USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship Set For Sunday

Montana’s Powder Hound Winter Triathlon to host Nationals.

See the press release from USA Triathlon below:

With national titles and Team USA spots on the line, USA Triathlon’s 2012 Winter Triathlon National Championship will be held Sunday in conjunction with the Powder Hound Winter Triathlon in Butte, Mont.

The annual event consists of a 5-kilometer run, 10-kilometer mountain bike and 5-kilometer cross-country ski – all on snow. Action will begin at 10 a.m. at Homestake Lodge.Visit usatriathlon.org for complete event details or to register.

The top three competitors in each age group will qualify for Team USA for the 2012 ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Jämijärvi, Finland, on March 24-25. Additionally, the top three overall finishers will represent the U.S. in the elite race at the Winter World Championships.

Among those slated to compete this weekend is defending women’s champion Emma Garrard (Park City, Utah), who also owns three straight top-10 finishes at Winter Worlds.

“I am excited to race Winter Triathlon Nationals this weekend. I think it’s a really fun and challenging sport and a great way to introduce more people to the multisport lifestyle,” Garrard said. “I hope to defend my title and have the opportunity to qualify for the world championships again. Homestake Lodge in Butte sounds like a scenic venue, and the course has some hills in it.”

Contested at Homestake Lodge and organized by Homestake Lodge and the Bozeman Triathlon Club, the Powder Hound Winter Triathlon is the first winter triathlon in the state of Montana and the northern Rockies. The 2012 event marks the fourth installation of the race.

The USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championship was originally slated for the Gunstock Winter Triathlon on Jan. 22 in Gilford, N.H., but USA Triathlon was forced to relocate Winter Nationals in late December 2011 due to a lack of snow on the East Coast.