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2007 Gyor ITU Duathlon World Championships

Over 850 duathletes from 33 countries have travelled to the lovely West-Hungarian city, Gyor to compete on Saturday and Sunday. More than 200 Elite, U23, and Junior athletes start their competitions from midday on Saturday and the Age Group races start from 8:30 am on the Sunday. Later at 4:30 pm on Sunday the Men and Women Duathlon Team Relay Championships commence as a new initiative at Duathlon World Championships.

Gyor is a strong sporting city and is home to four Olympic Gold medallists including the current Mayor Borkai Zolt.

The Womens race sets up a showdown between triathletes and duathletes. World number 1 ranked triathlete Vanessa Fernandes POR, will take on reigning Duathlon World Champion and 2006 duathlon series winner Catriona Morrison GBR, and former world champions Michelle Dillon GBR and local favourite Erika Csomor HUN. Fernandes proved her duathlon prowess with a strong win in the 2006 European Duathlon Championships.

The Mens race also features many World Champions; Benny Vansteelant BEL, junior world Champion and 2006 duathlon series winner Joeri Vansteelant BEL, and Paul Amey GBR. 2006 Cornerbrook U23 World Champion and European Duathlon Champion Sergio Silva POR steps up to try for a podium finish in Gyor. Rob Woestebourghs BEL will also be keen to keep Belgium at the top level of World Duathlon.

Pre-interviews with some favourites

Catriona Morrison (GBR)
I think it will be a pretty fast race. Good to test for me before the Duathlon European Champs which will be in Edinburgh, Scotland. Regarding the favourites I count with Vanessa Fernandes and Michele Dillon.

Benny Vansteelant (BEL)
I feel in shape. Just have a little injury, but I won a race in a strong field last weekend it should not bother me, just knowing it. I am Ok, the shape is Ok and thats the most important. It is a very fast bike course, not very demanding, in always quite rolling. I think the decision will be for the biggest part on the run sections. For me the hard bike course is better, anyway there are no hills… But still the athletes who make it harder, so I hope there will be some battle on the bike than my chance is bigger for the second run. I count myself as one of the favourites, there are qiute many guys… the whole Belgian team is able to be on the podium, we have a strong French team, we still have Sergey Yakovlev and Paul Amey. As the bike course is not so tough the number of favourites is bigger than we have a very selective bike course. We will see tomorrow.

Joeri Vansteelant (BEL)
Today I am all right and hope on Saturday I will be very good. I prefer the hilly courses, but Gyor has a flat course. Anyway I trained very well. So I hope to make top 5. I think during the first run Ill just try to follow them, do not force anything. On the bike I will see, I actually hope there is not coming a very big group together and then we will see. The Belgian team is gonna be very strong with Benny and Rob Woestebourghs and also the French guys are very strong.

Paul Amey (GBR)
I have a long journey coming from Australia where we were training during the winter and now back to European side. A Little bit tired at first but we took few days easy. Hopefully it should be fine. Previously my trainings were going good. The course is very-very fast, after the bike there will be really fast last 5K run.

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Former Duathlon World Champions (1990-2006)

2006 (Corner Brook, CAN): Leon Griffin (AUS) and Catriona Morrison (GBR)
2005 (New Castle, AUS): Paul Amey (GBR) and Michelle Dion (GBR)
2004 (Geel, BEL): Benny Vansteelant (BEL) and Erika Csomor (HUN)
2003 (Affoltern, SUI): Benny Vansteelant (BEL) and Edwige Pitel (FRA)
2002 (Alpharetta, USA): Tim Don (GBR) and Corine Roux (FRA)
2001 (Rimini, ITA): Benny Vansteelant (BEL) and Erika Csomor (HUN)
2000 (Calais, FRA): Benny Vansteelant (BEL) and Steph Forrester (GBR)
1999 (Huntersville, USA): Yann Millon (FRA) and Jackie Gallagher (AUS)
1998 (St. Wendel, GER): Yann Million (FRA) and Irma Heeren (NED)
1997 (Guernika, ESP): Jonathan Hall (AUS) and Irma Heeren (NED)
1996 (Ferrara, ITA): Andrew Noble (AUS) and Jackie Gallagher (AUS)
1995 (Cancn, MEX): Oscar Galindez (ARG) and Natascha Badmann (SUI)
1994 (Hobart, AUS): Norman Stadler (GER) and Irma Heeren (NED)
1993 (Dallas, USA): Greg Welch (AUS) and Carol Montgomery (CAN)
1992 (Frankfurt, GER): Matt Brick (NZL) and Jenny Alcorn (AUS)
1991 (Cathedral City): Matt Brick (NZL) and Erin Baker (NZL)
1990 (Cathedral City, USA): Kenny Souza (USA) and Thea Sybesma (NED)

Medal table (1990-2006)
GoldSilverBronze
1Australia744
2Great-Britain545
3France453
4Netherlands425
5Belgium421
6New-Zealand3—
7Hungary211
8USA152
9Switzerland151
10Canada131
11Germany1—
12Argentina1—
13Mexico-11
14Czech Republic-1-
Portugal-11
16Italy—5
17Spain—3
18Denmark—1