Aquathlon
One of the simplest forms of multisport, the sport of Aquathlon consists of a continuous, two-stage race involving swimming followed by running. The International Triathlon Union (ITU) and its member federation organizations sanction competitions and govern the sport. The official distances for the annual ITU Aquathlon World Championships are a 2.5km run, 1km swim, and 2.5km run. This can change if the water temperature is low, and in this instance the race becomes a 1km swim followed by a 5km run.
Aquathlon is an excellent way for novice athletes to enter the world of multisport, and for experienced triathletes to add some spice to their race programs.
Duathlon
The sport of Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format bearing some resemblance to triathlons. The International Triathlon Union governs the sport internationally.
Duathlons are conducted at sprint, standard and long distances. Sprint distance duathlons are a 5 kilometers run, a 20 kilometers bike, and a 2.5 kilometers run. Standard distance duathlons are a 10 kilometers run, a 40 kilometers bike, and a 5 kilometers run. Long distance duathlons have not been standardized but the Powerman Zofingen course is a 10 kilometer run, a 150 kilometer bike and a 30 kilometer run.
Triathlon
A Triathlon is a multiple-stage competition involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance disciplines. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time, including timed “transitions” between the individual swim, cycle, and run components. The word “triathlon” is of Greek origin from τρεῖς or treis (“three”) and ἆθλος or athlos (“competition”).
