Courtesy: USAT

A U.S. team of approximately 200 age groupers and nine elites are in Affoltern, Switzerland this weekend for the 2003 International Triathlon Union (ITU) Duathlon World Championships.

The world duathlon championship will consist of a 10k run, 40k bike and 5k run and will be draft legal for elite athletes. Juniors, under-23 and elite duathletes will race Saturday and age groupers will follow on Sunday.

The U.S. elite contingent will include national champion Kevin Danahy (San Diego, Calif.) and former national champion Greg Watson (Newark, Del.), who finished 15th at the 2002 ITU DANNON Duathlon World Championships, which were held in Alpharetta, Ga.

Also on the men's start list are Eric Schwartz (Boulder, Colo.), Michael Boehmer (Delafield, Wis.) and Derek Kite (Malibu, Calif.).

The international field will be more than tough, led by Great Britain's Tim Don, the defending world champion. Benny Vansteelant of Belgium, duathlon world champion in 2000-2001, will also be at the start line.

Triathlete Barb Lindquist (Victor, Idaho), who was the top U.S. women's elite finisher in 2002 (fifth), did not make the trip to Switzerland.

Those U.S. women who are scheduled to compete are Heather Haviland (Waukesha, Wis.), Gabriel Hnilkova-Jenks (Albuquerque, N.M.), Amory Rowe (Encinitas, Calif.) and Cecily Tynan (Philadelphia, Pa.).

The women's international competition will be strong, led by 2002 world champion Corine Raux of France and her teammate Edwige Pitel, who won in 2000. Also watch for Annie Emmerson , Vicki Pincombe and Andrea Whitcombe of Great Britain, who have had strong seasons. Canada's Lucy Smith, Switzerland's Karin Thuerig and Australia's Emma Carney also cannot be counted out.

The United States is sending a large junior-elite team to Switzerland. The men are Matthew Coy (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.), Jimmy Kirsch (Winter Springs, Fla.) and Taylor Tolleson (Pacific Grove, Calif.). The women are Anne Marie Baker (Royal Oak, Mich.), Julia Bisschops (Johns Island, S.C.), Jen Perez (New Orleans, La.) and Marissa Ryan (Farmington, Conn.). Brent Smith (New Orleans, La.) will race as an under-23.

Finally, the United States is sending three defending 2002 world gold medalists for the age group race. They are Anne Ellacott (Marietta, Ga.; women's 45-49), Pat Fossum (Montgomery, Ala.; women's 65-69) and David Walters (Lisle, Ill.; men's 45-49).