BEND, Ore. – The USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship at Mt. Bachelor on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.

The event features a mass start run followed by a mountain bike portion on snow and finishes with a Nordic ski leg. Even though this is a national championship, there are no pre-qualifying races so all athletes are encouraged to participate in winter triathlon's premiere event. USAT will offer a $3,000 cash purse to age group and overall winners along with many other prizes from our sponsors. Best of all, this event will qualify the top three male and female American finishers for the Elite World Championship in Gaishorn, Austria, in February 2009. Qualified athletes will receive a $1,000 travel stipend, reimbursed uniform costs and paid entry. Athletes do not have to be a USAT Elite Member but must have a current USAT Membership. One-day licenses are also available. The top three age group athletes also qualify but are fully responsible for their own costs if they choose to attend the World Championship.

This year's race will feature revised courses with special attention to providing good riding surfaces for the bike leg.

New for 2009 is our partnership with the Council for Responsible Sport to minimize waste, raise awareness of environmental issues related to sporting events and help offset carbon emissions from grooming, participant travel and energy used for the event.

Registration begins at $45 and participants can enter as individuals, pairs or relay teams.

Visit www.wintertri.org for more.

Mark your calendars now for the Winter Triathlon National Championships – a great way to kick off your 2009 racing season!