At Malakoff Powerman, Camilla Takes Second!

Congrats to Extreme Endurance athlete Camilla Lindholm from Sweden who took second place with a time of 3’03:05s at Malakoff Powerman 2010 championships!

Gear Up Now for the IronCare Splash & Dash

Coming up fast is the annual Four Peaks Racing Ironcare Splash & Dash events. This USAT-sanctioned race is held on two dates at Tempe Town Lake in Arizona. Each race consists of a 1000 meter swim in the open water followed by a run of three kilometers.

This is a fun event, geared toward endurance athletes from beginning to professional. It’s a great way for the beginner to experience their first multisport event and perfect for the professional to get geared up for a future, bigger competition. According to Four Peaks Racing, Splash & Dash is a “unique training event with a relaxed atmosphere”.

The spring races will be held on the Saturdays of April 3rd and May 1st beginning at 7:30 a.m. Additionally, there are two Thursday night races scheduled for April 15th and May 13th which start at 6:00 p.m. The course begins at Tempe Town Lake’s Special Event Ramp, located on the north side between Mill Avenue and Rural Road. If the water temperature of the lake drops below 78 degree, wetsuits will be allowed.

Part of the proceeds from the event’s $30 or $40 registration fees (USAT members and nonmembers, respectively) will go toward The Gage Safer Streets Foundation. The foundation works toward promoting a positive image of cyclists. Their future goal is to distribute Public Service Announcements that educate motorists about sharing the road with cyclists.

To register, visit the Four Peaks Racing site and download a mail-in form or use the online form at Active.com. Registration on the day of the race is an additional $5.00. If you want to save $5 off the regular $30 or $40 fee, simply visit the IronCare Sports Facility in Scottsdale.

The weather in Tempe in April should be fabulous and the IronCare Splash & Dash is a great way to get your feet wet before competing in more rigorous events.

Premier of a New Duathlon Competition

If you are looking for a new endrance athlete event to compete in this year, consider the premier of the 2010 Twinsburg Duathlon Sports & Fitness Expo in Ohio scheduled for June. This brand new event is sanctioned by USA Triathlon and sponsored by the local Parks & Recreation department.

The Twinsburg Duathlon will consist of a two mile run, followed by 10 miles of biking, and ending with a two mile run. The running course follows an off-road trail while the biking course goes across asphalt roads in the city. There are several divisions in which to register including a two-person relay which allows one member of the team to do all of the biking while the other takes care of the running legs.

Awards will be given to the winner of each age group as well as one for the overall best performer. Competitors who live in Twinsburg will also be eligible for the best male and female residents awards.

Prior to the race, a Sports & Fitness Expo will be held at the city’s fitness center. Competitors can pick up their packets during the expo at the recreational center or the day of the race but must be registered prior to arrival. Because the Twinsburg Duathlon is a USAT sanctioned event, all participants must acquire a membership card, which can be good for the day of the competition or purchased as an annual membership.

The Twinsburg Duathlon sounds like an excellent event for the beginner endruance athlete who wants to specialize in the duathlete competition. Be sure to step up your training regimen and work on aerobic threshold performance now to be prepared for this new competition in June. Further details can be found here.

About the Duathlon Competition

Most people are familiar with triathlon sports that most often feature swimming, biking, and running but fewer have heard of duathlon sports competitions. With only two events – running followed by biking – these competitions are usually shorter in both time and distance than the triathlon.

Generally the duathlon starts with a run, followed by a bike race, and ends with another leg of running, but in some events such as the Powerman Benny Vansteelant Memorial in Belguim, there are additional cycles. Distances can vary as well, ranging anywhere from short legs of 5k on up to 150k.
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Many duathlons are mapped across city streets but the more current trend is to schedule these competitions off-road. This adds another element to the event, forcing endurance athletes to account for uneven surfaces on which to run and bike. Add to this changes in elevation and certainly the Powerman Zofingen, with its 150k bike race and a total of 40k running, is one of the most grueling duathlon competitions in the world.

Obviously the athletes who compete in duathlons require no less of a high aerobic threshold performance than those who prefer triathlon races. There are strict rules against drafting, which can provide an unfair advantage during the biking leg. This also helps to prevent accidents which can occur when two athletes race too closely together.

If you have never seen a duathlon before, these are some truly exciting events. Take a look at the upcoming schedule for the remaining races in the Powerman World Series sponsored by Extreme Endurance here to find a competition near you. Who knows, maybe you will be interested in competing during the next season?

Results of the Malaysia World Championship Powerman Duathlon

Following the World Championship Powerman competition in Zofingen, Switzerland, the Powerman duathlon in Malaysia set the stage for world rankings to begin. This event was the start of the 2009/2010 season which finishes once again next year in Zofingen on the 5th of September.

The Malaysia race subjected the athletes to brutal 97 degree heat under a clear blue sky, the hottest race of the year.

The results of the duathlon show Switzerland’s Andy Sutz as the overall winner in the men’s competition. His finishing time of two hours and 45 minutes was a full five minutes less than that of the second place Bryce Viegas of South Africa. Last year’s winner, Jason Spong, also of South Africa, ended third this year. The fourth place finisher was Singapore’s Melvin Wong while fifth went to Erich Felbabel of France.

On the ladies’ side, Radka Vodickova of the Czech Republic was the overall winner with a time of three hours and eight minutes. Vodickova was followed by Sweden’s Camilla Lindholm, the first place finisher of the 2008/2009 Powerman World Series. The third place prize went to Caroline Koll of South Africa racing for Team Bike Boutique.

Following the Malaysia event, Andy Sutz and Radka Vodickova claimed the top position in world rankings.

Extreme Endurance is proud to sponsor such a fantastic competition as the Powerman World Series and provide the athletes with a drug-free supplement proven to increase endurance and performance levels.

An update on the second event in the series, held in Florida earlier this month, is forthcoming along with current world standings.