Mount Bachelor to Host 2009 Winter Triathlon National Championship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship will return to Bend, Ore., for the second straight year.

The 2009 event is scheduled for Sunday, January 11 at Mount Bachelor. Registration begins November 15 with entry fees starting at $45. Participants can enter as individuals, pairs or relay teams. Click here for the registration page.

Winter triathlon consists of running, mountain biking and cross country skiing — all on snow. The run course will consist of two laps for a total distance of 5 km. Depending on snow conditions, the bike course will be between 10-12 km. The ski course will consist of two 4 km laps for a total ski distance of 8 km.

There are no pre-qualifying races for the USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship, so all athletes are encouraged to participate in winter triathlon’s premiere event. USAT will offer a $3,000 cash purse to age group and overall winners along with prizes from sponsors.

The top three male and female Americans qualify for the Winter Triathlon World Championship in Gaishorn, Austria, in February 2009. These athletes will receive a $1,000 travel stipend, reimbursed uniform costs and paid entry. Athletes must be current USAT members – elite or amateur. Visit the USAT website for information on how to join. The top three age group athletes also qualify but are fully responsible for their own costs if they choose to attend the World Championship.

The USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship is one of three qualifiers for the world championship. The other qualifiers are: Battle at Soldier Hollow Winter Tri on January 17 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Gunstock Winter Tri on January 25 in Gilford, N.H. The top two athletes in each age group, rolling down to fourth place, will qualify for worlds.

“We’re excited to be back in Bend for the USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship,” said Jeff Dyrek, USA Triathlon’s National Events director. “The 2008 event had amazing conditions, and we look forward to improving things in 2009 with the hopes of winning the bid for the 2010 ITU Winter Triathlon World Championship.”

Organizers plan to provide a faster riding surface on the bike course. The course will be open for practice for the week prior to the event and skills clinics will be offered through local and national coaches.

For those traveling to Bend for the weekend, the Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation is holding the Patagonia Pursuit 12 km Nordic ski race on Saturday, January 10. This event will feature a 6 km classic leg followed by a 6 km skate leg; this will be a great warm up for the triathlon. Participants who do both races will receive a discounted entry. More details about the weekend and suggestions for lodging and travel will be available on the event website when registration opens.

New for 2009 is a partnership with the Council for Responsible Sport. Organizers will work together to minimize waste, raise awareness of environmental issues related to sporting events and help offset carbon emissions from grooming, participant travel and energy used for the event. Mt. Bachelor already purchases 100 percent of its electricity from clean sources like wind and geothermal.

Links

Registration page
USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship website
Winter Nationals website
Find out more about winter triathlon
Battle at Soldier Hollow Winter Tri
Gunstock Winter Tri

Tags: National Championships, Winter Triathlon