World endurance just another tough nut for Burke to crack | Manawatu-Wanganui Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Manawatu-Wanganui

Melanie Burke will need all of her tough Wanganui breeding if she is to take the women's world duathlon crown in Edinburgh.

Up against her will be local hero Catriona Morrison, who already has a head start on the other competitors next week.

Morrison, who last won the world title in 2006, and has since built a reputation as one of the world's toughest endurance athletes, lives just a few kilometres from the start line at the foot of the imposing Arthur's Seat.

The athletes will complete a 10km run, 40km cycle ride and a further 5km run - the standard distances for international duathlon. They'll scale Arthur's Seat six times in total by foot, and a further seven times on the bike, making it one of the most challenging on the international circuit.

Burke, though, is in top form. Last weekend she won the national championship in Christchurch, beating off experienced ironwoman Gina Crawford. Burke, who finished in 2h 7m 2s, was more than 8m ahead of Crawford.

Burke represented New Zealand in the coxless four with success on rowing's world stage before turning to marathon running where she trained with the highly respected Barry Magee, who had won bronze in the marathon at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

He taught her well, Burke repaying his input with victory in the 2006 Rotorua Marathon.

Next up was road cycling where Burke proved her strength and stamina by winning the last women's national title.

It stood her in good stead for her foray into the world of endurance sport and she quickly made an impact.

In round one of the Contact Duathlon series at Feilding in May, she rode the 40km bike in an hour and eight minutes, eclipsing many of the times set by the men in the event and clearly the quickest in the women's division.

Last weekend she booked her flight to Scotland with ease in round two of the series.

Softly spoken, Burke says she hasn't forgotten her Wanganui roots, making regular visits to her parents' home.

She'll be back in the River City next year to defend her cycling crown. Her rivals should be very worried.