The USAT National Duathlon Festival set entry records today for the largest Duathlon Age Group National Championships with 923 entries and the largest combination of events at the championships with 1,235 total entries in all events.

After having set an all-time record for total duathlon participants ever to enter a national championship in the United States, the USAT Duathlon Age Group National Championships in Richmond, VA on April 26 will have to limit entries to the first 1,200 registrants. 

“This is truly gratifying,” says USA Triathlon’s Executive Director Skip Gilbert.  “Response to our USAT Duathlon Age Group National Championship has been so strong we have to cap our entries at 1,200.  This will be the largest field we have ever had for an age-group duathlon national championships in the United States.”  Entries will not be limited in any of the other events occurring during the National Duathlon Festival weekend.

“Duathletes are coming out of the woodwork to compete here in Richmond for the National Duathlon Festival set for April 25-26th,” says Sports Backers executive director Jon Lugbill.  “The Sports Backers, USA Triathlon, USA Triathlon Mid Atlantic Region, and the Richmond Triathlon Club have worked hard together to promote entries in the event.  All of these organizations are focused on creating the kind of quality event that will bring even more back next year.”  In an effort to allow for congestion free racing on the course, the on-road age group national championships will feature fourteen different wave starts based on age.  Complete information about the wave starts is included on the official event website http://www.duathlon.com.  The National Duathlon Festival is a two-day event featuring on-road duathlon events (April 26), off-road duathlon events (April 25) and some combination events.

In the on-road events, the age group athletes can qualify for the ITU Duathlon Short Course World Championships in Concord, NC in September.  There are 12 qualifying slots per age group category at the USAT Duathlon National Championships.  Every participant will also receive a USAT National Championship backpack, a Commemorative Finisher pint glass, a hat and a technical T-shirt.

The start, finish and transition area will be the same as the 2008 USAT Duathlon National Championships and will feature a festival atmosphere, though the on-road and off-road run and bike courses have changed (maps and videos at http://www.duathlonnationals.com).  Several new events have been added including the Du Duo Relay two-person team event (which has proven quite popular with duathlon couples), the mighty Double Du (fastest combined time in the off-road and on-road age group championships) and club and collegiate championships.  The Richmond Triathlon Club will host a post-race tailgate party.