“We are going to give a warm welcome to all the athletes, coaches, media and spectators. We are trying to organize the best Duathlon World Championships ever,” said José Ramón Tuero, Gijón Sports councilman, after the 2011 test event last weekend in Spain. More than 800 athletes participated in the event.

The Spanish Duathlon Championships included the “next” categories on Saturday and the Elite, U23, Junior, Youth and Age-Group categories on Sunday. Moreover, there was also the first Paraduathlon Spanish Championships with 27 athletes taking part. Ana Burgos and Víctor Manuel del Corral won the Elite races (10K run, 40K bike, 5K run).

The spectators on the course did not stop encouraging athletes all weekend, mainly in Las Mestas sports complex (with a capacity of 3,500 seated people), where the finish line and transition area are going to be installed for the 2011 Duathlon World Championships. In Las Mestas, fans can follow all the running and cycling laps along the 450-metre long velodrome.

There were 200 volunteers in six different areas of Gijón; 70 policemen; 50 organizing people; 30 national and local journalists; 15 official hotels, and thousands of fans enjoying duathlon.

“After this test event, we are excited about the organising success of the 2011 Duathlon World Championships,” commented José Hidalgo, Spanish Triathlon Federation President.

“We are now thinking of how to improve next year’s event”, says José Ramón Tuero. “One of the main aspects we have to support is to develop additional activities for athletes and spectators and reinforce national and international communication”.