The World’s Greatest Off-Road Triathlon Since 1996 2009 PRESS GUIDE 2009 XTERRA NORTHWEST CUP SPONSORS The 2009 XTERRA Northwest Cup is presented by Paul Mitchell and XTERRA.TV. National sponsors include GU, XTERRAGear.com, Rodale, Zorrel, Gatorade, Choice Hotels, and the Utah Sports Commission. The XTERRA Northwest Cup is part of the inaugural Adventure Sports Week at Farragut State Park June 4-14. XTERRA Discount Code 00224890 In 1996 mountain biking and triathlon met in a duel of the fittest on the island of Maui. The race consisted of an open- ocean swim, a mountain bike race, and a trail run. It represented a bold new racing format that attracted outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, mountain bikers and triathletes. The mountain bikers brought their laid-back style and bold self-assurance. The triathletes brought their hard-core training and avid dedication. They soon discovered a common spirit and attitude that pulled them together. For as different as they are, neither could resist the challenges and thrills this new multisport offered. Since that day XTERRA has grown into the world’s leading off-road triathlon with more than 100 races in 13 countries this year, including 60 in the XTERRA America Tour alone. The typical XTERRA is comprised of the following: 1.5 kilometer (0.93-mile) swim in an ocean, lake, or river 30 kilometer (18.6-mile) mountain bike on off-road trails 10 kilometer (6.2-mile) trail run on a variety of surfaces ON THE COVER: 2008 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Champions Melanie McQuaid and Conrad Stoltz on top, and XTERRA Amateur 2009 marks the 13th consecutive year of expansion for National Champions Joshua Olmstead and Erin Kummer on bottom. XTERRA with races in 32 states, and welcomes a new ABOVE: Shonny Vanlandingham at Southeast Cup in Pelham, AL. eight-stop nationwide Cup Series racing format. TABLE OF CONTENTS Each of XTERRA’s eight regions in the U.S. will host an XTERRA Cup championship race with $10,000 in prize XTERRA America Tour Introduction . .3 money for pros and 41 qualifying spots into the XTERRA XTERRA Northwest Cup Preview/Schedule . .4-5 World Championship for amateurs. Age group competitors Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon and XTERRA University . .6 will also earn points at the Cup Series races in pursuit of Pro Start List . .7 winning their region and qualifying for the invite-only XTERRA Pro Biographies . .8-21 XTERRA USA Championship held in Utah on Sept. 26. About the 2009 XTERRA Cup Series for Pros . .22 2009 XTERRA Cup Series Pro Prize Money Breakdown . .23 2009 XTERRA Cup Series Standings . .24 This guide will breakdown the who, what, when, where and Results, review of the first three Cup Races . .25-27 why of the XTERRA Northwest Cup race - and introduce Past XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Results . .28-29 you to some of the professional athletes that will race in the How the XTERRA America Tour Works (for amateurs) . .30-32 world’s premier off-road triathlon at Farragut State Park on 2009 XTERRA America Tour Schedule . .33 Lake Pend Oreille in Athol, Idaho. 2008 XTERRA Age Group Regional Champions . .34-35 2008 XTERRA USA Amateur Champions . .36 2009 XTERRA USA Championship . .37 2009 XTERRA World Tour Schedule . .38 2009 XTERRA World Championship race preview . .39 Produced by XTERRA Trail Running Series Overview and Schedule . .40-41 How XTERRA started & the world of XTERRA overview . .42-43 XTERRAGear.Com News . .44 About TEAM Unlimited and XTERRA.TV . .45-46 3 XTERRA NORTHWEST CUP PREVIEW More than a thousand endurance athletes will flock to the scenic Farragut State Park on Lake Pend Oreille June 4th through the 14th to compete in 24 races at the inaugural Adventure Sports Week. The week kicks off with some of the best triathletes in the world will compete for a $10,000 prize purse at the XTERRA Northwest Cup race. It’s the first time ever a regional race has been held in the Northwest, with 41 qualifying slots for the 2009 XTERRA World Championships in Maui and points awarded for the XTERRA USA Championships at Snowbasin, Utah. Competitors then switch into their running shoes for a one- loop, 10k trail run along the lake. The run has some challenging sections including an uphill rock scramble followed by a steep descent. The triathlon finishes at Adventure Sports Week Village next to the lake. Athletes need to make sure they save some energy for the post-race party starting at 6 p.m. with a barbecue, beer, live music, guest speakers, adventure films, and a full moon! The course will be marked June 4 with a group pre-ride of the XTERRA bike course starting from the Adventure Sports Week Village at 2 p.m. Early bird registration closes on June 1. For more information or to register go to adventuresportsweek.com. The race starts with a two lap, 1500-meter swim in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest lake surrounded by pine- covered mountains (Water temperatures could dip into the 50s making wetsuits mandatory.) “As for the 18-mile mountain bike leg expect a fast, relatively flat course,” race director Todd Jackson of Seventh Wave Productions said. “There’s no sustained climbs just ups and downs with some technical singletrack but also wider sections suitable for passing.” “It’s a pretty quick bike,” Jackson added. The course consists on a longer first loop, which comes back through the Adventure Sports Week Village, and then back out for another inner-shorter loop. 4 XTERRA NORTHWEST CUP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FARRAGUT STATE PARK - ATHOL, IDAHO FRIDAY, JUNE 5 4:00-8:00pm XTERRA Packet Pickup and Welcome Party, at A.S.W Central, Sunrise Area. 6:00pm XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell, at A.S.W. Central with 3x XTERRA World Champions Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid SATURDAY, JUNE 6 9:00am Dual X Duathlon and Relay Race Start “The Gauntlet” Short Course Race Start 9:30am XTERRA Packet Pickup 11:30am XTERRA Race Briefing 12:00pm XTERRA Northwest Cup Race Start at Buttonhook Bay (1.3km swim, 32km MTB, 10km trail run) 10am-2pm Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, benefit for Challenged Athletes Foundation 2:30pm Race Finish at A.S.W. Central, Sunrise Area 5:30pm Awards Ceremony 6:00-9:00pm “June Moon” Celebration at A.S.W. Central, Sunrise Area – food, beverages, music (complimentary for competitors. $12 for guests) Held in conjunction with “Adventure Sports Week” (A.S.W.) Note: Park daily pass is $4 per vehicle. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT ADVENTURESPORTSWEEK.COM OR XTERRAPLANET.COM 5 PAUL MITCHELL CUT-A-THON AND XTERRA UNIVERSITY Founded to help physically challenged athletes reach their athletic goals, the non-profit Challenged Athletes Foundation is the official charity of the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon at each Cup stop on the XTERRA America Tour. Stylists will cut hair from 10am-12pm on Saturday, June 6 at the finish line area of the XTERRA Northwest Cup and all proceeds will go to the CAF. XTERRA UNIVERSITY Presented by Paul Mitchell Learn the art of XTERRA from the best off-road multisport athletes on the planet - 3x XTERRA World Champions Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid. XTERRA University is a must for first-timers and anyone looking to sharpen their skills in swimming, mountain biking, trail running, and nutrition. Conrad and Melanie will even break down into Northwest Cup course specifics and answer any and all questions. Best part is, the clinic is FREE. Friday Night, June 5, 6pm at Adventure Sports Week Central. 6 XTERRA NORTHWEST CUP PRO START LIST The professionals competing in the Northwest Cup are ‘09 Rank - Name - Age, Hometown among the best mountain bikers, triathletes, and 1 - Conrad Stoltz - 35, Stellenbosch, South Africa adventure racers on the planet. 4 - Dan Hugo - 24, Stellenbosch, South Africa ‘09 Rank = Current rank in 2009 XTERRA Cup Series for pros 5 - Craig Evans - 31, Spring Hill, Tennessee NR = Not ranked 6 - Branden Rakita - 28, Manitou Springs, Colorado 7 - Nicolas Lebrun -35, Digne, France 8 - Cody Waite - 30, Lakewood, Colorado 10 - Will Kelsay - 27, Boulder, Colorado 11 - Seth Wealing - 30, Boulder, Colorado 12 - Matt Boobar - 36, Stratton Mountain, Vermont 13 - Jasper Blake - 35, Victoria, B.C., Canada 16 - Ryan DeCook - 28, Rochester, Michigan 17 - Ryan Ignatz - 30, Boulder, Colorado NR - Damian Gonzalez - 32, Stockton, California NR - Jordan Bryden - 22, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ‘09 Rank - Name - Age, Hometown 1 - Melanie McQuaid - 35, Victoria, B.C., Canada 4 - Emma Garrard - 27, Truckee, California 7 - Christine Jeffrey - 36, Guelph, Ontario, Canada 8 - Alexandra Borrelly - 33, Digne, France 9 - Danelle Kabush - 34, Canmore, Alberta, Canada 10 - Erin Kummer - 24, Rochester Hills, Michigan 11 - Jari Kirkland - 32, Crested Butte, Colorado 12 - Rebecca Dussault - 28, Crested Butte, Colorado 14 - Jenny Tobin - 39, Boise, Idaho 17 - Tracy Thelen - 29, Colorado Springs, Colorado START LIST BY COUNTRY/ALPHA Pro Men USA - Matt Boobar, Ryan DeCook, Trevor Glavin, Damian Gonzalez, Ryan Ignatz, Josiah Middaugh, Branden Rakita, Cody Waite, Seth Wealing CANADA - Jordan Bryden, Jasper Blake FRANCE - Nico Lebrun SOUTH AFRICA - Conrad Stoltz, Dan Hugo ----------------------------------------------------------------- Pro Women USA - Rebecca Dussault, Emma Garrard, Jari Kirkland, Erin Kummer, Tracy Thelen, Jenny Tobin CANADA - Christine Jeffrey, Danelle Kabush, Melanie McQuaid FRANCE - Alexandra Borrelly 7 MEET THE PROFESSIONALS CONRAD “The Caveman” STOLTZ Stellenbosch, South Africa Conrad 2008 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Champ 2001-02 & 2007 XTERRA World Champ 2009 XTERRA CUP SERIES RANK: 1 FINAL 2008 XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR RANK: 8 PERSONAL: Born October 23, 1973lives in Reno, Nevada during the racing season...a two-time Olympic triathlete, finished 20th in 2000 when he was the first off the bike, then dnf’d in Athens...started BMX racing at age seven, running at nine, biathlon at 13, triathlon and cycling at 14, and pro triathlon at 18...“It’s in my blood.” WEBSITE: conradstoltz.com and stoltzracing.com SPONSORS: Specialized, Balega, Avia, Suunto, GU, Stuffitts, Oakley, Acid Zapper XTERRA EXPERIENCE: Ninth year.