U.S. winter triathlon championship looking for traction in Oregon

When it comes to triathlons, the winter version has yet to gain much of a following in the United States.

That is one reason the sport’s U.S. championship will be held Saturday morning at Mount Bachelor near Bend, the first time it will have taken place outside of Colorado since the event began in 2001. The race consists of three legs, all on snow: a 4-kilometer run, a 10.5-kilometer mountain bike ride and an 8-kilometer cross-country ski segment.

Winter triathlon supporters hope to expose the sport to a broader audience by staging the national championship in different areas. The sport long has been popular in Europe, site of the world championships. It even has a decent following in South America.

– Excerpt from The Oregonian, February 7, 2008