As part of the ETU Powerman festival of duathlon, the Sprint Distance European Championships will also take place in Horst an de Maas this weekend alongside the Long Distance Championships.
Whilst supporters admire the endurance, strength and power of the Long Distance races, the Sprint competition – a 5km run/ 20km bike/ 2.5km run - excites the crowd with its speed and intensity.
In the Junior Women's field, Georgina Schwiening (GBR) and Anke De Boer (NED) finished 2nd and 3rd respectively last year. Both will return looking to at least go one better and should consider themselves in with a real chance of victory.
There is a real mix of athletes in this field and it will be fascinating to see how Ivana Kuriackova (SVK) and Laura Gomez Ramon (ESP) handle this race, after opening their season with 1st and 3rd place at the Junior European Cup triathlon race in Quarteira.
In the Junior Men's field, Jorik Van Egdom (NED) will be a man on a mission who is sure to push on for every last second.
In Horst last year, Van Egdom was denied victory by Richard Horton (GBR) by just four seconds to finish in second place. He opened this season with another second place, by the smallest of margins, less than one second, behind Raphael Montoya in the opening Junior European Cup in Quarteira.
As it stands, Van Egdom has still to taste an international career victory in his fledgling career but he will be certainly one to watch here.
Con Doherty (IRL) finished 3rd in that same race in Quarteira and has some Duathlon experience from Limerick in 2011. He has certainly started 2013 in great form which will look to continue.
Dalien Stateff (ITA), Bryan De Kraker (NED) and Anders Lund Hansen (DEN) all return after making top ten finishes here last year and that will fill them with confidence heading into this weekend's competition and they have every chance.
In Paraduathlon, Edith Dasse (FRA), a three time European Duathlon Champion and double World Champion, will race in the Female Tri-4 category.
The Tri-4 category will also see her compatriot David Travadon compete in the Men's race.
French athletes dominate the Paraduathlon start lists and in tri-3, Raphael Chaussin and Geoffrey Wersy will go head to head. Wersy has won the European Duathlon title in Limerick before so perhaps his experience will give him the edge.
Once again, over 200 Age Group athletes will compete in the ETU Powerman European Sprint Distance Championship along with an open race.
