An ultimate guide to duathlon

Duathlon is a sport that originated from triathlon and is now considered to be one of the most popular variety of this discipline. This outdoor activity, as well as the competitive sport, involves running and cycling. Both elements are available in all parts of the world, which means that any person who can cycle will be able to participate in these competitions. This discipline consists of three stages, two of them are running, whereas triathlon comprises swimming. Let us take a closer look at duathlon.

Distances

There are two types of distances in duathlon. Some of them follow the example of triathlon and usually involve covering long distances. Others are very short; they are extremely popular among beginners.

The first category of duathlon can be divided into three distances:

• 7 + 30 + 3.5 kilometers;
• 10 + 40 + 5 kilometers (this is a standard Olympic distance);
• 20 + 80 + 10 kilometers (this is the longest distance).

As for the sprints, they are much shorter:

• 1 + 5 + 1 kilometers;
• 2 + 8 + 1 kilometers;
• 5 + 20 + 2.5 kilometers (this distance is the most popular).

Athletes can cover these distances by running or walking. It is not allowed to use any stics or other objects in the turning points, keep wearing the helmet after cycling, run without a T-shirt, crawl or be accompanied by a coach.

Powerman duathlon

Those who are anxious to toss challenges to themselves can practice Powerman Duathlon. This competition involves covering extremely long distances:

• 10 kilometers of running;
• 150 kilometers of cycling;
• 30 kilometers of running.

Up to 20 powerman races are held annually. Whoever covers the finish line first becomes the winner. The last race in this series is called Powerman Zofingen and takes place in Switzerland. This race is considered to be the most prestigious, and its award is the most desirable for all athletes.

London duathlon

London is not only famous as the city that hosts the London marathon, but it is also known as the city where London duathlon race takes place. This event was held in 2005 for the first time and involved the greatest number of participants ever. Athletes have a choice between four distances:

• 5 + 22 + 5 km;
• 10 + 44 + 5 km;
• 20 + 77 +10 km;
• 10 + 44 + 5 km.

Alternative duathlon

This discipline is a variety of duathlon, which is often referred to as ‘cross-duathlon’. This discipline is a combination between classic duathlon and cross-country running. The main difference between these sports is that alternative duathlon takes place in forests and parks, and it involves overcoming different obstacles and riding a mountain bike.

The first European cross-duathlon championship took place in Spain in 2015. There were five distances:

• 5 + 5 + 0.8 km;
• 3 + 10 + 1.5 km;
• 4 + 12 + 2 km;
• 6 + 20 + 3 km;
• 8 + 25 + 4 km.

Winter duathlon

This is another variety of duathlon. Although this discipline is not recognized officially, it is popular among many people who are in for winter sports. It consists of two running parts and one skiing part. The running parts are from 1 to 5 kilometers long, whereas the skiing part is from 2 to 8 kilometers long.

Participants

In duathlon, the requirements for sportsmen are similar to the ones in triathlon. All participants compete in several categories. These categories are determined by the age of the athletes. They are:

• Children (9-11 years old);
• Younger juniors (12-14 years old);
• Older juniors (14-17 years old);
• Young people (18-29 years old);
• The main group (30-39 years old);
• Masters (40-49 years old);
• Veterans (older than 50 years old).

All sportsmen must be in good physical shape because this sport requires a lot of energy. Before the beginning of the race, all athletes receive a starter pack, which consists of three registration numbers, four safety pins and several microchips. One of the numbers is attached to the chest, another one – to the bicycle, and the rest of them are attached to the helmet.

Youngsters from 18 to 19 years old usually take part in short and long distance duathlon, as well as relay races and cross. Juniors younger than 23 years take part in Olympic, short and long distances, as well as in the short and standard cross races.

Requirements for bicycles

Since one part of the race is cycling, there are many requirements for bicycles. First of all, they must be 185 centimeters in length and 50 centimeters in width. The diameter of the wheels is 55 to 70 centimeters. All wheels must be equal in size. There should be 16 spokes on a wheel, each of them must not be wider than 2.4 centimeters. Modifying the bicycle to improve its qualities is prohibited. In case any of the wheels breaks, it will be possible to change it in a particular area on the track.

As for the helmet, the Federation and the organizers of the tournament must approve it. It is not allowed to change any parts of the helmet or the whole helmet during the race. In addition, it is not allowed to take it off until the athlete stops cycling.

Drafting

Sometimes it is allowed to cycle off track for some time in some cases. It is allowed for juniors in terms of sprints and relay races. Moreover, drafting is allowed in women and men races. Drafting can be included in the competition by its organizers, participants cannot make decisions concerning this action on their own.

The zone where drafting can take place is a rectangle with the sides 12*3 meters (for long distances) or 10*3 meters (for the Olympics). This maneuver must last for not longer than 20 seconds in terms of a long distance, or 15 seconds (for the Olympic distances).

Federations

There are several governing bodies of duathlon. The most well-known federation is the International Triathlon Union established in 1989. Its main office is located in Switzerland. This federation unites sportsmen from more than 30 countries. Since 2009, it has organized the World duathlon series.

The European Triathlon Union is in charge of organizing European championships. More than 45 national federations are now active members of this federation. In most countries, there are also national federations. They are responsible for organizing sports events on the territory of their countries.

History

The history of duathlon is not too lasting. This discipline originated from triathlon in 1980s. In the United States, it was called “Run-Bike-Run” and was sometimes mistaken for biathlon. At first, it was not considered a separate discipline and served as a way of training for triathlon athletes. Even nowadays, it remains popular among them. Yet, in 1990s it finally got a name of its own. This happened when the International Triathlon Union applied to the Olympic Games. Since biathlon was an Olympic sport, it was necessary to give this discipline another name to avoid mistaking these sports for each other. It was decided to add the Latin prefix to the stem of this word.

To sum up, duathlon is a great sport for those who cannot choose between cycling and running. This discipline is extremely popular all over the world and involves thousands of athletes. A great variety of distances makes it possible for everyone to choose a type of duathlon they can participate in.