events have been combined with on-road national championship events at the same site. The National Duathlon Festival, which is organized by the Sports Backers, will be in held in Richmond through 2010.

Top Three Finishers

Men's U.S. Pro Duathlon National Championships 
1. Matthew Russell, 25, Boulder, CO, 1:58:02 
2. Ryan Guiliano, 24, Schaumburg, IL, 1:58:58 
3. Ryan Ignatz, 30, Boulder, CO, 1:59:13
 	 	 
	 	 
Women's U.S. Pro Duathlon National Championships  
1. Anne Curi Preisig, 40, Falmouth, MA, 2:20:52
2. Bianca Simpson, 33, Chester Springs, PA, 2:22:38
3. Nik Vogler, 29, Calgary, Alberta, CA 2:25:46

Day One: Off-Road Duathlon National Championship

Full results in all classes of the off-road and on-road events of the National Duathlon Festival will be posted at www.Duathlonnationals.com.