A full field of 850 athletes from all across America will compete in the 22nd Muncie Endurathon on July 14, 2001 in Muncie Ind. Defending men's champion Michael Smith attempt to make it two in a row in the world's oldest half-Ironman, and six-time female champion Beth Homan will go for number seven on the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run course.

The event features more than 1,700 volunteers, a closed state highway bike course managed by the Indiana State Police, The Indiana National Guard, three Counties of Sheriffs departments and the Muncie Police Department and a triathlon organization recognized as one of the finest.

The Muncie Endurathon will host the USA Triathlon National Long Course Championships in 2002 and 2003. The next years date has been set for July 13, 2002 and a field limit has been set of 1000. The Endurathon has been selected a championship event 15 of its 22 years and has hosted the nationals in 1987, 1991, 1997, and 1999 and was named by the athlete's the finest race in the USA four times: 1987, 1993, 1996 and 1998.

The 1996 event was the Muncie/ITU Long Course Triathlon World Championships and featured 1,200 athletes from 36 counties and over 6,500 volunteers along with an additional 4,000 school age children from 48 local schools lining the last four miles of the run course and cheering on their adopted teams from every county attending the event.

The 1996 champions are also the current world half-Ironman world record holders for this distance; men's champion, Greg Welsh: 3:47:05 and ladies champion, Karen Smyers: 4:11:00.

The current weather forecast for July 14, 2001 promises a great day for racing with temperatures in the low 80s and athletes, volunteers, spectators and fans of the world of triathlon will have another Muncie Endurathon to remember.

For further information, please call 765-287-1799 or www.muncieendurathon.com