Courtesy: USAT

Duathlon, one of the fastest growing segments of the multi-sport disciplines, will take center stage Oct. 19-20 in Alpharetta, Ga., at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Duathlon World Championships.

This event will bring the best age group and elite duathletes from the United States and around the world to compete in a race consisting of a 10k (two lap) run, 40k (three lap) bike and 5k (one lap) run. The top 10 elite men and women will share the $60,000 prize purse.

The United States plans to send 22 elite (pro) duathletes, 19 junior elites and more than 300 age groupers (amateurs) to compete.

Team USA will be hoping to improve on its 2001 world duathlon showing where it won 16 age group medals and no elite medals. At least 25 members of the 2001 team could not get to the race, held Sept. 16 in Rimini, Italy, due to the events of Sept. 11.

Among the U.S. elite athletes scheduled to compete in Georgia are U.S. national duathlon champions Greg Watson (Newark, Del.) and Andrea Radkovic (Norman, Okla.).

The other duathletes competing on the men's team are David Boutillier (Webster, N.Y.), Joseph Cech (Shaker Heights, Ohio), Kevin Danahy (Dover, Del.), Tim Kitching (Baltimore, Md.), Travis Kuhl (Carthage, N.Y.), Brent Perdrizet (New Fairfield, Conn.), Craig Reese (Greer, S.C.), Eric Schwartz (Boulder, Colo.), Chris Tolonen (Seattle, Wash.) and Samuel Wilbur (Boulder, Colo.)

The women's team will consist of Desiree Ficker (Potomac, Md.), Anne Curi Preisig (Falmouth, Mass.), Melissa Hopkins (Birmingham, Ala.), Lauren Jensen (New Berlin, Wis.), Michelle Kitze (Kettering, Ohio), Janet Sherman (Gladstone, Ore.) and Alexis Waddell (Pacific Grove, Calif.).

Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), the No. 2-ranked female triathlete in the world, is also on the start list for the United States.

Several age group medalists from 2001 are also scheduled to race for the United States: Sharon Blount (Lexington, Ky.; W60-64), Roger Brockenbrough (Pittsburgh, Pa.; M65-69), Pat Fossum (Montgomery, Ala.; W65-69), Walter Palmer (Indianapolis, Ind.; M75-79), Dan Rindfleisch (Madison, Wis.; M45-49), Betty Skipp (Boulder, Colo.; W70-74), Marge Stahl (Annandale, Va.; W70-74) and Rebecca Strode (Springfield, Va.; W45-49).

Age group athletes competing in this event qualified at one of four regional events or at the USAT National Duathlon Championship that took place in July in Carlsbad, Calif. Eighteen athletes per age group were allowed to qualify for the team plus 20 others who were given qualifying dispensations because of problems in getting to last year's world championship in Rimini, Italy, due to the events of Sept. 11.

The Clydesdale/Lady Clydesdale (C/LC) category will be an exhibition wave at the race. The competition categories are:

Male 90kg-198lbs, age under-39
Male 90kg-198lbs, age 40-plus
Female 68kg-150lbs, age under-39
Female 68kg-150lbs, age 40-plus

The race web site is www.worlddu2002.com.