Online registration for the 2008 National Duathlon Festival is now open at www.duathlonnationals.com. The National Duathlon Festival is a multi-day event that will feature the USAT Duathlon National Championships and USAT Duathlon Junior National Championships plus a Duathlon Off-Road Championships as well as youth and shorter distance races.

"The USAT National Duathlon Festival will put the sport of duathlon in the spotlight and will provide a premier competitive event experience for elite duathlon competitors as well as junior and age group participants," said Skip Gilbert, executive director of USA Triathlon.

The USAT National Duathlon Festival comes on the heels of Richmond hosting the 2007 McDonald's ITU Duathlon Long Course World Championships in October. The festival will be held in Richmond in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

"We believe in the future of the sport of Duathlon and, together with USA Triathlon, see an opportunity to build on the success of having the 2007 Duathlon World Championships in Richmond," said Jon Lugbill, executive director of Sports Backers, which organized the world championships and will do the same for the Festival.

The USAT National Duathlon Festival promises a premier experience for duathletes of all levels. Pros, age groups, youth/junior, and age group participants will all be running and biking along much of the same course that made the 2007 McDonald's ITU Duathlon Long Course World Championships such a rousing success. The National Duathlon Festival also marks the first time that the USAT Duathlon National Championships and the Off-Road Duathlon Championships will be combined on the same weekend.

The same start, finish and transition area as the World Championships will be used and a closed bike course very similar to the World Championship course will be challenging and technical but easy enough for the citizens races. The downtown Richmond location allows for a proven off-road duathlon location, having hosted the past eight XTERRA East Coast Championships at this site. The location is also easy walking distance from downtown hotels, restaurants and parking.

The schedule (and event distances) for the National Duathlon Festival

Saturday, April 26, 2008


Off-Road Duathlon Championships
(10K run, 30K bike, 5K run) 
Off-Road Duathlon Junior Race
(5K run, 10K bike, 2.5K run) 
Off-Road Youth Race
(1K run, 4K bike, 1K run) 
Off-Road Duathlon Sport Race
(5K run, 10K bike, 2.5K run) 


Sunday, April 27, 2008


USAT Duathlon National Championships
(10K run, 40K bike, 5K run) 
USAT Duathlon Junior National Championships
(5K run, 20K bike, 2.5K run) 
USAT Duathlon Youth National Championships
(1K run, 5K bike, 1K run) 
Duathlon Sport Race
(5K run, 20K bike, 2.5K run)