Professional triathletes, age-group competitors, and other outdoor enthusiasts will descend upon the Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center, near Winter Park, Colorado, on February 3, for the first ever USA Triathlon Winter Championship. The event, sanctioned by triathlon's Governing Body USA Triathlon, is modeled after the very popular European version of the sport. It consists of a 10km run, 20km mountain bike, and a 10km nordic ski.

The World Championship, held in Spain last year, received international television coverage, and the USA Triathlon Championship should garner notable media attention. Julia Hansen of Zoot Sports, one of the race's major sponsors, says: "We are very excited about winter triathlon. It certainly establishes the sport as a 12-month activity, while offering new, fun, and unique challenges for many triathletes."

Steve Locke, executive director of USA Triathlon, is hopeful that this event will not only grow interest in the sport, but receive attention from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well. "The IOC has been taking a close look at Winter Triathlon for future inclusion in the Winter Games. Having an event in the US like the Winter Championship can only strengthen their consideration."

MountainQuest Adventures, of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been staging Winter Triathlons since 1998, seeing a growth in interest each year. Last year, the event was won by Jimmy Archer on the men's side, and Danelle Ballengee on the women's side. Both are professional athletes and compete internationally. The event is not only for pros, however, says Barry Siff of MountainQuest. "First-timers will really enjoy the spectacular course and environment at Snow Mountain. They will also see that running and biking on hard-packed snow is a great deal of fun. Hopefully, it will encourage others to get out of the gym and enjoy the outdoors more in the winter."

For information on the USA Triathlon Winter Championship, visit www.mountain-quest.com or call (970)225-2100.