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Fifth annual Powerman Alabama Duathlon
Irondale, Alabama.Over 1000 duathletes will converge on Alabama this weekend for the fifth annual Powerman Alabama Duathlon. Age group duathletes will be competing for one of three spots per age group on the US Duathlon World Championship team, while the pros will be racing for a $15,000 purse.
The men's field will be one of the strongest ever assembled on North American soil. Belgian Benny Vansteelant highlights the men's field. Vansteelant is the defending European Champion and, with the exception of the World Championships, he was undefeated in 1999. Joining Vansteelant from Europe are Christian Wenk from Switzerland (9th ranked in the World), Marino Vanhoenacker of Belgium (10th), and Henrik Savarre of Denmark (16th).
The US men are led by three former Powerman Alabama champions: Greg Watson (1996), Alec Rukosuev (1997), and Michael Tobin (1999). Paul Thomas, the 1999 Dannon Duathlon Series Champion, will be looking for his first ever Powerman victory. The pro field includes 40 men from the US, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Ukraine, Denmark, and South Africa.
The women's field includes nine women from the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Ukraine. Kimberly Bruckner, the 1999 Champion, is the race favorite. The first big win of her career came at this race last year, and over the last 12 months she has proven to be the fastest multisport cyclist in the world. Her closest competition may come from Fiona Docherty of New Zealand. Docherty finished 6th in the 1999 Duathlon World Championships, and also scored a victory at Powerman Emmental. Other top entrants include Natasha Yaremczuk of Canada, the runner-up at the 1999 Junior Duathlon World Championships, and from the US Danelle Ballengee and Michelle Deasy, the sixth place finisher at Ironman USA.
Powerman Alabama marks the first major duathlon of 2000. In addition to race day coverage on duathlon.com, the race will be televised on ESPN's Running & Racing in April. The next events on the calendar include Powerman Jersey ($25,000 purse) in the Channel Islands on April 9, and the Dannon Duathlon Arlington (Texas) on April 9 ($6,000 purse).
For more information contact John Raadschelders at: powerman@tref.nl
Or Website: www.j-r-c.com/powerman
Powerman Alabama Elite Field:
Women
USA (5) - Danelle Ballengee, Kimberly Bruckner, Anne Curi Preisig, Michelle Deasy, Cindy Hazen
New Zealand (1) - Fiona Docherty
Canada (2) - Susan Sly, Natasha Yaremczuk.
Ukraine (1) - Iryna Dankova,
Men
Canada (3): Brian Barkhouse, Chad Kozak, Geoffrey Wright
Belgium (3): Phillipe Braems, Marino Vanhoenacker, Benny Vansteelant
USA (19): Darrin Eisman, Chris Eschbach, Nick Fitzsimmons, Paul Fritzsche, Michael Kauffman, Peter Kotland, Tim Monaco, Elton Oakley, George Pierce, David Polin, Ric Rosenkranz, Alec Rukosuev, Eric Schwartz, Paul Sklar, Paul Thomas, Michael Tobin, Marc Voit, Greg Watson, Todd Wiley,
Switzerland (4): Richard Graemiger, Marc Meile, Bruno Schertenleib, Christian Wenk
South Africa (3): Will Lamb, Nic Sacco, Jason Spong
Ukraine (4): Ihor Ishchuk, Oleh Sydoryak, Vadym Wozniak, Igor Yagoda
Germany:(1) Marc Pschebizin
Denmark (1): Henrik Svarre |
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