Duathlon World Championship, Gijón "more than 1150 duathletes, 35 countries and 200 volunteers"

Yesterday the Press Conference was held in Gijón at the Gijón City Council, in advance of the Duathlon World Championship that the Asturian town will host this weekend.

The appointment was attended by D. Pedro Javier Barbillo Alonso (President of the Organizing Committee and of the Municipal Sports Board), Mr. Enrique Quesada (President of the Technical Committee of the International Triathlon Federation and responsible for the Results and Rankings of the International Federation), Mr. Felipe Gutiérrez (Director of Competitions of the Spanish Triathlon Federation) and Dª. Susana Coto (Asturian and Gijón athlete who has competed in the Duathlon and Triathlon all his life and who aspires to the gold medal in his category), the call to the media prior to the championship has taken place.

It has opened the turn of interventions D. Felipe Gutiérrez who has highlighted the difference of this Duathlon Championship with respect to the previous ones: the circuits are integrated in the city, which allows all citizens to enjoy this sporting event, and the facilities (CD Las Mestas) that only offer advantages , not only to athletes but also to spectators, since from them you can see the running routes on foot and by bike as well as all the transitions.

Mrs. Susana Coto in turn, she commented that, as a connoisseur of the planned circuits, she is very excited about the ideal conditions of the championship and that it is her city that hosts the most important test in this modality.

D. Enrique Quesada wanted to highlight, as an international representative, the organizational capacity of the city as a promoter of international sporting events, which is signified in the increase of international participation with the special incorporation of the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.

A D. Pedro Javier Barbillo Alonso It was his turn to close this brief press conference by reiterating the success of the participations: more than 1.150 athletes representing 35 countries from five continents. A success, he said, in terms of the response of the volunteers, since there are about 200 volunteers, without whom this championship would not be possible and whose functions will be: circuit control, aid stations, assistance to athletes, etc. . He also estimates that the difference of this Duathlon Championship with respect to other previous World Cups is that the circuits are integrated in the city, which allows all citizens to enjoy this sporting event.

Finally, he said that he is convinced that the people of Gijón are going to participate in this great sporting event and that they will collaborate in the success of the event by assuming the traffic restrictions inherent to the activity and will encourage with their presence along the route of each of circuits to all participating athletes.