Eatough goes for seventh world championship

In the world of off-road endurance racing, there simply is no counterpart to 31 year old Chris Eatough (Trek/VW). For the last six years, Eatough has been a model of consistency and perseverance as he's pursued the lonely world of 24 hour solo racing. Through extreme heat, cold, rain and even tornado warnings, Eatough has steadfastly pedaled around the clock logging more miles in one 24 hour span than most people log in over a month. His six consecutive world championship titles more than prove his mettle in what is undoubtedly the most difficult form of off-road competition.

In the 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Championships, held from noon October 7 to noon October 8 in Conyers, Georgia (site of the 1996 Olympics mountain-bike cross country race), Eatough will attempt to win his seventh consecutive title.

His face challengers from a growing core of endurance pros including 2005 second-place runner up Ernest Marenchin as well as recently-crowned Australian marathon national champion Craig Gordon.

In the women's event, endurance phenom and 2005 US 24 Hour Solo national champion Monique Sawicki is seemingly over the injuries she suffered in a crash at the marathon in Mont Sainte Anne going up against, among others, 2005 world champion Marg Fedyna, Trek/VW's Susan Haywood, and National MTB Ultra Endurance Series competitor Rebecca Rusch.

Cyclingnews will be covering the 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championships live starting at noon on Saturday with regular updates and images from the event site.

Chris Eatough by the numbers:
1 - Mechanical suffered in all 24 hour world & national championship races - a flat front tire in 2002.
10 - Pounds of body weight lost in 24 hours on bike.
10 - The most minutes ever spent off the bike in a race.
144 - Hours ridden for six world titles.
1080 - Miles ridden to win in six world titles.
14,000 - Average calories burned in 24 hours on bike.