Guess who's coming? A three-time world champion and two-time Olympian on the startline in Venice-Caorle:

It’s nearly time for the European Duathlon Championships held in Venice-Caorle, Italy on March 17-19, 2023. The event will feature 582 participants from 21 countries, including 72 elite athletes, 29 under 23, 39 juniors, 14 paraduathletes, and 456 Age Group athletes. There will be a strong presence of British athletes, with 325 registered participants. The event is organised by Silca Ultralite Vittorio Veneto, with support from Europe Triathlon, the Italian Triathlon Federation, and the Municipality of Caorle.

The competition will see the participation of all six medalists from the 2022 European Duathlon Championships in the elite category. Italian Giorgia Priarone will be defending her title against French athletes Marion Legrand and Marion Ricour, while Frenchman Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger will face competition from compatriot Benjamin Choquert and Belgian Arnaud Dely. Another notable participant will be Spanish triathlete Mario Mola, a three-time world champion and two-time Olympian.

Italian athletes Verena Steinhauser, Marta Bernardi, and Samuele Angelini will also compete, as will Spanish under-23 defending champion Marta Romance and Italian Alberto Bartolomeo Demarchi, who finished third last year. The junior category will see the participation of defending champion Joao Nuno Batista from Portugal.

The event is not just about the young and established champions, but also features the participation of octogenarians and septuagenarians who have made important contributions to the sport, such as Frenchman Guy Daudet, who at age 82, is competing in the sprint category, and Englishwoman Anne Dockery, a world champion and bronze medalist in the 75-79 category.

The event has been organised with passion, competence, and commitment, and will be supported by a team of officials and volunteers from other Venetian triathlon and athletics associations. The European Duathlon Championships promises to be an exciting event that will showcase the talents of athletes from different age groups and countries. The competition will feature established champions, as well as newcomers who will be vying for their place in the sport's history. The event also serves as a reminder that age should not be a barrier to pursuing one's passion and achieving one's goals.

These 'guardian angels' of the races:

The anticipation is growing for this multidisciplinary event taking place in Caorle (VE) from March 17 to 19. With over 580 athletes registered, the number of volunteers will also be crucial. There will be 160 'angels' for the duathletes who will donate their time to make this first continental event of the year, where medals will be awarded, a success.

These 'guardian angels' have not only committed to the three days of the event, but have also been active for weeks. The volunteers will have many roles to fill, from logistics for the start and finish to banner placement, from preparing and delivering race packets to motorcycle relays, from course marshals to those in charge of refreshments and the pasta party, and from those who will set up all the inflatables to those who will set up the racecourse and coordinate the 'headquarters,' including managing the secretariat. Not to be forgotten is the commitment to traffic management, with the coordination of the Caorle Local Police.

'Caorle is preparing to host a great continental-level sporting competition,' said the Assessor for Sport Mattia Munerotto. 'We will have some of the greatest European and Italian champions with us. Some traffic disruptions will be inevitable, but it will certainly be worth it, both for the spectacle offered and for the important return on image for our tourist destination. I want to thank the Caorle Local Police, who are offering the maximum support to the Silca Ultralite Vittorio Veneto organisers to ensure the success of the event, not forgetting the valuable contribution of the volunteers.'

It's nearly time to get on the startline! Follow us on social media to be up to date with all the latest news.