Every year the Great Britain Age-Group Team provides British Triathlon Home Nation members with the unique opportunity to represent their country internationally at a variety of multisport championships across Europe and around the world.
The first Age-Group qualifying events and British Championships are fast approaching with duathlon the focus in March and April.
Looking ahead to the next two months, there are five Age-Group qualifiers, all for duathlon, and the first British Championships of the year when Oulton Park in Cheshire hosts the British Standard Distance Duathlon Championships on Sunday 20 March 2022.
The qualifying events are an opportunity for British Triathlon Home Nation members to qualify to represent the Great Britain Age-Group Team at World and European Championships in 2023, across sprint and standard distances in duathlon.
March
Sunday 6 March – 2023 World Championship Sprint Distance Duathlon qualifier at Mallory Park Sprint Duathlon – FIND OUT MORE
Sunday 20 March – 2023 World Championship Sprint Distance Duathlon qualifier at Oulton Park Duathlon – FIND OUT MORE
April
Sunday 3 April – 2023 European Championship Standard Distance qualifier at Yorkshire Duathlon – FIND OUT MORE
Saturday 23 April – 2023 World Championship Standard Distance Duathlon qualifier at Clumber Park Duathlon – FIND OUT MORE
Saturday 23 April – 2023 European Championship Sprint Duathlon qualifier at Clumber Park Duathlon – FIND OUT MORE
Athletes must register their intent to qualify for the 2023 Championships by 5pm on the Friday before the qualifying race and athletes must also enter the qualifying race itself.
There will also be Championships at both national and international level with the first British champions of 2022 being crowned in March at the British Standard Distance Duathlon Championships.
Internationally, the GB Age-Group Team will be represented at the European Middle Distance Duathlon Championships in Alsdorf, Germany from 9-10 April.
Throughout the year, there are racing opportunities across the multisport disciplines including in triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, cross triathlon and cross duathlon, with the GB Age-Group Team already having success in winter duathlon and winter triathlon.
The GB Age-Group Team returned home from the World Triathlon Winter Duathlon and Triathlon Championships in Andorra earlier this month with five golds including double gold for Joanne Pitten in the F45-49 age group.
Two GB Age-Group athletes also competed at the Europe Triathlon Winter Championships with Christopher Gouldsmith (M35-39) finishing fifth and Nicholas Farnell (M60-64) eighth in their respective age groups.
Over 3,000 Age-Group athletes are set to wear the GB Age-Group Team kit at international events over the coming months, with many more athletes trying to qualify for World and European Championships scheduled for 2023.
For those athletes wanting to represent the GB Age-Group Team in 2023, qualification events will be held at venues across the UK for aquabike, sprint and standard triathlon, and sprint, standard and middle distance duathlon in 2022, all giving athletes the chance to qualify to represent their country in 2023.
Although there are no specific qualifying events for the middle or long distance aquabike and the longer distances for duathlon, triathlon and aquathlon, there are opportunities to qualify for the GB Age-Group Team across these multisports and longer distances with athletes able to submit times to qualify.
Age group athletes also have the chance to be crowned British champion in 2022 with British Championships being held in duathlon, aquathlon and sprint, standard and middle distance triathlon.
Each athlete has their own personal goals and motivation for attempting to qualify for the Great Britain Age-Group Team or compete for a British title. Whether you’re like Rachael Fairclough and want to swap the side line for the start line or are working towards your owns goals in the different elements of swim, bike, run like Helen Godfrey, it’s never too late with Phil Barlow discovering triathlon in his 60s and setting out towards qualifying for the 70-74 age group.
More information about Age-Group racing, qualifiers and qualification criteria can be found by clicking on the buttons below.
