RICHMOND, VA -- There is a definite advantage to competing at home. While the benefits are typically most obvious in team sports, a group of 267 U.S. athletes are hoping the phenomenon carries over into the sport of duathlon as well.

The "home field" in this case is Richmond, Virginia, host of the 2007 International Triathlon Union McDonald's Long Course Duathlon World Championship this Sunday, Oct. 21.

This is the first world championship of this distance to be held in the United States.

The American athletes - the largest contingent ever to compete for Team USA at a world duathlon championship of this distance - will face stiff competition from more than 300 athletes from some 25 countries making the journey to the U.S. for the competition.

Among the U.S. competitors are 252 age groupers (amateurs) and 15 elites (professionals) , who will look to better last year's haul of nine totals medals, including five gold. Returning to defend their titles are Melisa Aguilar (Austin, Texas; female 20-24), Kate Schulte (Knoxville, Tenn.; female 45-49), Jeff Terry (Birmingham, Ala.; male 40-44), and Sharon Roggenbuck (Hillsborough, N.C.; female 65-69). Also returning is silver medalist Barb Kostner (Lakewood, Calif.; female 55-59) and Anne Mitchell (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.; female 50-54).

Thirty-six states are represented among the U.S. age group competitors, with Virginia leading the way with 37.

The group of nine male elite racers is led by Richmond-native and the current U.S. National Champion Tom Jeffrey. Jeffrey finished 10th at last year's worlds in Denmark. Ryan Giuliano (Schaumberg, Ill.), who won the overall title at last month's Canadian National Championship, should also be a contender. This year's female National runner up Deanna Frank (Birmingham, Ala.) leads the group of six U.S. women.

These athletes will tackle a 15k run, 80k bike, 7.5k run through the city of Richmond. The race will follow this run-bike-run format over two loop courses. The run loop, portions of which follow downtown Richmond's scenic Canal Walk, is 7.5 kilometers in length. The bike loop, which winds along parks and neighborhoods bordering the James River, is 20 kilometers in length. Athletes will first race two loops of the run course, cycle through four loops of the bike course, and then bring it home on foot over one final loop of the run course.

The championship will showcase the beautiful parks that surround the James River as it flows through downtown Richmond. Rarely will one find a course that offers such diversity in the center of a metropolitan area with a population of more than one million people.

The transition area, with the city skyline providing a dramatic backdrop, will be on Brown's Island on Richmond's historic riverfront. Brown's Island is conveniently located 400 meters from the Crown Plaza Hotel and 600 meters from the Omni Hotel and the trendy restaurants and bars of Shockoe Slip.

The experienced organizing team is led by the Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers who were named the "Best Sports Commission in America" in 2006 by a panel of their peers.

Visit the event website for more information, including a competitors' start list.