Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships 2012 Launched on 5 Sept 2012

MALAKOFF POWERMAN ASIAN DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 
ON 4 NOVEMBER 2012 AT PUTRAJAYA

POWERS UP FOR OVER 1,700 DUATHLETES

Racers from 30 Countries To Step Up For Prizes Worth RM100,000

5 September 2012, Putrajaya – Malakoff Corporation Berhad (Malakoff) today launched the Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships 2012, targeting over 1,700 duathletes from 30 countries who will compete in the run-bike-run event for top prizes worth over RM100,000.

Organised for the 11th consecutive time by Malakoff, the premier duathlon previously known as Powerman Malaysia, is part of the International Powerman Association (IPA) licensed race. This competition is the only Asian qualifier to the annual Powerman World Championship in Zofingen, Switzerland. The IPA upgraded the race to Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships this year, following the success of Powerman Malaysia over the past decade.

Speaking at the launch, Zainal Abidin Jalil, the Chief Executive Officer of Malakoff said, “The Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships 2012 is an integral component of our Company’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility platform - the Malakoff Community Partnerships. Our initiative to organise this race is in line with Malakoff’s objective to help instil competitive spirit and camaraderie among participants of various backgrounds.”

“We are pleased that with Powerman we now have a premier duathlon right here in Malaysia, where local and international duathletes can compete on a global level,” he added.

Malakoff first brought Powerman to Malaysia in 2002 with the participation of 237 athletics from ten countries. Since the inaugural race, the race has continued to gain momentum, recording a total of almost 6,000 participants, from over 30 countries, in the past decade.

Also present at the official launch was Shahrom Abdullah, Malaysia’s leading duathlete who has participated in Powerman for over 10 year. “Last year’s race was a tough one, and I expect this year to be even tougher. I have been working hard and am excited by the challenge to prove myself,” said Shahrom, who has been eagerly looking forward to the upcoming championship.

“Being the only Asian qualifier, I expect that the Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships 2012 will be an event that many duathletes will look forward to. I am also happy that the venue is closer now as I can practise there during my training sessions,” he added.

Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships comprises four main categories namely Powerman Elite Category, Powerman Age Group Category, Sprint Category and Team Relay Category. The individual races consist of fourteen sub-categories : Men’s Elite and Women's Elite, Men's 20 – 29, Women's 20 – 29, Men's 30 – 39, Women's 30 – 39, Men's 40 – 44, Women's 40 – 44, Men's 45 – 49, Women's 45 – 49, Men's 50 – 59, Women's 50 – 59, Men's 60 & above and Women's 60 & above. The distance for these races is 11.4km Run-64km Bike-11.4km Run.

Similarly, the Sprint Category is also separated into Men’s and Women’s categories, with race distance of 5.7km Run-32km Bike-5.7km Run. Team Relay Category is conducted in two sub-categories of Men’s Relay and Mixed Relay, with race distance of 11.4km Run-64km Bike-11.4km Run.

Registration is currently open for all categories. The closing date for registration is 15 September 2012. For further details on the upcoming Malakoff Powerman Asian Duathlon Championships 2012, please visit http://www.powerman.com.my.