Duathlon
The duathlon is an endurance all- round sport consisting of two disciplines , in which the individual disciplines are completed in the order running , cycling and running. The sporting organization of the duathlon, such as the adoption of the rules and the organization and approval of sporting events, is usually taken over by the triathlon associations , such as the International Triathlon Union (ITU) at the international level . The most famous race is the Powerman Zofingen . The variants of the duathlon include the cross duathlon, the bike & run and the team duathlon.
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Technical regulations
The technical requirements for duathlon clothing, bicycles and bicycle helmets are set out in the technical regulations of the International Triathlon Union and correspond to those of the triathlon.
In addition to sportswear, running shoes, a bicycle, a bicycle helmet and, optionally, cycling shoes are required for duathlon. When switching from running to cycling, shoes are usually changed as well. Top athletes only refrain from changing shoes on very short distances, as the time lost by changing outweighs the time gained by cycling through the use of cycling shoes. Racing bikes , triathlon bikes and time trial bikes are particularly popular . In races with a slipstream release, only bicycles with conventional racing handlebars are generally permitted.
Competition rules
The competition rules of the International Triathlon Union for the duathlon are analogous to those of the triathlon. Swimming is replaced by an additional run. When cycling, a distinction is made between competitions with slipstream clearance and competitions with slipstream prohibition.
Route lengths
The lengths of the routes for the respective age groups are based on the distances in the triathlon . In addition to the student and youth distances, the rules of the International Triathlon Union differentiate between sprint, short and long distance.
| designation | Run 1 | wheel | Run 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| sprint | 5 km | 20 km | 2.5 km |
| Short distance (standard) | 10 km | 40 km | 5 km |
| Long distance | 20 km | 80 km | 10 km |
In addition, the International Powerman Association (IPA) organizes long-distance races with different route lengths under the name Powerman .
Competitions
The most famous and popular international duathlon competitions are the Powerman series. The highlight of this series has been the Powerman Zofingen since 1989 . In the 1990s, the Powerman Zofingen's prize money was at times even higher than that of the largest triathlon event, the Ironman Hawaii (world championship on the long distance). The Powerman Zofingen currently counts as a joint world championship of the International Powerman Association and the International Triathlon Union (ITU) on the long distance: first run 10 km, bike distance 150 km, second run 30 km.
The Powerman Holland (first run 15 km, bike course 60 km, second run 7.5 km) in Horst aan de Maas has been the European Triathlon Union (ETU) long-distance championship since 2004 .
The Powerman Germany (first run 16 km, bike course 64 km, second run 8 km) in Falkenstein will also be held as the German championship over the long distance. The German championships over the short distance will be held in different locations - most recently at the Minrath Duathlon in Kalkar (2015).
Duathletes
Many successful duathletes were or are well-known triathletes. Triathlon legends like Greg Welch , Tim Don and Erin Baker as well as Jackie Gallagher and Vanessa Fernandes became world champions in both duathlon and triathlon. The duathlon world champions Greg Welch, Normann Stadler , Erin Baker and Natascha Badmann also won the long-distance triathlon at the Ironman Hawaii .
Only a few successful duathletes are specialists who have achieved their sporting success almost exclusively in duathlon. The best known duathlon specialists include Kenny Souza , Benny Vansteelant , who died after an accident, and his younger brother Joerie Vansteelant .
Some well-known duathletes are also successful long-distance runners or cyclists:
For example, the multiple and reigning world champion (2014 to 2016) over the duathlon long distance, Emma Pooley , was also world champion in the individual time trial in 2009 . And the Duathlon short distance world champion from 1997, Jonathan Hall , was able to win several titles in road cycling . He was multiple Australian road cycling and individual time trial champion. In contrast, the duathlon short distance world champion of 2012, Roger Roca , started his athletic career in athletics and was Spanish marathon champion .
Variants of the duathlon
Interval duathlon
A variant of the duathlon with more than two changes between running and cycling is the interval duathlon. One of the best known is the "Intervallduathlon Zofingen" in Switzerland.
Cross duathlon
The Crossduathlon combines off-road cycling on mountain bikes and cross-country running. The usual distances are 4 to 6 km running, 15 to 20 km cycling and then another 4 to 6 km running. In 2008 there were 39 cross duathlons in Germany. The sports regulations provide for a tire width of at least 1.5 inches for championships. At many events, however, it is possible to use cross bikes. According to the organizer, the first cross duathlon was held in 1989 in Hittfeld near Hamburg under the name "Hooka Hey". The 1. German Championship in Cross Duathlon ”was held on October 6, 2012 in Eichelberg (Baden-Württemberg).
The first international championship took place in 2015 in Castro Urdiales, Spain. The European champions there were the Spaniard Margarita Fullana Riera (Spain) and the Belgian Kris Goddens.
The previous German champions:
- 2012 Eichelberg: Eva Böhrer (SG Orlen) and Florian Brosch (TV Bad Orb)
- 2013 Eichelberg: Martina Höllige (Sportfreunde Lauffen) and Felix Schumann (EJOT Team Buschhütten)
- 2014 Östringen: Caprice Giehl (TVE Netphen) and Dominik Soweja (Tria Schramberg)
- 2015 Schleiden: Kathrin Müller (TG Witten) and Tobias Hibbe (Brander SV)
Bike & Run
While the order of running, cycling and running is given in the widespread duathlon, the first run is not included in the Bike & Run. This discipline therefore consists of a previous cycling and a final run. In the transition area there is only one change from the bike to the running shoes. As is usual in triathlon / multisport, the clock does not stop when changing and the time in the transition area counts as competition time.
The Bike & Run is about high endurance performance on the bike and on foot. In order to be able to survive in the competition, an intensive and fast pairing training is necessary in advance. In this way, a high level of performance is trained in cycling and the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments are better prepared for the running load with high-impact.
So far there are no classic or fixed route lengths. However, a particularly large number of events are in the range of the following length distances:
- 10 km (Bike & Run Short) or
- Half marathon or marathon distances (Bike & Run Long).
Team duathlon
In the team duathlon (also known as team duathlon), the individual sports cycling and running are combined into a team sport . In principle, two implementation variants can be distinguished.
- A team completes the competition as a relay , with one team member taking over the leg of only one discipline.
- The entire competition route is completed by the whole team. The number of bicycles carried in the team is less than the number of team members. Accordingly, one athlete always runs alternately and is accompanied by the other team members cycling. The change between the disciplines is up to the organization and the tactics within the team.
The organization of team duathlons is i. d. Usually not from sports associations , but is supported by sports clubs . For this reason, there is no general set of rules and accordingly the rules differ for the various team duathlons.
The Dresden 100km Duathlon is considered the oldest team duathlon in Germany. The competition has started every spring at the Dresden-Plauen grammar school since 1996 . A team is made up of five athletes who continuously and alternately complete the competition route on four wheels.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c International Triathlon Union: ITU competition rules (PDF; 1.4 MB) April 27, 2012. Retrieved on May 7, 2012.
- ^ Arne Dyck: triathlon-szene.de: Powerman Zofingen 2010 . September 6, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ↑ amerki: Zofingen remains the duathlon world capital . February 15, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ Katrin Spägele: Bike & Run , October 17, 2016, accessed on November 3, 2016.