A big weekend of Winter Triathlon dominates this weekend’s ITU schedule.  Winter Triathletes will have an opportunity to fine-tune their training and preparation in the United States and Italy with just a few weeks before the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Germany.

The winter wonderland of Mt. Bachelor Resort near Bend, Oregon in the United States will host the 2008 ITU Winter Triathlon Pan American Championships, which also doubles as the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship.  The race is set for Saturday February 9th.

The 4k run, 10.5k mountain bike, 8k cross country ski event is scheduled for 9 a.m. and will feature close to 80 athletes - both elites and age-groupers - competing for national titles, a $3,000 prize purse, and World Championship slots.

The top-three elite men and women and the top-five men and women in each age-group will earn a spot on Team USA that will be competing at the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Freudenstadt, Germany on February 22.

Athletes can still sign up online or at the event on Saturday.
Click here for more details and registration information

Athletes to watch on the elite level include last year’s overall champion Mike Kloser (Vail, Colo.), as well as Brian Smith (Gunnison, Colo.) and Spencer Powlison (Boulder, Colo.), who finished second and third, respectively, at last weekend’s winter triathlon in Durango, Colo. On the women’s side, the main contender will be Heather Best (Fairbanks, Alaska), last year’s bronze medalist. Expect to see some local Bend athletes fighting for those top spots, as well.

Minutes from Bend, Redmond, Sunriver and Sisters, Oregon, Mt. Bachelor is one of the largest resorts in the country, offering nearly 3,700 acres of varied terrain. Located in the high desert of the Central Cascades, the mountain is known for dry snow and the best skiing and riding in the West.

Also this weekend, Flassin welcomes a host of Winter Triathletes for Sunday’s ITU Winter Triathlon World Cup.  At stake for the elite athletes is a prize purse of €6,000 and also perhaps a psychological edge over the field with the World Championships just a few weeks away. 

Both elite men’s and women’s field will start at 10:30am to tackle the run-bike-ski course.  Leading the way in the men’s field is Norwegian Arne Post, who will return to Flassin with fond memories as he was crowned world champion for the third time in his career last year.

Click here for more information on the Flassin ITU Winter Triathlon World Cup

The majority of winter triathlon participants come from a background that includes adventure racing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and other winter activities. However, the sport is a growing discipline in MultiSport and has become a great off-season training element for triathletes and duathletes alike.

Click here for 2008 ITU Winter Triathlon events

Click here for more information on Winter Triathlon