PRESS GUIDE 1

EVENT PARTNERS

The 23rd annual XTERRA World Championship is presented by Paul Mitchell and the Maui Visitors Bureau. Other partners include Suunto, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Gatorade Endurance, OOFOS, Kapalua Resorts, the Maui Motorcyle Company, and The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.

4 WELCOME TO MAUI, HOME TO THE XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

When you think of Maui, cascading waterfalls, white sand beaches, and breathtaking sunsets come straight to mind. This magical Hawaiian island is also the birthplace of the most notorious off-road triathlon on earth…XTERRA!

From a one-off race held on the most remote island chain in the world, XTERRA evolved into an endurance sports lifestyle with worldwide appeal. Over the past 20+ years XTERRA transcended its status as 'just a race' to become a bona fide way of life for thousands of intrepid triathletes and trail runners across the globe.

A fitting representation of this “XTERRA Tribe” - 800 athletes from 44 countries - will gather at Kapalua Resort, and on Sunday, October 28, they’ll put their mental and physical toughness up against Mother Nature at the 23rd edition of the XTERRA World Championship.

Follow the race online at Facebook.com/xterraplanet and Twitter @xterraoffroad starting at 9am Hawaii time (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 9pm Paris, 3am Monday in Shanghai, and 6am Monday in Sydney).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Press Information ...... 6 Schedule of Events, Spectators Guide, Quick Facts ...... 7-9 XTERRA Kapalua Trail Runs Overview ...... 10-11 Course Description, Course Map, and Elevation Gain Profiles ...... 12-13 Maui No Ka Oi translates to Elite Start Lists ...... 14-15 "Maui is the Best" Past Elite Champions and Unofficial Course Records ...... 16 Men’s Elite Race Preview ...... 17-18 With 120 linear miles of Women’s Elite Race Preview ...... 19-21 shoreline and more miles of Profiles on the Men’s Elite Contenders ...... 22-33 swimmable beach than any Profiles on the Women’s Elite Contenders ...... 34-43 other Hawaiian island it's no Elite Prize Purse Breakdown and Double Award Information ...... 44-45 surprise Maui has regularly Past XTERRA World Championship Results ...... 46-67 been voted "Best Island in the All-time Top 3 finishers ...... 68-69 World" by the readers of 2018 XTERRA European, Pan Am, and Asia-Pacific Tour Elite Results ...... 70-72 Condé Nast Traveler 2018 XTERRA World Tour Championship Races with Elite Winners ...... 73 magazine. Come see it for XTERRA Hall of Fame ...... 74-75 yourself, and to learn more Flashback to 1996, from an organizer perspective ...... 76-77 log-on to visitmaui.com. Flashback to 1996, from a racer’s perspective ...... 78-79 PastXTERRA World Championship results ...... Addendum

5 PRESS INFORMATION

The XTERRA World Championship press guide was designed to provide the media with useful information about the 2018 race, the athletes who compete in it, and XTERRA in general. Below are additional items of interest:

- The XTERRA pressroom is in the Director’s Room, one floor below lobby level of the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

- For credentials contact Trey Garman at [email protected] or 808-216-8606 or stop by the Director’s Room.

- We will record full race results and distribute after the event.

- During the championship race XTERRRA will escort interested press members to key strategic locations throughout the course to track leaders and course happenings, and to get the best possible photos and video. Please reserve your seat in the press van in advance.

- A press pass is required on race day for admittance to the finish line area.

- Follow it live on facebook.com/xterraplanet and on Twitter @xterraoffroad starting at 9am Hawaii time (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 4pm in Rio, 9pm in Paris, 3am Monday in Shanghai, and 6am Monday in Sydney)

- Unofficial live results can be found at: https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-37998

- Professional, high-resolution images will be available to the media after the race. Contact Trey Garman with photo requests.

How to Cover XTERRA: Please note that XTERRA is produced with the cooperation of private landowners and we respect their privacy. The following outlines the access policy for this year’s race:

- Press may pre-ride the bike course on their own bikes by purchasing the $15 USA Tri License insurance at XTERRA registration.

- All riders must display a practice plate on their bike, wear a helmet, and check in-and-out with the course marshals.

- Access to the bike course on race day is provided by chauffeured press van/SUV ONLY.

DIRECT MEDIA INQUIRIES AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TO Trey Garman, Vice President 808-216-8606 (mobile) or at the hotel 808-669-6200 (ask for the Director’s Room) [email protected] // www.xterraplanet.com

6 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All events are at the host hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, unless otherwise noted

Wednesday, October 24 9:00am-2:00pm Registration and Packet Pick-up TRIATHLON ONLY, XTERRA Athlete Village Open 10:00am-2:00pm Upper Bike Course Open* to registered athletes only

Thursday, October 25 9:00am-2:00pm Registration and Packet Pick-up 9:00am-2:00pm Upper Bike Course Open* to registered athletes only

Friday, October 26 5:45am Hiuwai and E ala E - Sunrise Hawaiian Cleansing & Rejuvenation Ceremony Open to athletes, friends and family. Wear swim gear and meet at D.T. Fleming Beach 9:00am XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell – Swim Clinic With Sam Osborne and Suzie Snyder at the Beach House fronting D.T. Fleming Beach 9:00am-2:00pm Upper Bike Course Open* to registered athletes only 9:00am-5:00pm Registration, Packet and Timing Chip Pick-up 2:00pm XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell – Mountain Bike Clinic with Josiah Middaugh and Brigitta Poor 3:00pm XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell – Trail Run Clinic with Mauricio Mendez and Lesley Paterson 6:30pm Aloha Friday Welcome Reception at the Aloha Garden Ballroom

Saturday, October 27 7:00-8:00am Registration open for NEW Trail Run Entries in the XTERRA Expo Village 7:00-8:30am XTERRA Kapalua Trail Run Packet Pickup (pre-registered athletes only) 9:00am-12:00pm XTERRA Spectator Village Open at the finish area – games, bounce house, and face painting for kids 9:00am-12:00pm Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Cut-a-thon, a benefit for the Challenged Athletes Foundation 9:00am-4:00pm Triathlon Registration, Packet and Timing Chip Pick-up in the XTERRA Expo Village 9:00am Leilani’s XTERRA 3.3K Trail Run Start 9:10am Hula Grill XTERRA 5K Trail Run Start 9:30am Duke’s Beach House XTERRA 10K Trail Run Start 10:30am Trail Run Awards Ceremonies 11:00am Kimo’s XTERRA Keiki K Run (free for kids 10 and under) 11:00am Run and Lower Bowl Bike Course Open. Upper Bike Course Closed. 11:00am XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell “Art of XTERRA” with Ruben Ruzafa, Bradley Weiss, Carina Wasle, and Melanie McQuaid in the Aloha Garden Ballroom 12:00pm Mandatory Triathlon Competitor Briefing – Aloha Garden Ballroom

Sunday, October 28 7:00am Transition Open for set-up, Body Marking (if needed), Swim Cap, and Timing Chip Pickup near the finish line 8:30am Transition Closed 9:00am XTERRA World Championship Start 10:00am-3:00pm XTERRA Spectator Village Open at the finish – games, bounce house, and face painting for kids 10:00am-3:00pm Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Cut-a-thon, a benefit for the Challenged Athletes Foundation 1:30pm Elite awards for the top 5 Men and Women at the finish area 2:15pm Cut-off at T2 6:30pm Awards Dinner and Dance Party at the Aloha Garden Ballroom 10:00pm-2:00am After Party! Halloween costumes welcome but not required. At the XTERRA Expo Village.

7 SPECTATORS GUIDE

Maui’s World Championship XTERRA course covers 28 miles of unyielding terrain. The experience is a sensory riot, featuring fragrant breezes, Pacific blue water, bright yellow sun, soft white sand, fine red dirt, and cool green lawns.

Start and Swim: Located at D.T. Fleming Beach fronting the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, there are plenty of great vantage points to watch the mass start from the lawn above or down on the beach. Pros are easy to spot with their identifying swim caps - men in blue and women in pink. A short beach shuffle mid-race between two 750-meter laps of an “M” shaped course gives spectators a chance to pick out their friends and family from the field.

T1 and T2 - Bike and Run Transition: Located a few yards from the swim start in front of the Ritz. The transition area is for competitors only, however, spectators may view the change-over from any position around the boundary.

Bike: Unfortunately, there’s really no place to watch the bike aside from the first mile out and back as the entire 20-mile single loop course is on private land and not open to the public.

Run: Most of the run course is open to the public (follow the red arrows backwards) but the best spot to watch is the leg-burning section of sand just before the finish line on D.T. Fleming Beach.

Finish: The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, is where all the action takes place, from the swim to transition to the spontaneous, ecstatic, and sometimes tear-jerking displays of emotion at the finish line. Spectators will also find an expo area featuring premium performance apparel and accessories for the trail and beyond, great food and drinks, and a full slate of fun activities for the family including kids’ games, a bounce castle, face painter, and more.

Follow it live: Friends, Family and fans that are not able to attend the race can get live updates on the internet at Facebook.com/xterraplanet and Twitter @xterraoffroad starting at 9am Hawaii time (12pm PST, 3pm EST, 9pm Paris, 3am Monday in Shanghai, and 6am Monday in Sydney).

Free Parking: From Honoapiilani Highway go past the main Kapalua entrance (Office Road) and take your next left at Lower Honoapiilani Road. Look for the XTERRA parking signs and staff to guide you.

8 QUICK FACTS

WHAT IS XTERRA: The world’s premier off-road triathlon, combining a 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) swim that starts at D.T. Fleming Beach in front of the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua … a 32-kilometer (20-miles) mountain bike that climbs 3,500 feet up and down the lower slopes of the West Maui Mountains, and a 10.5-kilometer (6.5-miles) trail run that traverses forest trails, and beach sand. Top elites finish in roughly two-and-a-half hours.

WHO RACES IN MAUI: A sold-out field of 800 racers including more than 50 elites and 700+ amateurs representing 44 countries, ages 15 (Jonah Kirkham from Maui and Staci Lovell from the Big Island) to 73 and 76 (Wendy Minor from the Big Island, and Roger Kern from California). 94% of the field is from out of state.

WHEN: The XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon starts at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 28. The XTERRA Kapalua Trail Runs are Saturday, Oct. 27 at 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: At The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua on Maui’s northwest coast.

WHY: The XTERRA World Championship race is the last in a series of more than 100 off-road triathlon races held in 30 countries. The concept is to provide a bona-fide world championship for amateur and elite off-road triathletes. For professionals there is $100,000 in prize money at stake.

HOW THEY QUALIFIED: Elite athletes must race a qualifying XTERRA World Tour event & amateurs enter thru one of five ways: 1. Earn a slot by qualifying as one of the top finishers in their age group at an XTERRA World Tour Championship event in South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Malta, Philippines, Cyprus, Greece, Uruguay, Tahiti, Brazil, the U.S., Italy, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Canada, Czech Republic, Mexico, Romania, Poland, Germany, Finland, Norway, or Denmark. 2. Win their regional championship during the course of the XTERRA America Tour 3. Win their division in the XTERRA European, Pan American, or Asia-Pacific Tour. 4. Age Group Champions from the previous year are provided a slot to defend their crown. 5. At-large drawing - a limited number of slots were offered on a first-come first-serve basis in December, 2017.

XTERRA BACKGROUND: This is the 23rd year for the XTERRA World Championship on Maui, the birthplace of off-road triathlon. The first XTERRA race was held November 3, 1996 and televised on Fox Sports Net. The demand for the sport exploded there- after and there are now more than 50,000 competitors from all 50 states and more than 50 countries.

TELEVISION: This will be the 23rd straight year a nationally (now internationally) broadcast one-hour show will be produced on the event, which showcases Maui’s natural beauty. The 2018 XTERRA World Championship will be seen by more than six million viewers via national syndication (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX), Fox Sports Network, ESPN International, and European distribution. This year’s show will start its run in national syndication in mid-January 2019. In addition, eight half-hour XTERRA Adventures TV shows, and an hour-long broadcast on the XTERRA Pan American Championship are being distributed around the world.

ECONOMIC IMPACT: The 2017 XTERRA World Championship created $6.7 million in direct visitor expenditures, and 81 jobs were supported. The average length of stay on Maui was 7.4 nights (8.2 nights in Hawaii), the average party size was 2.6, and 62% of the field had a household income of more than $100,000. (Expenditure source: DBEDT and post event online survey).

LEARN MORE: www.xterraplanet.com

9 T S RESTAURANTS HOST XTERRA KAPALUA TRAIL RUNS FOR 8TH YEAR

For the eighth straight year T S Restaurants’ Hula Grill, Duke’s Beach House, Kimo’s and Leilani’s will serve as title sponsors of the XTERRA Kapalua Trail Runs in Maui.

With four runs to choose from there is a distance and challenge for every member of the family. Go big or start small with Kimo’s XTERRA Keiki K, Leilani's XTERRA 3.3K Sprint & Beach Scramble, the Hula Grill XTERRA 5K or Duke’s Beach House XTERRA 10K trail runs.

Held in conjunction with the XTERRA World Championship triathlon, the Kapalua runs are an opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to get involved and experience the legendary XTERRA run course.

The Kimo’s XTERRA Keiki Run is for boys and girls ages 10 and younger. It is free, although parents must be present to sign a waiver form at the site of the race. Race distances vary from 100 yards to 1-kilometer, depending on the age of the child. Parents are welcome to stay on the course as well.

The Leilani’s XTERRA 3.3K Sprint & Scramble is a test of agility, speed, and strength as it goes from the Ritz to the Ravine to the soft sand of D.T. Fleming Beach. Kids 8-12 run for free, but it’s The Hula Grill XTERRA 5K is an honest three-miles of climbing open to everyone. and descending and for those up to the challenge, the Duke’s Beach House XTERRA 10K dishes out big hills and dusty trails as it twists through oleander forests to an unexpected mountain lake at the 700-foot level then sends runners crashing down to the shoreline.

“They are all awesome races, and the vibe around The Ritz- Carlton rocks on Saturday morning,” said XTERRA President Janet Clark.

In addition to the trail runs there will be a full slate of fun activities for the entire family including an XTERRA-style Makahiki games, kids bounce castle, face painter, great food and drinks, and the famous Paul Mitchell cut-a-thon, where runners and spectators alike are welcome to get their hair cut by professional Paul Mitchell stylists, with all donations benefitting the Challenged Athlete Foundation.

Roughly 1,000 runners from around the world will take part in one of the four events, and to the winners go the spoils as the first-place man and woman overall and the first-place male and female Maui resident (if different) in the 10K, 5K, and 3.3K win T S Restaurant gift certificates worth $100.

10 3.3K / 5K / 10K AND KEIKI K TRAIL RUNS PROVIDE A RUN FOR EVERYONE

There is also an internal struggle going on, as employees from Hula Grill, Duke’s Beach House, Kimo’s and Leilani’s are four of T S Restaurants created a race within a race dubbed “The T S Maui’s finest restaurants, and all are located within a short Restaurants XTERRA Challenge" in which each of the four driving distance of Kapalua. restaurants field a team of 5 runners; and the team with the fastest cumulative time in the 5K take home the T S Trophy. “The unique feeling and setting of West Maui is exhibited at each of these four restaurants, and it is in keeping with what the Last year, Hula Grill captured the perpetual trophy for the third XTERRA athletes and their families have come to expect when time and have it proudly displayed in their restaurant for all to they get to the island of Maui,” XTERRA President Clark said. see. Hula Grill also won the titles in 2012 & 2013, Duke’s Beach “Dining at any, or all, of these restaurants can only enhance the House captured the inaugural challenge in 2011, and Kimo’s experience for our athletes, whether it be eating a pre-race won three straight from 2014-2016. meal or celebrating with a post-race meal.”

New last year was the addition of the “Fittest Restaurant” – About T S Restaurants of Hawaii and California given to the restaurant that had the most amount of participant Founded in 1977 by Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten, T S in the event – and that title went to Hula Grill as well. Restaurants owns and operates 13 restaurants in Hawaii and California, including Duke’s Waikiki and Hula Grill Waikiki on All four T S Restaurants also sponsor local teachers with com- Oahu; Kimo’s, Leilani’s on the Beach, Hula Grill Ka’anapali and plimentary entries into the run. Duke’s Beach House on Maui; Duke’s Kauai and Keoki’s Paradise on Kauai; and Jake’s Del Mar, Sunnyside Restaurant “It’s all about celebrating the healthy, active, outdoors lifestyle and Lodge, Duke’s La Jolla, Duke’s Huntington Beach and with our employees and our community,” said Tammy Duke’s Malibu in California. For more information visit Fukagawa, Executive Vice President for T S Restaurants. www.tsrestaurants.com.

11 THE EVOLVING COURSE AT KAPALUA

The XTERRA World Championship course is perpetually “It descends like a slalom course through high green bermuda- evolving. In 1996 the race featured point-to-point swim, bike, grass and opens up in spots to expose fantastic views of the and run legs over sharp lava rocks and dry, dusty bowls on Pacific,” said Appleton. “Obstacles are everywhere, including a Maui’s south shore. Now it traverses wet forest trails, pineapple technical, steep downhill into a gully where racers will have to fields, and ridgelines high above the northwest coast. jump over and duck under fallen trees, navigate a rocky dry creek, head through thick elephant grass, and along a narrow It’s the eighth year of racing on Maui Land & Pineapple single track trail with switchbacks that drop all the way down to Company’s private 22,000-acre oasis, and improvements to the the beach. The final test of skill and endurance is a calf-busting trail structure have been made each season. 250-meter white sand beach run.”

It all starts with a 1.5-kilometer rough water swim at D.T. NOTE: The first 3.5 miles and last 5.5 miles of the bike course Fleming Beach fronting the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. Once on the known as “The Lower Bowl” are always available, simply be bike riders navigate from the Ritz to a ridgeline - down to a respectful of regular users playing Frisbee, walking dogs, ravine - and back up again, like a tropical roller-coaster ride jogging, etc. through paradise. The upper course is 100% on private land, and we ask one-and- The bike is one big 20-mile loop with 3,500-feet of climbing that all to respect the landowner’s wishes not to ride the upper bike goes up-and-down the lower slopes of the West Maui Mountains course outside of the scheduled and approved pre-ride oppor- more than a dozen times. Course designers are striving to find tunities (see schedule). The upper course routes through active the perfect balance of passing opportunities early with skillful farms, stables, horse trails, and zip line tours. Mountain bikers riding opportunities later on. are considered trespassers by these, and other businesses.

“It’s an honest endurance challenge, that is for sure,” said race The entire run course is available anytime from sunrise to sun- director Chris Appleton. “The original Maui course was brutal. set, except Saturday during the XTERRA Kapalua 5k/10k races The first race was just about who could survive, really, and even from 9am-11am. the run was pure torture with a mile of slogging through soft sand. This course is not just for survivors, but for those with the skills and endurance to ride the bike well and fast, and still have enough left in their legs to handle a really challenging trail run.”

The signature spot on the Maui course is at the five-mile mark on the bike as riders pop out on a narrow ridge with hundred foot drop-offs on either side. From the top you can see all around the vast West Maui Forest Reserve and over the deep blue Pacific Ocean to the neighbor islands of Moloka’i and Lana’i.

“The views are spectacular,” Appleton explains. “When you preview the course, bring your camera with you. The scenery is something that not many people get a chance to see.”

Once on the run competitors will be faced with a whole lot more climbing (1,200-feet) while they weave along dirt trails, through oleander forests, and into 60-foot high ironwood evergreens to an unexpected mountain lake at the 700-foot level.

12 13 ELITE MEN

Bib#/2017 Position – Name NAT BY COUNTRY 1/1 - Bradley Weiss RSA ARGENTINA: Maximiliano Morales 2/2 - Mauricio Mendez MEX AUSTRALIA: Rodney Bell 3/3- Ruben Ruzafa ESP Jake Stollery 4/4 - Francisco Serrano MEX BELGIUM: Geert Lauryssen 5/6 - Sam Osborne NZL BRAZIL: Rodrigo Braga 6/8 - Josiah Middaugh USA CANADA: Karsten Madsen 7/10 - Rom Akerson CRC Brent McMahon 9/18 - Branden Rakita USA COLOMBIA: Victor Arenas 10/24 - Maxi Morales ARG COSTA RICA: Rom Akerson 11/30 - Alex Roberts NZL Andres Zuniga 12/32 - Maxim Chane FRA DENMARK: Jens Emil Nielsen 14 - Victor Arenas COL CZECH: Lukas Kocar 15 - Rodney Bell AUS FRANCE: Francois Carloni 16 - Rodrigo Braga BRA Maxim Chane, Cedric Lassonde 17 - Francois Carloni FRA Pierrick Page, Anthony Pannier 18 - Lewis Elliot USA MEXICO: Mauricio Mendez 19 - Samuel Jud SUI Francisco Serrano 20 - Lukas Kocar CZE NEW ZEALAND: Sam Osborne 21 - Geert Lauryssen BEL Alex Roberts, Olly Shaw 22 - Cedric Lassonde FRA SOUTH AFRICA: Bradley Weiss 23 - Sam Long USA SPAIN: Ruben Ruzafa 24 - Karsten Madsen CAN Roger Serrano 25 - Brent McMahon CAN SWITZERLAND: Samuel Jud 26 - Jens Emil Nielsen DEN USA: Lewis Elliot, Sam Long 27 - Pierrick Page FRA Josiah Middaugh, Ryan Petry 28 - Anthony Pannier FRA Branden Rakita, Humberto Rivera 29 - Ryan Petry USA Will Ross, Brian Smith 30 - Humberto Rivera USA 31 - Will Ross USA 33 - Roger Serrano, ESP 34 - Olly Shaw NZL 35 - Brian Smith USA 36 - Jake Stollery AUS 37 - Andrés Zuñiga CRC

Brad

14 ELITE WOMEN

Bib#/2017 Position – Name NAT BY COUNTRY 51/4 - Brigitta Poor HUN AUSTRALIA: Leela Hancox 52/5 - Lesley Paterson GBR Penny Slater 53/6 - Suzie Snyder USA AUSTRIA: Carina Wasle 54/7 - Lizzie Orchard NZL CANADA: Katie Button 55/9 - Carina Wasle AUT Melanie McQuaid 56/11 - Penny Slater AUS GREAT BRITAIN: Lesley Paterson 57/12- Julie Baker USA HUNGARY: Brigitta Poor 58 - Allison Baca USA MEXICO: Michelle Flipo 59 - Katie Button CAN NEW ZEALAND: Kristy Jennings 60 - Michelle Flipo MEX Lizzie Orchard 61 - Leela Hancox AUS SWITZERLAND: Renata Bucher 62 - Kristy Jennings NZL Angela Niklaus 63 - Melanie McQuaid CAN USA: Allison Baca, Julie Baker, 64 - Angela Niklaus SUI Suzie Snyder, Heather Zimchek- 65 - Heather Zimchek-Dunn USA Dunn 66 - Renata Bucher SUI

Lesley Brigitta

15 PAST ELITE XTERRA WORLD CHAMPS AND RECORDS

PAST MEN’S CHAMPIONS (Runner-up) PAST WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS (Runner-up) 2017: Bradley Weiss (RSA), 2:32:09 (Mauricio Mendez) 2017: Flora Duffy (BER), 2:47:47 (Barbara Riveros) 2016: Mauricio Mendez (MEX), 2:49:38 (Ruben Ruzafa) 2016: Flora Duffy (BER), 3:14:59 (Lesley Paterson) 2015: Josiah Middaugh (USA), 2:35:32 (Braden Currie) 2015: Flora Duffy (BER), 2:54:17 (Lesley Paterson) 2014: Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), 2:29:56 (Josiah Middaugh) 2014: Flora Duffy (BER), 2:47:59 (Barbara Riveros) 2013: Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), 2:34:34 (Asa Shaw) 2013: Nicky Samuels (NZL), 2:57:48 (Lesley Paterson) 2012: Javier Gomez (ESP), 2:26:54 (Josiah Middaugh) 2012: Lesley Paterson (GBR), 2:44:12 (Barbara Riveros) 2011: Michael Weiss (AUT), 2:27:00 (Dan Hugo) 2011: Lesley Paterson (GBR), 2:45:59 (Marion Lorblanchet) 2010: Conrad Stoltz (RSA), 2:31:07 (Franky Batelier) 2010: Shonny Vanlandingham (USA), 2:58:20 (Julie Dibens) 2009: Eneko Llanos (ESP), 2:37:22 (Nico Lebrun) 2009: Julie Dibens (GBR), 2:56:42 (Lesley Paterson) 2008: Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), 2:37:36 (Michi Weiss) 2008: Julie Dibens (GBR), 3:03:57 (Danelle Kabush) 2007: Conrad Stoltz (RSA), 2:40:54 (Olivier Marceau) 2007: Julie Dibens (GBR), 3:01:24 (Melanie McQuaid) 2006: Hamish Carter (NZL), 2:42:36 (Olivier Marceau) 2006: Melanie McQuaid (CAN), 3:07:53 (Danelle Kabush) 2005: Nicolas Lebrun (FRA), 2:38:19 (Eneko Llanos) 2005: Melanie McQuaid (CAN), 3:07:16 (Sybille Matter) 2004: Eneko Llanos (ESP), 2:28:44 (Olivier Marceau) 2004: Jamie Whitmore (USA), 3:01:35 (Melanie McQuaid) 2003: Eneko Llanos (ESP), 2:32:56 (Nicolas Lebrun) 2003: Melanie McQuaid (CAN), 2:57:08 (Jamie Whitmore) 2002: Conrad Stoltz (RSA), 2:22:55 (Eneko Llanos) 2002: Candy Angle (USA), 2:57:33 (Jamie Whitmore) 2001: Conrad Stoltz (RSA), 2:28:48 (Kerry Classen) 2001: Anke Erlank (RSA), 3:00:59 (Cherie Touchette) 2000: Michael Tobin (USA), 2:30:53 (Mike Vine) 2000: Kerstin Weule (USA), 3:07:04 (Melanie McQuaid) 1999: Ned Overend (USA), 2:32:50 (Michael Tobin) 1999: Shari Kain (USA), 3:04:19 (Kerstin Weule) 1998: Ned Overend (USA), 2:24:46 (Wes Hobson) 1998: Sue Latshaw (USA), 2:58:49 (Uli Blank) 1997: Mike Pigg (USA), 2:28:48 (Ned Overend) 1997: Cameron Randolph (USA), 3:04:25 (Lesley Tomlinson) 1996: Jimmy Riccitello (USA), 2:27:42 (Mike Pigg) 1996: Michellie Jones (AUS), 3:04:53 (Shari Kain)

MEN’S RECORD BOOK (Just for fun) WOMEN’S RECORD BOOK (Just for fun) Swim Record: Glenn Wachtel (USA) 18:10 (2000) Swim Record: Raeleigh Tennant (AUS) 18:31 (2000) Bike Record: Michael Weiss (AUT) 1:17:30 (2011) Bike Record: Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 1:29:27 (2011) Run Record: Jan Rehula (CZE) 33:14 (2004) Run Record: Erika Csomor (HUN) 38:18 (2004) Winning Time: Conrad Stoltz (RSA) 2:22:55 (2002) Winning Time: Lesley Paterson (GBR) 2:44:12 (2012)

Ruben Flora Julie 16 ELITE MEN’S RACE PREVIEW

The 23rd annual XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon scheduled for Sunday, October 28, 2018 in Kapalua, Brad Maui boasts the most competitive elite men’s field ever assembled.

It’s a bold statement, but easy to support considering the past four winners, and second-place finishers, are on the start list.

Bradley Weiss from South Africa won last year, Mauricio Mendez from Mexico was second. Mendez won in 2016, and Ruben Ruzafa from Spain was second. Josiah Middaugh from the U.S. won in 2015, with Ruzafa finishing second, and Ruzafa won in 2014, the year Middaugh placed second.

And that’s the story, all these men have gotten the better of each other at one time or another, and they’ve all remained at the top of their game.

“I think that Maui always shows us that there is more than one favorite,” said Ruzafa, who has been first off the bike at XTERRA Worlds each of the last five years. He won two of those races, in 2013 and 2014, but got chased down by Middaugh in 2015, Mendez in 2016, and Weiss in 2017.

“This year, for the first time since 2014, I’ve done altitude training to prepare for Maui and I’ve changed things in my run Ruben and bike training,” said Ruzafa, who has won Maui three times and captured four of the last five ITU Cross Tri World Titles since 2014. “I was in the Sierra Nevada for two weeks at the end of September, and since then at my home in Spain. The course is so hard, and different every year because of the weather. We always have to wait until the last moment to see what the terrain conditions will be like.”

No matter what the conditions are like on Sunday, you can count on the reigning champ Brad Weiss to be in the mix.

“The goal is always to win, and I will be disappointed with anything less than defending my title,” said Weiss, who won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific and European Championships this year. “Saying that the caliber of athletes racing continues to improve and there is a long list of contenders working hard to dethrone me. I welcome the challenge and look forward to facing it come race day, and at the risk of sounding arrogant, I will say I am the favorite. I proved I can win on this course in 2017 and plan to do the same in 2018. The course suits me well and I look forward to maximizing those advantages come race day.”

17 ELITE MEN’S RACE PREVIEW

If experience means anything, give the advantage to Middaugh, Josiah who will be racing in his 18th straight XTERRA World Championship fresh off a win at the XTERRA Pan Am Champs last month against Weiss and Mendez.

“My goal is to turn in my best performance to date,” said Middaugh. “It means keeping my focus in the water and swim- ming within two minutes of the best swimmer and closer to one-minute behind some of the main contenders. My emphasis this season has been on the bike and I know I am climbing faster and with better endurance than ever before. I plan to ration that power out over the entire bike course as if it were a time trial. I will try to approach each leg of the race as if it stands alone. Running is my background and I know if I come off the bike in contention then my body will know what to do.”

As for who he thinks is the favorite, Middaugh added, “This is a one day race, so there is no competing on paper. It only matters who is the best on that one day and it makes sense to look at who is performing the best at this time of year. If you look at my performance in Utah, then I think I deserve consideration as a favorite. There are probably 5 or 6 guys capable of winning and only one way to decide it, to race!”

Then there is Mendez, the 22-year-old who said he dedicated his mind to winning this race since the moment he crossed the line in second-place last year. “My goal for this year and for every year is to give the best version of myself,” said Mendez. “It is about putting all the hard work together. Of course, winning is always in my head, but to truly give everything I have in will make me happy.”

In addition to the past champs, there are a number of men who want to keep the string of new winners alive and well. Chief among them is Kiwi Sam Osborne, who proved he can beat the best when he upset Weiss to win XTERRA Albay in June. “I don’t race to lose and that’s the sort of mindset I will take to Maui,” said Osborne, the reigning and two-time XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour Champ. “You have to go out there and race like you truly want it. All the work I’ve been putting in the last few weeks I trust will put me in that sort of a position.”

Roger Serrano from Spain, along with Francois Carloni from France give the European contingent plenty to cheer for, and others not to be overlooked include the young-gun Sam Long from the U.S., Karsten Madsen from Canada, and Rom Akerson from Costa Rica. Mauricio

18 ELITE WOMEN’S RACE PREVIEW

In the women’s elite race, we’ll honor a new champ for the first time in four years as Bermuda’s Flora Duffy sits this year out due Lesley to injury. That leaves two-time XTERRA World Champion Lesley Paterson as the women’s favorite. The “Scottish Rocket” won all three U.S. stops on the XTERRA Pan Am Tour this season and says she’s stronger and faster than ever before.

“I’m so excited to race this year, it’s the first year since 2012 that I’ve not been injured and sick coming into this one,” exclaimed Paterson, who finished 5th last year despite racing with a stress fracture in her pelvis and has been battling fatigue and the associated symptoms of Lyme disease for years.

“I’m feeling totally awesome and ready to kill it this year,” she said. “The goal this year is to win it, to bring my A game, and fight until the bitter end.”

Paterson won her first XTERRA World Title in 2011, defended that in 2012, and finished second in 2013, 2015, and 2016. In July, she won her second ITU Cross Tri World Title in Denmark.

Brigitta Poor from Hungary looks to be Paterson’s toughest competitor. Poor won eight races on the XTERRA European Tour this year, including a head-to-head against Paterson at XTERRA France in July.

“I have a big goal,” said Poor. “After my 4th place last year I really want to catch the podium, and of course the main goal is to win it. I am ready to fight and super excited! I might not be in the best form, but my mind is stronger than ever.”

XTERRA USA Champ Suzie Snyder is also feeling better than ever entering her 13th race in Maui.

“My goal is always to win,” said Snyder, who won the 20-24 division XTERRA World Title in 2004 on her first-ever trip to Maui. “To do that, I'd have to have a solid lead on to the mountain bike, have the ride of my life to hold off everyone behind, and then run like I've never run before.”

It can happen. Snyder has the best swim time among returning elite women, had the second-best bike split behind only Lesley Paterson at the XTERRA Pan Am Champs in Utah last month, and is coming into this race fresh for the first time in her elite career. Brigitta

19 ELITE WOMEN’S RACE PREVIEW

“I don’t really know what my body is capable of right now, as I’ve only had a few months of training,” said Snyder, who didn’t Suzie really get going until June this year.

In her first race out at XTERRA Victoria in July she finished fourth, then she finished second behind Paterson at XTERRA Portland in August and was second again at the Pan Am Champs in September.

“The good part is I'm still fresh and excited mentally, which can go a long way in carrying you through physically,” said Snyder. “I really think my positive mental state is why I performed so well in Utah.”

Snyder isn’t the only veteran in this year’s race, as three-time XTERRA World Champion Melanie McQuaid from Canada and 33x XTERRA World Tour race winner Renata Bucher from Switzerland are back for another shot at Maui.

“I haven’t focused on XTERRA since 2011,” said McQuaid. “But now that I am focusing on my Tri the Dirt series I need my own riding to match what I am teaching. I’m happy and healthy, and my goal is just to be my best on the day and have fun.”

For Bucher, the goal is simple, “To find peace with this race and the island,” she explained. Renata “Last time I raced in Maui I had a DNF (felt sick). When I was at my fittest point, I had a mechanical. Another year, I couldn’t catch the wave properly at the end of the swim and got smashed into the sand and hurt my back. I was so suffering on the run. This year I see a big chance for me to race and to enjoy the fight. I want to do this race for me, to finally tick it off, and I absolutely love to have Melanie McQuaid back on the start line. We raced so many years together, nearly killed each other racing. But in these days, I respect her a lot and honestly, she inspires me. She shows us all that age is just a number and I’m sure she will be one of the gutsiest athletes out there!”

Bucher said she’s also pulling for her Aloha Racing teammate Lizzie Orchard from New Zealand.

“I’m feeling the best I’ve been this year,” said Orchard, who was fifth in Maui three years ago.

“Breaking ribs in May was not on the plan but they have fully recovered now, and I’ve been able to train for a few months.

20 ELITE WOMEN’S RACE PREVIEW

I’ve been able to do more running lately also with my foot niggle calming down. Saying that, I’m not a believer that you Penny must ‘feel good’ on the day. It’s XTERRA Worlds, I aim to pull out a big race when it counts.”

The XTERRA Asia-Pacific Champion and XTERRA European Tour Champion Carina Wasle will also join the fray. Wasle had in incredible year in Europe, finishing on the podium at all 13 races she did and winning the last two at XTERRA Finland and Norway.

Unfortunately, she twisted an ankle at XTERRA Norway last month.

“I damaged two ligaments and a bone, and still can’t run after six weeks so I focused more on good bike training and gym work,” said Wasle.

“I’m almost ready for the swim and bike. I feel quite good, trained a lot, only my running is a bit vague. Still, my goal is a top three finish. I trained hard for it, but I’ll need for sure a perfect day and a healthy foot.”

The XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour Champion Penny Slater is also excited to continue her upwards trajectory in the sport.

“I’m feeling really great and healthy thankfully but had a nasty crash on my mountain bike in September which kept me out of the pool for a few weeks,” said Slater, who won XTERRA Albay back in June.

“I feel ready for Maui, more prepared both mentally and physically than last year, at least now I know what to expect come race day and how brutal the course is. However, as everyone knows, conditions in Maui can vary greatly so I’m looking forward to the challenges the island throws at us this year.”

Other contenders include Michelle Flipo from Mexico, who won XTERRA Denmark this year and finished sixth in Maui two years ago, and Julie Baker, who is one of the best swimmers in the sport.

Michelle

21 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 1 – Brad Weiss from Stellenbosch, South Africa 2017 XTERRA World Champion 2017-2018 XTERRA European Champion 2018 XTERRA Asia-Pacific Champion Born: March 21, 1989 This year: Won XTERRA South Africa, the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Danao, was 2nd at XTERRA Albay, 3rd at XTERRA France, 2nd at XTERRA Cyprus, won XTERRA Poland and the XTERRA European Championship on back-to-back weekends in August, and placed 2nd at the XTERRA Pan American Championship in September. Last year: Finished 2nd at XTERRA South Africa to Richard Murray, won XTERRA Philippines for the third straight season, tied for first at XTERRA Malaysia with Kieran McPherson, Sam Osborne, and Ben Allen. Finished 4th in the final XTERRA Asia- Pacific Tour standings. In Europe he finished 4th at XTERRA Belgium, 4th at XTERRA France, 3rd at XTERRA Germany, and won the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. Finished 10th in the final XTERRA European Tour rankings. Placed 3rd at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship in Utah. Chased down Ruben Ruzafa on the run to win XTERRA Worlds. 2016: Won all three XTERRA events in South Africa including the Championship race in Grabouw for the first time. Also won XTERRA Philippines for the second year in a row. Placed 3rd at XTERRA New Zealand, 5th at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship, 2nd at XTERRA Malaysia, and was 2nd in the Asia-Pacific Tour standings. Placed 6th at Switzerland, 3rd at France, and 3rd at the European Championship in Germany. In Maui: Won it last year, finished 13th in 2016 and 10th in 2014. Thoughts: I am feeling very confident and after a scare earlier this year with a stress reaction in my pelvis I am very happy to report no injuries and a smooth training camp in Boulder with Sam Osborne leading to this race. I really enjoy this course as there is a lot of climbing which suits a smaller athlete like myself. If I can survive the swim I will look to make my move early on the bike and see who is up to going with me. The course throws so much at you that its difficult to pin point one specific detail to characterise as the hardest part but if I have to choose I would say the first 3km of the run as its mostly uphill and after a really challenging bike ride its difficulty is magnified. Staying smooth and focused through this section can make the difference between winning and losing this race. Credentials: In his eighth year racing XTERRA. Weiss nearly won the continental Grand Slam of XTERRA this year by winning the sports championship races in Africa, Asia, and Europe, before placing 2nd to Josiah Middaugh at the Pan Am Champs. Won the ITU Cross Tri Worlds U23 division in 2012.

22 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 2 – Mauricio Mendez from Mexico City, Mexico 2016 XTERRA WORLD CHAMP, 2017 PAN AM CHAMP Nickname: Mau Born: October 20, 1995 This year: Won XTERRA Chile, XTERRA Tahiti, and XTERRA Beaver Creek. Did not finish the XTERRA Pan Am Champs after the saddle on his bike broke at the beginning of the ride. Won the Ironman Asia-Pacific 70.3 Championship in August. Last year: Finished 2nd at XTERRA Beaver Creek behind Josiah Middaugh, won the XTERRA Pan Am Championship, and placed second at the XTERRA World Championship. 2016: XTERRA World Champ. Finished 2nd at XTERRA Oak Mountain behind Middaugh, won XTERRA Italy, was second at XTERRA Poland, won XTERRA Sweden, was 5th at XTERRA Germany (which doubled as the XTERRA European Championship) and won XTERRA Denmark. Finished the year ranked 4th in the XTERRA European Tour standings. Won Ironman 70.3 Cozumel on Oct. 2, 2016. In Maui: Last year, Mendez had the fastest run split for the third straight year and caught Francisco Serrano and Ruben Ruzafa to finish second behind Weiss. In 2016, he caught Ruzafa on the run to win the World Title. In 2015, he had the fastest run and moved up three places in final 800m to finish in fourth. Was first out of the water in 2014 and finished 5th. Was 15th in 2013 on his way to winning the overall amateur XTERRA World Championship. Thoughts: The mantra I live by is a “tope y sin control.” It means go as hard as you can for as long as you can. No limits. I have been training at home in Mexico City for this race. It’s good to be around family. This course has it all. It’s hard but fun and you need to be ready for it. Credentials: Seventh year racing XTERRA. Mau started swimming when he was six, doing triathlons when he was 10, he did his first XTERRA when he was 14, won the overall amateur XTERRA World Championship when he was 18, went pro as a 19yo, won his first pro race at XTERRA Italy in 2016 as a 20yo, and won the XTERRA World Championship in 2016 four days after turning 21. “My first XTERRA was in 2010 in Mexico, in the junior kids race, and I won it, and I remember Dan Hugo was first place at the time and thinking wow, this is amazing, I want to be like him,” said Mendez. “And I just got into it and from that day I dreamed about being the world champion.”

23 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 3 – Ruben Ruzafa from Malaga, Spain 3x XTERRA WORLD CHAMP, 4x ITU CROSS TRI WORLD CHAMP Nickname: The Boss www.rubenruzafa.com/en / @rubenruzafa Born: September 9, 1984 This year: Won XTERRA Portugal, XTERRA France, and XTERRA Czech. Also won the ITU Cross Tri World Title in Denmark for the fourth time in five years. Last year: Ruzafa won XTERRA Reunion, XTERRA Greece, XTERRA Spain, XTERRA Portugal, XTERRA Belgium, finished second at XTERRA Switzerland behind Arthur Forissier, then won XTERRA France, XTERRA Norway, and was fourth at the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. Won the XTERRA European Tour for the third time in four years. 2016: Placed 2nd at the XTERRA World Championship, won XTERRA Reunion, was 2nd at XTERRA Greece, then reeled off four straight wins at XTERRA Portugal, Switzerland, France, and Germany (which doubled as the XTERRA European Championship). Won the XTERRA European Tour for the second time in three years. In Maui: Has recorded the fastest bike split and been the first racer on to the run section of the bike for five straight years (2013-2017). Placed third behind Mendez and Weiss last year. Was second in 2016 behind Mendez. Placed third in 2015 behind Currie and Middaugh. Won it in 2008, 2013 & 2014. Was in Maui in 2009 but crashed before raceday and did not start. Thoughts: My goal is to give 120% in Maui. If I can do that, all is okay. The pressure this year is on Bradley, the current World Champion, but Josiah Middaugh, Sam Osborne, and Mauricio Mendez among others have shown great performances this year. The bike course in Maui has the hardest climbs, but the run, because of the fatigue that sets in, are the most difficult moments of the race. Credentials: Won 33 of the 42 XTERRA majors he has raced since 2008. Has three XTERRA World Titles and four ITU Cross Triathlon World Titles (2014-2016, 2018). In 2013 when he retired from world cup mountain biking (where he collected four national titles in cross country and marathon for Spain) to focus on XTERRA he won XTERRA Spain, was 2nd at France, won Germany, and was third at the USA Championship, then went on a roll, winning Worlds in 2013, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Italy, Czech, Germany, the USA Championship and Worlds in 2014, and Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, the European Championship in England in 2015 before his 15-race win streak was snapped in Maui, where he was third. He was the youngest to win XTERRA Worlds at the age of 24 in 2008, before Mendez won it as a 21yo in 2016.

24 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 4 – Francisco Serrano from Monterrey, Mexico 2017 ITU CROSS TRI WORLD CHAMP TWO-TIME XTERRA MEXICO CHAMPION Nickname: Paco @serrano_tri Born: May 4, 1980 This year: Finished 4th at XTERRA Mexico Last year: Finished 3rd at XTERRA Oak Mountain and 2nd at XTERRA Mexico, and won the ITU Cross Tri World Championship against a strong field in Canada. 2016: Finished 2nd at XTERRA Mexico In Maui: Finished fourth last year. In 2015, finished 6th despite breaking his seat post midway through the bike. Finished 37th in 2010, 13th in 2005, and 15th in 2012. Thoughts: My goal is to take gold, or at least be on the podium. It will take a perfect race, flawless, to be able to take gold but it's possible, I know it can happen! It’s always the highlight of my year to race in Maui, no matter how many bad races and bad luck I’ve had, this race is always a must-do in my season. The first six months of this year I struggled with injuries, so I’m just now starting to come back strong. Credentials: Finished ahead of Ruben Ruzafa, Kyle Smith, Ben Allen, and Josiah Middaugh to win the ITU Cross Tri World Championship in Penticton in 2017. Was 6th at the XTERRA World Championship in 2015. Represented Mexico at the at 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Has been racing XTERRA since 2004 when he finished 8th in his first-ever XTERRA at the East Championship in Richmond. Won the first-ever XTERRA Mexico Championship held in Puerto Vallarta in 2006, upsetting XTERRA legend Mike Vine of Canada. Won again in 2012.

25 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No 5 - Sam Osborne from Rotorua, New Zealand TWO-TIME XTERRA ASIA-PACIFIC TOUR CHAMPION @sam_osborneNZ Born: December 21, 1991 This year: Won XTERRA New Zealand, was second at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Danao, second at XTERRA Tahiti, and beat Brad Weiss to win XTERRA Albay and capture the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour for the second straight year. In Europe he finished 7th at XTERRA Czech, second at XTERRA Poland, second at the XTERRA European Championship in Germany, and second at XTERRA Denmark. Placed 11th in the final XTERRA European Tour standings. Finished second behind Ruzafa at the ITU Cross Tri World Champs in Denmark. Last year: Won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour and finished second in the XTERRA European Tour standings behind Ruben Ruzafa. Won XTERRA Saipan and his hometown race at XTERRA New Zealand in Rotorua, was second at XTERRA Philippines, tied for first at XTERRA Malaysia with Ben Allen, Kieran McPherson, and Bradley Weiss, then won XTERRA Tahiti. In Europe, he was 4th at XTERRA Switzerland, 7th at XTERRA France, 2nd at XTERRA Italy, won XTERRA Poland and XTERRA Germany on back-to-back weekends in August, then placed 2nd to Weiss at the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. 2016: Finished 9th at XTERRA Worlds, 2nd at the XTERRA Asia- Pacific Championship in Australia, 5th at XTERRA Portugal, 2nd at XTERRA Belgium, 7th at Switzerland, 2nd at Italy, 3rd at Sweden, 2nd at the XTERRA European Championship in Germany and 2nd at XTERRA Denmark.Finished 2nd on the XTERRA Euro Tour. In Maui: Finished 6th last year, 9th in 2016, and DNF in 2015. Thoughts: This year my Dad will make the trip to Maui which is very special, my parents very rarely ever get to see me race outside of NZ, in fact, Dad has only seen me race once outside of home so it will be very cool to have him there. Trained in Boulder, Colorado again, making the most of the altitude benefits. Linked back up with good mate and equally good training partner Brad Weiss. I have followed a very similar structure to last year, consistent hard work. I’m healthy, I’m fit. Credentials: The reigning and two-time XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour Champ, won five XTERRA Championship races in 2017, and two more in 2018.

26 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 6 – Josiah Middaugh from Eagle-Vail, Colorado 2015 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPION, 2018 PAN AM CHAMP Nickname: Beast Mode and “Mid-Awesome” www.middaughcoaching.com / @josiahmiddaugh Born: July 25, 1978 in East Jordan, Michigan and earned a bachelor of science degree in health fitness from Central Michigan Univ. where he ran x-country and track...earned his masters in human movement from AT Still University. This year: Placed second at XTERRA Costa Rica, won XTERRA Oak Mountain and XTERRA Dominican Republic, was second at XTERRA Victoria and XTERRA Beaver Creek, won XTERRA Mexico, XTERRA Quebec, and the XTERRA Pan American Championship for the third time in four years. Last year: 2017 XTERRA Pan America Tour Champ after winning XTERRA Costa Rica, Oak Mountain, Beaver Creek, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Finished fifth at XTERRA France, and was second at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. 2016: Was 5th at the XTERRA World Championship, 2nd at XTERRA Costa Rica, won XTERRA Argentina, Tahiti, Oak Mountain, and Beaver Creek before suffering mechanicals at XTERRA Dominican Republic and finishing 4th. Won the Pan America Championship by 7/100th of a second against Braden Currie, and the inaugural XTERRA Pan Am Pro Series. In Maui: 18th race. Finished 8th last year and was the top American for the 10th time (seventh straight). Was 5th in 2016. Won for the first time in 2015 after 15 tries, becoming the first American to win Worlds since Michael Tobin back in 2000. Placed 2nd in 2014, 4th in 2013, 2nd in 2012 less than a minute behind Javier Gomez despite bike tire falling off. Was 4th in 2011 with second best bike split. Placed 32nd in 2010 after a series of mechanicals. Was 9th in 2009, 7th in ’08, 17th in 2007, 4th in ’06 (fastest bike), 10th in ’05, 3rd in ’04, 6th in ’03, 28th in ’02 when he won the 20-24 World title, and 69th in 2001. Thoughts: The course in Maui is one of the most challenging courses--rough swim, longer bike and very challenging with steep climbing, a strong man's run course half up and half down. The unpredictability is what makes the race so nerve wracking. The swell, the shore break, the rain, heat, and humidity can all change overnight and that decides which part 13x National Champ. 34 career XTERRA Championship race of the course is most challenging. XTERRA Worlds can't be wins. Three-time XTERRA (2013-15) U.S. Pro Series Champ. Top raced with a plan-A mentality. Even when I won the race in American in the US Pro Series 14 of 15 years from 2001-to-2016. 2015 it didn't go as planned. This season I have trained very Top American when the US Pro Series became the Pan sensibly and coming into form at the right time. The XTERRA American Tour past three years. Has raced XTERRA for 18 years Pan American Championship was my high point so far, so since his debut at Keystone in 2001. The top American at XTER- looking to eclipse that in Maui. RA Worlds 10 times. Alongside his brother Yaro has provided a Credentials: 2018 XTERRA Pan American/USA Champion. 2x season’s worth of training tips for the XTERRA Tribe via the XTERRA Pan Am Tour Champ. 2015 XTERRA World Champion. Middaugh Coaching Corner column.

27 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No 7 - Rom Akerson from Tambor, Costa Rica 2018 XTERRA COSTA RICA CHAMPION Nickname: Kanga Born: September 29, 1984 This year: Beat Josiah Middaugh to win XTERRA Costa Rica in March, was fourth at XTERRA Oak Mountain, and second at XTERRA Dominican Republic. Last year: Had surgery on his left leg to fix a pinch in the artery and has not raced this year. Received a medical exemption to waive the ‘must race one’ rule so he could participate in XTERRA Worlds, where he finished 10th. 2016: Finished 10th last at XTERRA Worlds, 3rd at XTERRA Costa Rica, 3rd at XTERRA Beaver Creek, won the last two regular season races on the Pan Am Pro Series at XTERRA Dominican Republic and XTERRA Mexico, and placed 5th at the Pan Am Championship in Utah. Finished 2nd to Josiah Middaugh in the XTERRA Pan Am Pro Series. In Maui: Finished top 10 the past four seasons with a 10th place showing the last two years, 8th in 2015, and 9th in 2014. Was 19th in 2009, 20th in 2007 in his first year as a pro, and won the amateur title in 2006 (finished 17th overall). Credentials: 12 years ago at the age of 22 Rom Akerson won the overall amateur XTERRA World Championship title. He turned pro soon after and has since put together a stellar triathlon racing career. Also: His Dad, Heart, raced XTERRA Worlds barefoot last year, and Ironman Canada barefoot four times, and XTERRA Costa Rica … barefoot.

28 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 9 – Branden Rakita from Colorado Springs, CO www.brandenrakita.com / @btrakita Nickname: Mitch Man Born: March 25, 1981 in Durango, Colorado This year: Finished 3rd at XTERRA Chile, 4th at XTERRA Argentina and XTERRA Brazil, 7th at XTERRA Oak Mountain, 6th at XTERRA Dominican Republic, 3rd at XTERRA Victoria, 6th at XTERRA Beaver Creek, 5th at XTERRA Mexico, 4th at XTERRA Quebec, and 8th at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. Finished 4th in the final XTERRA Pan Am Tour Standings. Last year: Finished 2nd in the 2017 XTERRA Pan American Tour standings. Finished 4th at XTERRA Argentina, 6th at XTERRA Chile, 5th at XTERRA Oak Mountain, 3rd at XTERRA Victoria, 7th at XTERRA Beaver Creek, 6th at XTERRA Mexico, 4th at XTERRA Dominican Republic, and 9th at the Pan Am Championship. Placed 18th at XTERRA Worlds. 2016: Finished 4th at XTERRA Oak Mountain, 3rd at XTERRA Mine over Matter, 6th at XTERRA Beaver Creek, 2nd at XTERRA Dominican Republic, 5th at XTERRA Mexico, and 12th at the Pan Am Championships. Finished 4th in the Pan Am Pro Series standings. In Maui: Placed 18th last year, DNF in 2016, was 20th in 2015, 35th in 2014, 27th in 2013 and 2012, 18th in 2011, 15th in 2010 (top American), 20th in 2009, and 18th in 2008. Thoughts: I am feeling ready to race the swim and the bike, but the run is a bit of a mystery after dealing with an injury for most of the summer. My run fitness is no where near were it should be but I am trying to get in what I can so I am not to miserable in the race. Ideal goal is top 10, and I think that I can come off the bike in the position, the issue will be trying to maintain that on the run. I will do what ever I can but this is World Champs, you have to be 100% ready to go to even be top 10 with the strength of the field that the men have so that will be a a very tall task. There are so many guys it is hard to pick a favorite, Brad, Josiah, Mauricio and Ruben of course each have their separate motivations going in to the race and have shown they can perform on the day and are racing very well. There are plenty of other guys though that will factor in and could take it. Credentials: 12th year racing XTERRA. Did his first one in 2000. Was the runner-up at XTERRA Dominican Republic in 2016. Finished runner-up at XTERRA Canada and XTERRA Mexico twice, and at the XTERRA Mountain Championship in 2013. Also: Famous for being the “Mitch Man” as a Paul Mitchell sponsored athlete. Earned a degree in civil engineering from Colorado State. His dad David is an XTERRA USA and World Champion. His girlfriend Briana is the elite race live coverage director on Twitter @xterraoffroad #XTERRAMaui, 9am Sun).

29 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No 17 - Francois Carloni from Frejus, France 2018 XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR CHAMPION Born: August 8, 1985 This year: Won the XTERRA European Tour. Finished 4th at XTERRA Malta, 5th at XTERRA Greece, 6th at XTERRA Italy- Garda, won XTERRA Belgium, was 5th at XTERRA France and XTERRA Italy-Abruzzo, 2nd at XTERRA Romania, 5th at the XTERRA European Championship in Germany, 3rd at XTERRA Norway and XTERRA Denmark. Last year: Finished 3rd on the XTERRA European Tour. Was 3rd in Malta, 6th in Cyrpus, 7th in Greece, 3rd in Portugal, 5th in Belgium, 6th in Switzerland, 6th in Italy, 10th in Germany, and 15th at the European Championship in Denmark. In Maui: This will be his eighth trip to Maui. He finished 21st elite in 2016, 25th in 2014, 11th in 2013, 22nd in 2012, 21st (3rd amateur) in 2010, 35th in 2009, and 20th overall in 2008 when he won the overall amateur XTERRA World Championship. Thoughts: I’ve been training at home, trying to work less in my shop the last five weeks to prepare for Maui like a real pro. I'm in good shape. I'll be happy to be in the top 10 and very happy for a top 7, because it is the World Championship. It takes a lot of effort for all the athletes to prepare and come here, and everybody prepares there best. It's time to see the real level of everyone. I like this course because there are many climbs. Especially if it's muddy like two years ago, it's better for me. The hardest part is always the run with the heat and after two hours racing it's hard to find energy to push hard. I am happy to come here to Maui for the 8th time. Credentials: Has finished in the top five of the XTERRA European Tour each of the last four years. Won it this year, was third in 2017, 5th in 2016, and and 2nd in 2014. First XTERRA was at Mandelieu, France in 2008. Won XTERRA Greece in 2014.

30 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 23 – Sam Long from Boulder, Colorado Born: December 23, 1995 This year: Finished 6th at XTERRA Oak Mountain, 3rd at XTERRA Beaver Creek, and 3rd at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. Also finished 2nd at Ironman Louisville on October 14. Last year: Finished 3rd at XTERRA Beaver Creek and 7th at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. In Maui: Finished 19th elite in first try in 2016. Thoughts: As always my build for XTERRA has been unique. After Ogden I did a few weeks in Tuscon with Ben Hoffman. The focus was primarily on IM and I built to my highest fitness ever. I just capitalized on that fitness at IM Louisville where I finished second. Of course Louisville is two weeks out from Worlds so now I have to be very smart about what I do in the next two weeks to be at my best fitness XTERRA wise. Feeling totally stoked. The body is responding well. I have my diesel engine all fired up but can also put it into high octane mode. The high octane mode is what matters at Maui. However, I just had my best run for IM so my legs have some strength in them. The goal is a podium finish. At this point most of the work is done and I have done the most intelligent hard work ever. Between now and the race, in order to be on the podium, I need to get the gear dialed in, make sure I'm to push really hard, and eat right. Then a podium is a realistic possibility. I don't think there is a race favorite on the men's side. Its very rare to win it back to back years which means Brad is not the guaranteed favorite. Also, if you look at previous years it is common for someone to win it who never has. I think there are a handful of guys who could win the thing and none of them can be discounted. It all depends on who shows up this year with a slight edge and who has the race of their life. It could be any of us. The hardest part for me is the swim--especially when it has big swells. The double exit and entrance makes the swim a real challenge and I need to be on it. The 2018 season has been the best of my life. I have raced 5 IM's, 3 XTERRA’s and a handful of other races. I have been in the top 5 in virtually every race and by racing so much have gained invaluable race experience. The highest point was being second at Louisville but 3rd at XTERRA Pan Am was pretty awesome too. Both of these were my last two races so I hope to carry that momentum. Credentials: Was first off the bike at XTERRA Beaver Creek in front of two world champs, Josiah Middaugh and Mauricio Mendez. Went on to finish third. Was also 3rd in a stacked field at XTERRA Pan Am Champs in September.

31 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 24 –Karsten Madsen from Guelph, ONT, Canada 2018 XTERRA URUGUAY CHAMPION Nickname: The Cat www.karstenmad.com / @KarstenMad Born: November 9, 1991 in Kitchener This year: Finished 3rd on the XTERRA Pan Am Tour. Placed 3rd at XTERRA Costa Rica, won XTERRA Uruguay, was second at XTERRA Brazil and XTERRA Oak Mountain, 3rd at XTERRA Dominican Republic, 8th at XTERRA Beaver Creek, 3rd at XTERRA Mexico, 2nd at XTERRA Quebec, and 4th at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. Last year: Finished 2nd at XTERRA Oak Mountain and won XTERRA Victoria in B.C., Canada. DNF in Maui. 2016: Started the year with a runner-up showing behind Middaugh at XTERRA Argentina, was third behind Middaugh and Mauricio Mendez at XTERRA Oak Mountain, won both Canadian races – XTERRA Mine over Matter in Ontario and XTERRA Victoria in British Columbia. Also won his country’s cross tri national championship for the second straight year. Placed 5th at the Pan Am Championship race in Utah and finished the season 3rd in Pan Am Pro Series. In Maui: Did not finish either of the last two years. In 2016 he took a hit on the head during the swim and wasn’t feeling quite right on the bike. Thoughts: I made the decision to train for Worlds in Whistler BC. Its been a long year with a lot of travel so for the final push of the season I wanted to be in my favorite placed in the world. It has pumped a lot of energy into me and has really filled my jar. My mindset has been strong all year and getting myself into a new territory of fitness thats rather exciting. In Maui, power to weight is literally everything. Last year I was 11 pounds heavier then what I am today. I had the pleasure of working with Josiah this year for almost 2 months. Seeing with him and working with him on a daily bases I feel he will be the man to beat. He was destroying workouts at high elevation. Defending world champ Brad will be danger as well but honestly there is a col- lection of 6-8 guys that can win on their perfect day. This course is brutal. No part lets you recover, its just a savage grind the whole way. If you are weak in the mind it will crush you. It has chewed me out and spit me out two times already. This year has been a dream. Ive said early on I didn’t think I would still be racing anymore so everything this year has been astounding. I’ve put to bed alot of self doubt I’ve dealt with. But I don’t for- got it. As the pain I’ve been through personally I use to drive me forward in racing. As there is has been nothing harder in racing then climbing out of the hole I dug for myself last year. I have a lot of excitement about the race. I think a surprise is in store.

32 ELITE MEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 33 – Roger Serrano from Barcelona, Spain Born: January 30, 1991 2018 XTERRA MALTA, CYPRUS, ITALY, NORWAY, DENMARK CHAMP This year: Won five races and finished 2nd on the XTERRA European Tour. Won XTERRA Malta and Cyprus to start the year, was 4th at XTERRA Greece, 2nd at XTERRA Switzerland, won XTERRA Italy - Abruzzo, was 3rd at the XTERRA European Championship race in Germany, then won XTERRA Norway and XTERRA Denmark. Last year: Won XTERRA Malta, was 2nd in Greece, 3rd in Italy, 2nd in Poland, and 3rd at the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. Placed 8th on the XTERRA European Tour. 2016: Won XTERRA Malta and Greece, was 3rd in Portugal, and 3rd in Denmark. Finished 8th in the European Tour standings. 2015: Won the XTERRA European Tour. Was 2nd at Malta, 4th at Portugal, 3rd in Spain, 2nd at Greece, 3rd at Switzerland, 3rd at Italy, 2nd at Czech, and 3rd at Germany. In Maui: Placed 11th in 2016, and 27th in 2014. Thoughts: I’ve been training hard everyday in Igualada, Spain and right now, I feel smashed. I can’t wait to get to Maui and have some days of rest before the race. My goal is to be satisfied. It will depend on many things that doesn’t just depend on me. I think Ruzafa is the favorite. He had three bad years in Maui and I saw a huge change in him this year. Unluckily, he had a small crash and didn’t race during the second part of the season, but I know he has been training hard. I had a good season, with five victories, my best result so far. High point maybe was in Italy, a super hard race I wanted to win and do well.

33 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 51 – Brigitta Poor from Gyor, Hungary 2017/2018 XTERRA EUROPEAN CHAMPION Born: February 18, 1989 This year: Won eight races on the XTERRA European Tour. Won XTERRA Malta and Cyprus to start the year, was 4th at XTERRA Greece, won XTERRA Portugal, Switzerland, France, and Romania, then was second at XTERRA Poland before winning the XTERRA European Championship for the second straight year in Germany, and placed second at XTERRA Denmark. Finished 2nd in the XTERRA European Tour standings. Last year: Won six races and the European Championship. Won XTERRA Malta and XTERRA Cyprus to start the year, was second at XTERRA Greece and XTERRA Spain, won XTERRA Portugal, finished 6th at XTERRA Switzerland, second at XTERRA France then won the last three races of the season at XTERRA Poland, XTERRA Germany, and the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. Placed 4th at XTERRA Worlds. 2016: Finished first in the XTERRA European Tour standings. She won XTERRA Malta and XTERRA Denmark, finished 2nd at XTERRA Greece, 3rd at XTERRA Portugal, 6th at XTERRA Switzerland, 4th at XTERRA France, 2nd at XTERRA Poland, and 3rd at XTERRA Germany. In Maui: Placed fourth last year, and 11th in 2011. Thoughts: After my 4th place last year I really want to catch the podium and of course the main goal is the first place. A lot of things changed in my life during this year. It was an emotional season, and I still can’t believe how I managed it, but I am ready to fight again and I am super excited! Maybe my form is not the best (yet) but my mind is stronger than ever. I proved this during the season. My game plan is to bring my best and smile. My favorite part is the bike course, I love it. I hope the weather will be good like last year and we can ride on dry trails. For me the biggest challenge is the swim, the big waves. I worry a little bit, but I have time to practice so I am positive. Credentials: Has won 14 races and back-to-back European Championships over the past two years. Won her first XTERRA in 2015 at XTERRA Malta. Raced in nine more XTERRAs in 2015 to finish 2nd in the European Tour standings. Did her first-ever XTERRA at Austria in 2009.

34 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 52 – Lesley Paterson from Stirling, Scotland TWO-TIME XTERRA WORLD CHAMPION Nickname: The Scottish Rocket www.lesleypaterson.com / @lesleydoestri Born: October 12, 1980 This year: Placed second at XTERRA Tahiti, won XTERRA Oak Mountain, was fourth at XTERRA France, won the ITU Cross Tri World Title for the second time in Denmark, won XTERRA Beaver Creek, and the XTERRA Pan American Championship for the second straight year. Last year: Finished second at XTERRA Oak Mountain to Suzie Snyder, then won XTERRA Beaver Creek and the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. Finished 5th in the XTERRA Pan America Pro Series, and wrote a book with husband Simon, titled “The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion.” Placed 5th at XTERRA Worlds 2016: Won XTERRA Tahiti, XTERRA France, and XTERRA Italy and was runner up at the XTERRA World Championship to Flora Duffy for the second year in a row. In Maui: In her last eight Maui attempts she has won it twice and finished second an unprecedented four times. Finished 5th last year despite racing with a stress fracture in her pelvis. Had the fastest bike split and finished 2nd in 2015. In 2014 dealt with injury all season, came back to finish 3rd at XTERRA Nationals in her only race of the season, then Lyme Disease kicked in shortly after that race and she was unable to compete in Maui. Chased down Flora Duffy in the finish line stretch to take 2nd behind Nicky Samuels in 2013. Won her second straight World title and beat her own record for fastest winning time - a 2:44:11 - in 2012. Also had the fastest bike and run splits that year. Won her first title in 2011 with the fastest run split. Finished 7th in 2010, 2nd in 2009, and 10th in her first try (2008). Thoughts: I think ultimately, the magic in life happens outside the comfort zone. In XTERRA, you are constantly outside the comfort zone. Her first sport was rugby, she played on an all boys team. “That sort of set me up for challenges in my life”. Alter ego is Paddy McGinty, “Paddy embodies all the elements of the person I need to be to race well,” she explained. “Les, as a person, is too nice. Paddy doesn’t care what anyone thinks.” Coached Mauricio Mendez when he was 17, said “We had all sorts of existential chats about life, love, & what it all means.” Credentials: Reigning and 2x XTERRA Pan Am Champ. Won the 2011 and 2012 XTERRA World Titles and the 2012 and 2018 ITU Cross Triathlon World Titles. Is the 2015 XTERRA European Moved from Sterling, Scotland to the U.S. in 2001. Earned her Champion. In 2012 was named the off-road triathlete of the bachelor’s degree in performing arts from England and a mas- year at Endurance Sports Awards. Finished in the top 3 in 7- ter’s in theatre acting from San Diego State. Is also a coach, straight XTERRA Championship races from ‘09 to 2010. actress, and film producer.

35 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 53 – Suzie Snyder from Reno, Nevada TWO-TIME XTERRA PAN AM TOUR CHAMP, 3X USA CHAMP @SnyderSuzie Born: March 30, 1982 in Averill Park, New York. This year: Placed 4th at XTERRA Victoria, 2nd at XTERRA Portland, and second at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship (top American, thus winning the XTERRA USA elite title for the third time). Last year: Won XTERRA Argentina, was second to Barbara Riveros at XTERRA Chile, then won XTERRA Costa Rica, XTERRA Oak Mountain, and XTERRA Victoria, placed second at XTERRA Beaver Creek, won XTERRA Mexico, and placed 4th at the XTER- RA Pan Am Championship in Utah. Won the XTERRA Pan Am Pro Series for the second straight season. Placed 6th at Worlds. 2016: Won XTERRA Oak Mountain, XTERRA Mine over Matter, XTERRA Dominican Republic, XTERRA Mexico and the Pan America Championship. Was second at XTERRA Beaver Creek and finished third at the XTERRA World Championship. Also won the inaugural Pan Am Pro Series and USA titles. In Maui: Finished 6th last year, 3rd in 206, was injured in 2015, placed 6th in 2014, 10th in 2013, 80th in 2012, and was 15th in 2011. Has competed in Maui 13 times, and won the 20-24 division World Title in 2004 and 2006 before going pro. Thoughts: I think the climate change for a lot of us is the hardest thing to prepare for. Especially those of us coming from the mountains or the east coast/northern areas where we're getting cold autumn weather, and even snow. Heading to the tropics is a shock to the system for our bodies and is hard to adjust to in just a few days. The course keeps everyone honest. Over the years, the technical aspect in the lower bowl section has become more of a factor since it's becoming more trail-like, but there's still so much pure fitness requirement that there's no hiding if you're not ready for the climbing. The whole course is hard, especially when you stack it all together. The ocean is always rough and it's tough getting out with the shore break. The run to T1 isn't easy- it's long and uphill, especially up the deep sandy beach. The bike is difficult because of the amount of climbing and steep grades. The run challenges are similar to the bike - long climbs, steep climbs, and the heat that accumulates in your third hour of racing. And to finish with that long sandy beach run. It’s brutal. Maui is kind of where it all Credentials: 13th year racing XTERRA. Won 5 XTERRA major started for me back in 2004. I just fell in love with the sport, and races in 2016 and 2017. Two-time XTERRA Pan Am Tour the mountain biking, swimming, and running, and being able Champion. Finished in the top 5 of the U.S. Pro Series five to go out and see where the trail takes me and move across the straight years before it became the Pan Am Tour in 2016. Is the country in that way. It’s a lifestyle that never gets old, and for 2018, 2016, and 2012 elite women’s XTERRA National me it evolved into a career. It may sound corny, but I guess you Champion (awarded to the top American in the U.S. Pro Series). could say I’m living the dream.” Won four National Titles as an amateur before going pro.

36 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 54 – Lizzie Orchard from Auckland, New Zealand 2016 XTERRA ASIA-PACIFIC TOUR CHAMPION Born: November 26, 1985 This year: Placed 3rd at XTERRA Czech, 5th at XTERRA Italy, fourth at the XTERRA European Championship in Germany, and 3rd at XTERRA Denmark. Finished the season ranked 8th in the XTERRA European Tour standings. Last year: Was 2nd at XTERRA Italy, 4th at XTERRA Poland, 4th at XTERRA Germany, 3rd at the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark, and did not finish at XTERRA Pan Am Championship due to bike mechanical. Placed 7th at XTERRA Worlds 2016: Won XTERRA Philippines, XTERRA New Zealand, and the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Australia, then placed second at XTERRA Malaysia and won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour title. Finished 2nd at the XTERRA Pan America Championship race in Utah. In Maui: Finished 7th last year, 8th in 2016, 5th in 2015, 15th in 2014, 11th in 2012, and 15th in 2011 as an amateur. Thoughts: Since XTERRA Denmark in early September, Keith and I have been traveling in ‘VanElla’, visiting friends and fami- ly in Germany, Switzerland, France, and the U.K. We had a particularly good training block with our neighbour Josie in France, and enjoy the variety/fluidity that travel brings to the training program. I’ve already sorted out work for as soon as I get home, so I’ve been lucky to prepare relatively stress free. This year we will be coming to Maui on our way home from 6 months travel. This is definitely different. I haven’t done any ‘familiar’ routes in training for a long time so it’s hard to gauge where I’m at, we’ll see on race day! I’ve also incorporated gym sessions this year. I’m feeling the best I’ve been this year. Breaking ribs in May was not on the plan but they have fully recovered now and I’ve been able to train fully for a few months. I’ve been able to do more running lately also with my foot niggle calming down. Saying that, I’m not a believer that you must ‘feel good’ on the day. It’s XTERRA Worlds, I aim to pull out a big race when it counts. My best result is 5th, I’d like to better that. Racing relaxed, with focus, and a little luck, it could happen. My high point this year was XTERRA Germany, being able to race confidently after the broken ribs, and running the full 10km. Low point was watching so many European races due to injury. Credentials: Ninth year racing XTERRA. Won the 25-29 World Title in 2011 before going pro. Also won the amateur title at the 2012 ITU Cross Tri World Championships.

37 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 55 – Carina Wasle from Kundl, Austria 2018 XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR CHAMP carina-wasle.com / @carinawasle Born: October 20, 1984 This year: Had 15 podium finishes out of 15 races, won four majors including the Asia-Pacific Championship and won the XTERRA European Tour for the first time in her career. Won XTERRA South Africa, was 2nd at XTERRA Malta, 3rd at Greece, 2nd at Italy-Garda and Portugal, 3rd at Belgium, Switzerland, and France, 2nd at Czech and Italy, 3rd at Poland and Germany, and won XTERRA Finland and Norway. Also won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race in the Philippines. Last year: Competed in 16 XTERRAs this year. Finished first in the XTERRA Asia Pacific Tour standings and 3rd in XTERRA European Tour standings for the second year in a row. Won XTERRA Saipan, XTERRA Philippines, and XTERRA Tahiti. In Europe, Wasle finished 5th at XTERRA Malta, 2nd at XTERRA Portugal and XTERRA Belgium, 5th at XTERRA Switzerland, 6th at XTERRA France, 3rd at XTERRA Poland and XTERRA Germany, and 4th at the XTERRA European Championship in Denmark. Placed 9th at XTERRA Worlds. 2016: Placed 2nd at XTERRA South Africa, won XTERRA Saipan, was 2nd at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship, 3rd at XTERRA Malaysia, and finished 3rd in the Asia-Pacific Tour standings. Won XTERRA Reunion. On the European Tour she was 4th at Portugal, 2nd at Belgium, 7th in Switzerland, 6th in France, 5th in Sweden, 5th in Germany, and 2nd at Denmark. Finished 3rd in the European Tour standings. Finished 9th at the XTERRA World Championship. In Maui: Finished 9th the last two years, 6th in 2015, 10th in 2014, 11th in 2013, 6th in 2010, 8th in 2008, 10th in 2007. Thoughts: I prepared for Maui at home in Tyrol, Austria this year. I traveled so much, it’s just good to be home and train on my favorite tracks. I had a great season. Asia Pacific Champion, Euro Tour Champion, 4 major XTERRA wins and only podium finishes. Low point is now my injury that turned out much worse and takes much longer to heal than I would like. I like the course when it’s nice and dry. It’s lots of climbing, some nice trails, should suit me. For me the hardest part is always the last part of the run. Maybe, because I’m already so tired and just want to cross the finish line. Credentials: 14th year racing XTERRA. The most traveled XTERRA athlete of all-time. Two-time XTERRA Saipan winner (2016 & 2017). Finished 3rd at XTERRA Austria in first-ever XTERRA in 2005.

38 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 56 – Penny Slater from Wamboin, NSW, Australia 2018 XTERRA ASIA-PACIFIC TOUR CHAMPION Born: March 4, 1996 This year: Won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour. Finished 4th at XTERRA New Zealand, 2nd at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race in Danao, 3rd at XTERRA Tahiti, and 2nd at XTERRA Albay. In Europe, she finished 5th at XTERRA France, 6th at XTERRA Czech and Poland, and 13th at the XTERRA European Championship in Germany. Finished 12th on the XTERRA European Tour. Also won the ITU Cross Tri U23 World Title for the second year in a row. Last year: Finished 5th at XTERRA New Zealand, and 2nd at XTERRA Philippines. Was 3rd on the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour. Placed 11th in her first attempt at XTERRA Worlds. In Maui: Was 11th last year. Thoughts: Since I returned from racing in Europe at the end of August I have been back home in Canberra, Australia preparing for worlds. This year my preparation has focused a lot on being stronger on the bike which has meant getting lots of miles in the legs on the road bike coupled with some skills sessions on the mountain bike. I’ve been working hard in the gym trying to get strong for all those hills and prehabbing to prevent injury. I’ve also been very strict with my diet this year which has allowed me to remain healthy in those hard training weeks leading up to Maui. I’m feeling really great and healthy thank- fully. Unfortunately I had a nasty crash of my mountain bike in September which kept me out of the pool for a few weeks due to and infection in a laceration in my arm. But thankfully I’ve returned to the pool and my swimming is finally coming back into form! I feel ready for Maui, more prepared both mentally and physically than last year, at least now I know what to expect come race day and how brutal the course is. However as everyone knows conditions in Maui can vary greatly so I’m looking forward to the challenges the island throws at use this year. This year for me a solid and realistic goal is to get inside the top 10, of course I would love to sneak up higher than that. But to get anywhere near the top five at Maui you have to have a pretty phenomenal race and have no hiccups which I would love to do. We will see what race day brings! I’d say that Lesley and Brigitta are all girls to watch out for as well as Carina who had a spectacular season. My favourite part of the course in Maui is the swim, I’m hoping for big surf so I can put into prac- tice some of the open water skills I’m lucky enough to have from my time on the beach as a youngster. My season this year was overall pretty good, I achieved my main two goals which was to win the Asia Pacific Tour and to defend my U23 World Cross tri title.

39 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 57 – Julie Baker from Sonora, California 2018 XTERRA VICTORIA CHAMPION Born: November 19, 1976 This year: Finished 2nd at XTERRA Oak Mountain, won XTERRA Victoria, was 2nd at XTERRA Beaver Creek, and 8th at the XTERRA Pan American Championship. Finished 6th in the final Pan Am Tour standings. Last year: Finished 3rd at XTERRA Oak Mountain, 3rd at XTER- RA Beaver Creek, and 3rd at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship. She finished 6th In the XTERRA Pan Am Pro Series. Placed 12th at XTERRA Worlds 2016: Won XTERRA Beaver Creek in her first race as a pro and was 3rd at the Pan Am Championship and 13th at the XTERRA World Championship. Named the female USAT amateur off- road triathlete of the year. In Maui: Was 12th last year, 13th in 2016, her first year as a pro. Won the overall XTERRA World Championship amateur title in 2015.

40 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 58 – Allison Baca from Boulder, Colorado 2018 XTERRA CHILE CHAMPION Born: May 2, 1990 This year: Won XTERRA Chile, was 3rd at XTERRA Argentina, 7th at XTERRA Victoria, 4th at XTERRA Beaver Creek, and 5th at the XTERRA Pan Am Championship in Utah. Placed 5th in the final XTERRA Pan Am Tour Standings. In Maui: First race. Thoughts: This is my first year so we will see how the prepara- tion goes. Excited to get away from the cold weather here for a week. I will be satisfied with my race if I leave everything out there on the course. Since it’s my first year, I am not sure what to expect from the race though! I mean it looks beautiful from Instagram but that’s all I have to go off of at the moment. My high point this year was winning XTERRA Chile! Low point - bad crash in April and missing three races on the Pan Am Tour.

41 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 63 – Melanie McQuaid from Victoria, BC, Canada 3x XTERRA WORLD CHAMPION (2003, 2005, 2006) Born: May 17, 1973 This year: Finished 2nd at XTERRA Victoria. Credentials: 15th year racing XTERRA. Won the XTERRA Canada Championship in 2003, ‘04, ‘10- ‘12.Raced with Canada’s National Cycling team for six years. 2002: Won the XTERRA West title at Half Moon Bay. Series. 2003: Won XTERRA Worlds. 2004: Won in Richmond. Won XTERRA Canada and placed second at XTERRA Worlds. 2005: Won in Temecula, Italy, and became the first female to win a second XTERRA World Championship in Maui. 2006: Won inaugural XTERRA Southeast Championship, the Mountain Championship and Tahoe to capture her first Pro Series crown after three runner-ups. Followed with 2nd straight & unprecedented 3rd XTERRA World Title. 2007: Won in California, was the runner-up at XTERRA Worlds. 2008: Won West Champs for second straight year, won the East, Mountain, USA Champs, and US Pro Series crown. DNF’d at XTERRA Worlds. 2009: Won XTERRA West, Midwest, Southeast, Northwest, and Atlantic Cup races, and XTERRA USA Championship and XTERRA US Pro Series title for the second straight year (her third overall - also won in 2006). Finished 3rd at XTERRA Worlds, her seventh time in the top 3 at Maui. 2010: Won the XTERRA European Championship in Italy, the XTERRA Canada Championship, the XTERRA USA Championship. 2011: Won the XTERRA West and South Central Championships, then captured the inaugural ITU Cross-Tri World Title in Spain, won the Southeast title, XTERRA Canada, and the USA Championship for fourth year in a row. Won the Pro Series for the fourth time, and was on her way to winning XTER- RA Worlds before exhaustion struck and she collapsed just 60 yards from the finish and DNF. 2012: Won the East Championship, XTERRA Canada 2014: Won XTERRA Victoria. In Maui: Placed 8th in 2014 in last XTERRA Maui. Was 17th in 2013, 13th in 2012. In 2011 led most of the way before col- lapsing and DNF. Has been in the top three seven times since 2000. Placed 11th in 2010, finished 3rd in 2009, did not finish in 2008, and either won or finished second in previous five years. Placed 2nd in ’07, won her third world title in ’06, her second in ’05, was 2nd in ’04 and won her first title in ’03. Was ninth in ’02, DNF in ’01, and was the runner-up in 2000.

42 ELITE WOMEN’S CONTENDERS

No. 66 – Renata Bucher from Lucerne, Switzerland 33 XTERRA WORLD TOUR RACE WINS Born: May 30, 1977 This year: Placed 9th at XTERRA Italy-Garda, 4th at XTERRA Czech and XTERRA Italy-Abruzzo, and 3rd at XTERRA Finland. Finished 10th on the XTERRA European Tour. Last year: Placed 7th at XTERRA Greece, 3rd at XTERRA Italy. 2016: Placed 2nd on the XTERRA European Tour. Was 5th in Portugal, 4th in Switzerland, 2nd at France, 3rd in Italy and Poland, 6th in Germany and 3rd in Denmark. 2015: Placed 5th at XTERRA Philippines, 4th at XTERRA Saipan, 5th at XTERRA Guam, 9th at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Australia, 7th at the XTERRA Asian Tour Championship in Malaysia, and was 4th at XTERRA Italy. Won the ETU European Championship in Germany in July. Finished 2nd at the XTERRA European Championship in England. Was 9th in Maui. Thoughts: I have spent a good amount of time back home in the Swiss Mountains training for this. Early October I came back to Australia, my second home. Unfortunately the ocean is still freezing, and I haven’t done any ocean swimming yet. I have spent more time on the road bike. Early in the season I had the opportunity to join the Roxsolt Attaquer Team, to race UCI events in the States. I reached another pain level. I only did 4 races of the Euro Tour and it was the year of my first long distance triathlon, the Inferno (3.1km swim, 97km road, 30km mtb and 25km running) it took me 10h 48min, it was just joing up and up and up. I’m wondering, if these kind of races will benefits me on the brutal Maui course! I’m feeling really good, healthy and happy. My goal is simple to find peace with this race and the island. Last time I raced in Maui I had a DNF (felt sick). When I was at my fittest point, I had a mechanical. Another year I couldn’t catch the wave properly at the end of the swim and got smashed into the sand beach and hurt my back. I was so suffering on the run. This year I see a big chance for me to race and to enjoy the fight. I missed Maui in the last years, the people, the atmosphere and the race. Very thankful to have the chance to make the trip, to be healthy and to feel strong. You never know, what will happen. So I better live my own way and loving my life. In Maui: Placed 9th in 2015, did not finish in 2014, was 15th in 2013, 7th in 2012, 4th in 2011, DNF in 2010, 14th in 2009, 4th in ‘08, 5th in 2006, and 4th in first try in 2005. Credentials: 15th year racing XTERRA. Has won 33 XTERRA Championship races in 14 countries, the U.S. Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. A four-time XTERRA European Tour Champion.

43 XTERRA WORLDS ELITE PRIZE PURSE

XTERRA World Championship Pro Purse ($100,000) Place Men Women 1st $20,000 $20,000 2nd $12,000 $12,000 3rd $7,000 $7,000 4th $4,000 $4,000 5th $2,500 $2,500 6th $1,500 $1,500 7th $1,100 $1,100 8th $800 $800 9th $600 $600 10th $500 $500

44 THE DOUBLE

The Double Award is given to the elite and amateur man and woman with the fastest combined 2018 XTERRA World Championship and Ironman Hawaii Championship time. Elites are awarded $2,500 and the top amateur man and woman win a custom racing jersey. American Ben Hoffman won the men’s double award last year for the third year in a row with a combined time of 11:06:34 (8:19:26 IM + 2:47:08 XTERRA) while Philipp Widmann from Germany won the men's amateur double in 12:50:29, and Verena Eisenbarth won the women's amateur double in 14:15:41. Tentative 2018 Double Contenders Division Name Hometown IM Time M40-44 Jose Graca Kailua Kona, Hawaii, HI (Brazil) 8:58:58 M25-29 Nico Seitter Sindelfingen, Germany 9:09:22 M30-34 Jonathan Noon Encinitas, California 9:12:04 M40-44 Stephane Vander Bruggen Thomson, Belgium 9:14:29 M35-39 Pablo Ureta Cordoba, Argentina 9:31:21 M40-44 Martin Bravo Comodoro, Argentina 9:34:03 M45-49 Jason Sandquist Duncan, Canada 9:56:19 M40-44 Ian Gray Seguin, Canada 10:06:40 F30-34 Kate Bramley Lara, Australia 10:18:32 M40-44 Daniel Redelinghuys Calgary, Canada 10:30:41 M50-54 Arnaud Bouvier Digne-les-Bains, France 10:35:31 ALL-TIME ELITE DOUBLE WINNERS F30-34 Marisol Franco Acevedo Durango, Mexico 10:44:34 2017: Ben Hoffman (11:06:34) M50-54 Andrew Brierley St. Andrews, United Kingdom 10:51:56 2016: Ben Hoffman (11:14:41) M35-39 Josh King Kailua, Oahu, HI 11:08:53 2015: Ben Hoffman (11:55:18) M60-64 Ned Daily New Hyde Park, New York 11:27:45 2014: Bart Aernouts (11:07:24) 2012: Sebastian Kienle (11:03:38) M40-44 Jefferson Oishi Lahaina, Maui, HI (Brazil) 11:28:33 2010: Eneko Llanos (11:02:46) M60-64 Tom Monica Thousand Oaks, California 11:33:41 Julie Dibens (12:09:36) F45-49 Tine Vogt Dusseldorf, Germany 11:42:48 2009: Eneko Llanos (11:15:17) M35-39 Chris Calimano Staten Island, New York 13:16:57 2008: Eneko Llanos (11:03:39) M55-59 Matthew Carr Phoenix, Arizona 14:32:48 Sibylle Matter (13:12:08) M50-54 Gregg Edelstein Newton Highlands, Mass. 14:47:53 2007: Eneko Llanos (11:17:17) F55-59 Marilynn Laswell Wailuku, Maui, HI 15:39:40 Erika Csomor (13:12:50) 2006: Eneko Llanos (11:09:17) 2017 Double Results Division IM Time XTERRA Combined Sibylle Matter (13:24:06) Ben Hoffman USA PRO / Elite 8:19:26 2:47:08 11:06:34 2005: Peter Reid (11:10:09) Braden Currie NZL PRO / Elite 8:50:05 2:39:04 11:29:09 Kate Major (12:51:01) Philipp Widmann GER M30-34 9:39:15 3:11:13 12:50:28 2004: Peter Reid (11:27:59) Pablo Ureta ARG M35-39 9:39:52 3:11:26 12:51:18 Heather Fuhr (13:18:17) Kenji Takeya JPN M45-49 9:51:36 3:04:54 12:56:30 2003: Peter Reid (11:03:50) Marco Iseli SUI M35-39 10:21:04 3:16:42 13:37:46 Heather Fuhr (12:42:03) Arnaud Bouvier FRA M50-54 10:22:38 3:17:37 13:40:15 Jose Reyes MEX M45-49 10:23:49 3:37:10 14:00:59 2002: Peter Reid (11:18:23) Verena Eisenbarth FRA F30-34 10:39:32 3:36:09 14:15:41 Arianne Gutknecht (13:30:26) Yannick Antoine BEL M40-44 11:14:34 3:07:01 14:21:35 2001: Cameron Widoff (11:54:30) Ashley Robota USA F30-34 10:57:07 4:15:14 15:12:21 Wendy Ingraham (13:37:04) Uta Knape GER F40-44 11:25:38 3:56:34 15:22:12 2000: Peter Reid (11:05:07) Brent Wong USA M35-39 12:27:13 3:55:26 16:22:39 Beth Zinkland (13:15:26) Jodi Ruby USA F55-59 12:02:29 4:29:00 16:31:29 1999: Olivier Bernhart (11:05:09) Thierry Foulounoux FRA M60-64 12:29:06 4:23:00 16:52:06 Uli Blank (13:09:57) Jennifer Burtner USA F45-49 13:35:53 3:53:43 17:29:36 Sean Dowling USA M55-59 13:21:33 4:23:44 17:45:17 1998: Peter Reid (10:59:49) Guillermo Jaramillo USA M60-64 15:43:35 4:00:58 19:44:33 Wendy Ingraham (12:58:32)

45 2017 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

October 29, 2017 (Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii) – Bradley Weiss On the bike course, Ruben Ruzafa, a tremendously skilled from Stellenbosch, South Africa and Flora Duffy from mountain biker, caught up to Weiss just before the second Devonshire, Bermuda captured the 22nd XTERRA World water station, but Ruzafa never had more than 30 seconds on Championship elite titles on a sunny day in Kapalua, Maui. his competitor. “Once Ruben caught me, I thought, ‘Hang in there as long as you can,’” said Weiss. “I made a little mistake It’s the first XTERRA World title for Weiss, and the fourth in a row on the last bit of single track and Ruben got away.” for Duffy. With the win, Duffy joins XTERRA Hall of Famer Conrad Stoltz as the only other elite to win four titles, she is the Weiss caught up to Ruzafa about one-mile into the run and put first female to four, and is the only elite to win four straight. a charge into it, ultimately finishing down the chute with his arms outstretched, sharing high fives with the crowd. More than 800 endurance athletes – including six physically challenged athletes – from 52 countries competed in the event, Mauricio Mendez, the 2016 XTERRA World Champ, was the There was more than 4,000-feet of combined climbing on the eventual runner-up. He was expected to be racing from the technical bike and run courses, which were in excellent condi- front, but he was in fourth place off the bike. He then posted the tion despite pouring rain on Monday and Tuesday of this week. fastest run split, covering the 6.5-mile course in 39:49 to Weiss’ 41:40 and Ruzafa’s 43:41. For Weiss, the day started with a magical swim. “I didn’t lose any time on the swim which was unbelievable,” said Weiss, who Ruzafa had the fastest bike split and was the first rider into T2 has always been a strong biker and runner, but came out of the here in Kapalua for the fifth straight year, but got caught by water more than two-minutes behind the swim leaders last Weiss early on the run and got reeled in by Mendez just before year. “I don’t know how I did it. I just felt so comfortable in the the last stretch of sand before the finish and ended up in 3rd water. I actually caught a wave at the end and caught up and place. Josiah Middaugh was the top American finisher in Maui got past the group. When I stood up on the sand and saw Ben for the 10th time and seventh year in a row, and finished eighth. and Flora and the whole group I just thought, what’s going on?” WOMEN'S RACE: Duffy led the swim, the bike, and the run for It’s often been said that you can lose an XTERRA race on the the women by a remarkable margin. By mile 15 on the bike, swim but you can’t win it, but Weiss thinks he might have Duffy had an almost six-minute lead on runner up Barbara proven the theory wrong. “One hundred percent I won the race Riveros from Chile. on the swim,” said Weiss, perhaps half in jest. “It’s been letting me down all these years. When I stood up out of the water and “I did my first XTERRA World Championship in 2013, and I can saw Mauricio and Ben, I thought, ‘Game on, here we go.’ And I vividly remember almost falling over running on that beach think mentally I won the race there. I was just so, so confident.” down there,” said Duffy. “So, to be here today after winning four in a row is pretty unbelievable and pretty crazy to think Weiss finished in 2:32:10 and was a humble champion in his first about where I started. It’s a very special day for me, and what victory after three attempts on the Maui course. “The Maui gods made it even cooler was that Bradley Weiss – Bad Brad I like to definitely looked after me this year,” said Weiss at the awards call him – won his first world title. We’ve done a lot of training ceremony. “I’m so happy to be here standing on the top of the together over the years. He helped me in my final prep to podium. Even when I was winning, I didn’t think I deserved to Rotterdam and I would like to think I helped him today.” be there, but I’m super proud and super grateful.” The 2017 XTERRA Chile Champion, Barbara Riveros was in sec- After Weiss surprised himself with a great swim, he took a ond place for most of the race after a solid swim. She finished in chance and charged hard from the beginning of the bike course. 2:56:11, about eight minutes behind Duffy. Laura Philipp was “I got on the bike and I knew Ruben and Josiah would be third in 2:57:24. “On the bike, Flora was on another level, we all coming,” said Weiss. “And I knew I had to put a gap on Mauricio. know that,” said Riveros, a three-time Olympian, who missed He’s proven time and time again that he’s putting the fastest the last two years at Maui because of injury. run splits in.”

46 2017 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 ELITE MEN Pl Name Hometown Time Purse 1 Bradley Weiss Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:32:09 $20,000 2 Mauricio Mendez Mexico City, Mexico 2:33:24 $12,000 3 Ruben Ruzafa Malaga, Spain 2:33:45 $7,000 4 Francisco Serrano Monterrey, Mexico 2:34:29 $4,000 5 Cedric Fleureton Albigny, France 2:34:50 $2,500 6 Sam Osborne Rotorua, New Zealand 2:36:22 $1,500 7 Braden Currie Wanaka, New Zealand 2:39:03 $1,100 8 Josiah Middaugh Eagle-Vail, Colorado 2:39:32 $800 9 Brice Daubord Orleans, France 2:41:36 $600 10 Rom Akerson Tambor, Costa Rica 2:42:23 $500 Also: Arthur Forissier, Ben Hoffman, Rui Dolores, Ben Allen, Jan Kubicek TOP 15 ELITE WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Time Purse 1 Flora Duffy Devonshire, Bermuda 2:47:47 $20,000 2 Barbara Riveros Santiago, Chile 2:56:11 $12,000 3 Laura Philipp Heidelberg, Germany 2:57:24 $7,000 4 Brigitta Poor Gyor, Hungary 3:02:36 $4,000 5 Lesley Paterson Stirling, Scotland 3:06:01 $2,500 6 Suzie Snyder Reno, Nevada 3:06:27 $1,500 7 Elizabeth Orchard Auckland, New Zealand 3:06:40 $1,100 8 Helena Karaskova Jablonec, Czech Republic 3:08:22 $800 9 Carina Wasle Kundl, Austria 3:11:34 $600 10 Emma Garrard Park City, Utah 3:12:45 $500 Also: Penny Slater, Julie Baker, Kara LaPoint, Debby Sullivan, Isabella Ribeiro Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Ben Allen (19:09), Flora Duffy (19:14) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Ruben Ruzafa (1:27:23), Flora Duffy (1:41:00) Fastest 10.5-kilometer run: Mauricio Mendez (39:49), Flora Duffy (45:08) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Tate Haugan Fort St. John, CAN 2:54:41 15-19 Loanne Duvoisin* Les Geneveys, SUI 3:17:32 20-24 Ondrej Petr Novy Bor, Czech 2:55:31 20-24 Amanda Nadeau Calgary, Canada 3:50:10 25-29 Arnaud Taurelle* Nancy, France 2:49:53 25-29 Carolina Nieva Yerba Buena, ARG 3:37:04 30-34 Pierrick Page Bressolles, France 2:52:35 30-34 Verena Eisenbarth La Roche, France 3:36:09 35-39 Francisco Gonzalez Santiago, Chile 2:52:59 35-39 Kristy Jennings Wanaka, NZL 3:39:20 40-44 Marconi Ribeiro Brasilia, Brazil 3:00:53 40-44 Tanya Sharp Auckland, NZL 3:28:31 45-49 Jose Yuste Abbeville, SC 3:03:44 45-49 Mimi Stockton (5) Stevensville, MI 3:38:09 50-54 Grzegorz Zgliczynski Elblag, Poland 3:12:00 50-54 Catherine Gance (2) Cergy, France 3:50:53 55-59 Gregory Ball (2) Noosa, Australia 3:23:40 55-59 Celine Hepworth Montmorency, AUS 3:59:30 60-64 Carlos Cabrita Loule, Portugal 3:33:46 60-64 Martha Buttner (2) Boulder, CO 4:11:21 65-69 Juerg Binia Dresden, Germany 4:03:22 65-69 Lynne Pattle Auckland, NZL 4:30:25 70-74 Peter Wood (10) Papeete, Tahiti 5:13:54 75-79 Roger Kern (3) Scotts Valley, CA 6:05:47 (#) denotes number of World Championships won 80+ Jon Adamson Alpharetta, GA 6:38:46 *Top Amateurs PC Ed Fattoumy (11) Honolulu, HI 3:50:01

47 2016 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

October 23, 2016 (Kapalua) - Mauricio Mendez, 21, from last year by more than one-minute over Middaugh, had the Mexico City, Mexico and Flora Duffy, 29, from Devonshire, fastest this year by just 41-seconds over Braden Currie but it Bermuda captured the XTERRA World Championship off-road was 3:41 faster than Ruzafa. triathlon elite titles on a wild, windy, and muddy day. Ben Allen came off the bike in third and stayed there. It’s the In the men’s race Mendez posted the fastest run split of the day third time in four years Allen has finished 3rd here at XTERRA (42:06) and passed three-time XTERRA World Champion Ruben Worlds. Currie and Middaugh came off the bike together at T2, Ruzafa from Spain with one-mile left in the run to take the tape both caught Leonardo Chacon, with Currie finishing fourth and in 2:49:38. Middaugh in fifth (and top American for the ninth time and fifth time in a row). “It’s a dream come true,” said Mendez, the first pro from Mexico to win an XTERRA World title. “I’ve looked up to these guys for WOMEN’S RACE: Just a few weeks removed from upsetting so long and now to be up here with them is very special. I’m just Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen to win the ITU Grand happy, really happy.” Final in Cozumel and ITU World Triathlon Series title, Duffy put her name in the record books with her third straight XTERRA In the women’s race Flora Duffy led from start-to-finish and crown. It didn’t come easy. posted the fastest swim, bike, and run times to take the win in 3:14:59, more than 10-minutes ahead of runner-up Lesley “Just before the first bike feed on the steep section I flipped Paterson from Scotland. It’s Duffy's third XTERRA World over my bars into the trees just like I've done before here, and I Championship win in a row, tying Julie Dibens record of three was super lucky, again. My bike is a little banged up, but I got straight from 2007-09. back on and I was like ‘dodged another bullet Flora.’ My gears stopped working. I was stuck in easy for most of it, and I was “It was really tough out there,” said Duffy. “I crashed on the like, you’re done. Spinning, spinning. Not a good thing when bike, went over the handlebars and flying into the bushes. My you have Lesley behind you.” gears weren’t working, and all the while Lesley was back there charging hard behind me. The 3-peat it really cool. It’s actually Duffy, who finished 7th in her first XTERRA and said she’d never probably even cooler with the fact that I also won the ITU World do another, says she’s happy that she did. “The first XTERRA I Championship and then to back it up with this, wow, it’s really did in 2013 in Beaver Creek, I swore I was never going to do one a year I could not have asked for. And to tie Julie’s record of 3 in again,” she explained. “Thankfully I did, and it sort of led me to a row, it’s not easy to do, so many things can go wrong out finding myself in triathlon. Here you are racing against yourself, there. You really need a bit of luck, to prepare meticulously.” you have to do everything to get through the race, so I’ve kind of taken that to the road side of life. I think XTERRA has really MEN’S RACE: So a 21-year-old (his birthday was on Thursday) aided my success on the road.” won the 21st annual XTERRA World Championship. “My first XTERRA was in 2010 in Mexico, in the junior kids race, and I won For Paterson, the day started with a bit of a worry. “I was not it, and I remember Dan Hugo was first place at the time and calm before or during the swim. Nothing would have helped thinking wow, this is amazing, I want to be like him,” said with that. I had a pretty big panic attack through that, it was Mendez. “And I just got into it and from that day I dreamed awful. You’re standing at the edge seeing these big waves and about being the world champion. I don’t know, I feel like I am you think “Oh my God,”. And it was brutal, really brutal.” still sleeping.” For Suzie Snyder, who finished in third and top American, it was Mendez was third out of the water, worked hard with Leo the culmination of her best year as an elite. “I kind of can’t Chacon on the bike to catch Courtney Atkinson at mile three, believe this whole year,” she said.” It’s awesome.” then he caught Ben Allen at about mile six and those two were together for the rest of the bike. Ruben Ruzafa caught them at Myriam Guillot-Boisset finished 4th for the second straight year, about that same time and rode away, coming into transition and Helena Erbenova finished 5th for the second time in three with more than two minutes. Mendez, who had the fastest run years.

48 2016 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 ELITE MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Time Purse 1 Mauricio Mendez 21 Mexico City, Mexico 2:49:38 $20,000 2 Ruben Ruzafa 32 Malaga, Spain 2:51:02 $12,000 3 Ben Allen 31 Wollongong, Australia 2:53:49 $7,000 4 Braden Currie 30 Wanaka, New Zealand 2:55:48 $4,000 5 Josiah Middaugh 38 Vail, Colorado, USA 2:57:06 $2,500 6 Leonardo Chacon 32 Liberia, Costa Rica 2:57:14 $1,500 7 Ben Hoffman 33 Boulder, CO, USA 3:01:41 $1,100 8 Courtney Atkinson 37 Queensland, Australia 3:02:22 $800 9 Sam Osborne 25 Rotorua, New Zealand 3:02:52 $600 10 Rom Akerson 32 Tambor, Costa Rica 3:05:16 $500 Also: Roger Serrano, Felipe Barraza, Bradley Weiss, Karl Shaw, Felipe Moletta TOP 15 ELITE WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Time Purse 1 Flora Duffy 29 Devonshire, Bermuda 3:14:59 $20,000 2 Lesley Paterson 36 Sterling, Scotland 3:25:01 $12,000 3 Suzie Snyder 34 Reno, NV, USA 3:29:03 $7,000 4 Myriam Guillot-Boisset 37 Brindas, France 3:30:51 $4,000 5 Helena Erbenova 37 Jablonec, Czech Republic 3:32:54 $2,500 6 Michelle Flipo 28 Palma De Mallorca, Mexico 3:35:49 $1,500 7 Jacqui Slack 33 Stoke-on-Trent, England 3:41:45 $1,100 8 Lizzie Orchard 31 Auckland, New Zealand 3:42:14 $800 9 Carina Wasle 32 Kundl, Austria 3:44:19 $600 10 Joanna Brown 24 Guelph, ON, Canada 3:56:59 $500 Also: Morgane Riou, Maia Ignatz, Julie Baker, Mieko Carey, Kara LaPoint

Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Courtney Atkinson (20:01), Flora Duffy (21:26) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Ruben Ruzafa (1:42:42), Flora Duffy (2:05:01) Fastest 10.5-kilometer run: Mauricio Mendez (42:06), Flora Duffy (48:32)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 (2) Hayden Wilde Whakatane, NZL 3:19:38 15-19 Heather Horton Draper, UT, USA 5:25:08 20-24 Loic Doubey Legna, France 3:09:29 20-24 Camille Jobard Sainte Sabine, FRA 4:37:07 25-29 Pierre-Alain Nicole Varois, France 3:10:16 25-29 Ariarn Huston Perth, Australia 4:29:18 30-34 Xavier Dafflon Fribourg, SUI 3:09:35 30-34 Lydia Hale Rotorua, NZL 4:12:02 35-39 Alejandro Bulacio Yerba Buena, ARG 3:25:32 35-39 Courtney Kaup Hinesburg, VT 4:21:37 40-44 Nicolas Durin Vernioz, France 3:17:13 40-44 (4) Mimi Stockton Stevensville, MI 4:28:52 45-49 (7) Cal Zaryski Calgary, Canada 3:24:10 45-49 Nathalie Pugeault Draguignan, France 4:47:18 50-54 Guy Evans Geneva, Switzerland 3:48:17 50-54 (3) Carol Rasmussen Karlslunde, DEN 4:45:26 55-59 Gregory Ball Noosa, Australia 4:10:12 55-59 Stephanie Landy Ballston Spa, NY 4:51:27 60-64 Karsten Olsen Fredericia, Denmark 4:26:13 60-64 (7) Barbara Peterson Berkeley, CA, USA 5:17:00 65-69 Carl Peterson Penticton, Canada 5:00:07 65-69 (7) Cindi Toepel Littleton, CO, USA 5:40:13 70-74 Roger Kern Scotts Valley, CA 7:58:28 70-74 (9) Wendy Minor Kamuela, HI, USA 7:50:15 75-79 John Stover Jackson, MS, USA 8:08:00 PC Beth Price Spanish Fort, AL 7:18:39 PC Michel Gonon Villard de Lans, FRA 4:31:55

49 2015 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

November 1, 2015 (Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii) - Josiah in that gap but some people filled in – Paco (Francisco Serrano) Middaugh, 37, from Eagle-Vail, Colorado and Flora Duffy, 28, and Braden (Currie). Then I came down and washed out over from Devonshire, Bermuda won the 20th XTERRA World another corner, turned the handlebars over and was then 45 Championship off-road triathlon elite titles on an incredibly seconds behind Ruben and I was just trying to keep it. Last year scenic day in Kapalua, Maui. he put 45 seconds on me on the last five miles, this year he put one-minute on me. Nothing you can do, he’s an amazing rider.” It’s the first XTERRA World Title for Middaugh after 15 attempts, and he becomes the first American to win Worlds since Michael Ruzafa did indeed put some time on the pack, but the effort Tobin back in 2000. For Duffy, the win marks a perfect season took its toll. “At the top of the climb I passed Josiah and I put with five straight wins, her second XTERRA World some time into him and arrived 1:45 at T2, but my body was not Championship in a row, and 12th XTERRA major victory in her the same and I exploded on the run,” he explained. last 13 attempts since the start of 2014. “I caught Ruben right before the lake at the big climb. I was More than 800 endurance athletes from 43 countries participat- making back 20-30 seconds a mile on him. I was shocked. Last ed in the event, which started in the relatively calm waters of year he was climbing at the same speed as I was. I was charg- the Pacific Ocean at D.T. Fleming Beach, continued with a 20- ing as hard as I could, I was lifting my knees and pumping as mile mountain bike that traversed the West Maui Mountains, hard as I could go and I knew I was coming back on him. It felt and finished with a grueling 6.5-mile trail run. good.”

After 15 years of trying Josiah Middaugh has his world In the women’s race Flora Duffy was determined. “I had the big title…“15th time’s a charm,” Middaugh said to the crowd as he target on my back, and I came here with a mission. I wanted to crossed the line, barefoot, holding the finish tape and an defend, and got away with that by the skin of my teeth today,” American flag with his son Porter and daughter Larsen by his said Duffy. “I really struggled. Hit a tree, slide out on a corner, side (his oldest son Sullivan and wife Ingrid were watching in fell in a big mud puddle, and all the while the time gap between admiration). “I haven’t planned a single thing beyond this day me and Lesley was getting smaller and smaller.” so this is the end and the beginning right here, it’s amazing.” Duffy had the fastest women’s swim split (5th overall) and was The men’s race started out as expected with all the fast swim- 3:45 up on two-time XTERRA World Champion Lesley Paterson mers getting an early jump … Courtney Atkinson, Ben Allen, out of the water. Paterson posted the best bike split to pull Jens Roth, Mauricio Mendez and Sam Osborne were the first to back a couple of minutes and was seemingly in striking dis- hit the 20-mile bike course. tance heading out on the run.

What wasn’t expected was how well Middaugh would swim. He “There were moments out there when I questioned it,” said was still two minutes behind the swim leaders, but more Duffy. “I really, really struggled on the bike this year, not sure importantly he was side-by-side with Ruzafa. Last year he was why I just couldn’t stay on my bike, it wasn’t flowing. You have 1:41 down on Ruzafa coming out of the water. one of those days that everything goes wrong, that was my day. There were times on that run when I had no idea if I could hold “You never know how you are going to feel, you always feel on.” sluggish the morning of the race. I felt good in the water though and I was psyched to come out with Ruben,” said Middaugh. In the end Duffy took the tape in 2:54:17, five minutes in front of Paterson. “It was a tough day. For everybody it's tough. You Those two worked their way to the front of the pack on the bike have obstacles you have to get over.” in no time but after a crash set Middaugh back, Ruzafa pounced. “I felt really good on the bike,” said Middaugh. “I was Emma Garrard had a great race of her own to finish in third riding with Ruben and then I had a spill on an off-camber cor- position, yet another step forward in her amazing progression ner. It was a little wet, lost my front tire and went down. It was through the years (she was 5th two years ago, and 4th last year). just enough to lose 20 seconds to Ruben, and I was able to stay Garrard was once again the top American finisher.

50 2015 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name - Age, Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Josiah Middaugh - 37, Eagle-Vail, Colorado 2:35:32 $20,000 2 Braden Currie - 29, Wanaka, New Zealand 2:38:30 $12,000 3 Ruben Ruzafa - 31, Malaga, Spain 2:40:40 $7,000 4 Mauricio Mendez - 20, Mexico City, Mexico 2:40:54 $4,000 5 Courtney Atkinson - 36, Mermaid Waters, QLD, Australia 2:42:27 $2,500 6 Francisco Serrano - 35, Monterrey, Mexico 2:42:57 $1,500 7 Yeray Luxem - 29, Merksem, Belgium 2:44:45 $1,100 8 Rom Akerson - 31, Tambor, Costa Rica 2:45:07 $800 9 Nicolas Fernandez - 32, Pelissane, France 2:46:51 $600 10 Ben Hoffman - 32, Boulder, Colorado 2:49:56 $500 Also: Jens Roth, Olly Shaw, Fabien Combaluzier, Ben Allen, Albert Soley TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name - Age, Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Flora Duffy - 28, Devonshire, Bermuda 2:54:17 $20,000 2 Lesley Paterson - 35, Sterling, Scotland 2:59:16 $12,000 3 Emma Garrard - 34, Park City, Utah 3:03:28 $7,000 4 Myriam Guillot-Boisset - 36, Brindas, France 3:07:27 $4,000 5 Lizzie Orchard - 29, Epsom, New Zealand 3:09:57 $2,500 6 Carina Wasle - 31, Kundl, Austria 3:11:23 $1,500 7 Helena Erbenová - 36, Jablonec, Czech Republic 3:17:12 $1,000 8 Jacqui Slack - 32, Stoke-On-Trent, United Kingdom 3:18:04 $800 9 Renata Bucher - 38, Lucerne, Switzerland 3:19:34 $600 10 Susan Sloan - 34, Benoni, South Africa 3:20:44 $500 Also: Elisabetta Curridori, Maia Ignatz, Kara LaPoint, Verena Eisenbarth, Alena Stevens Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Courtney Atkinson (19:23), Flora Duffy (19:57) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Ruben Ruzafa (1:27:27), Lesley Paterson (1:42:52) Fastest 10.5-kilometer run: Mauricio Mendez (40:51), Emma Garrard (46:08)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Hayden Wilde Whakatane, NZL 2:59:46 15-19 Clara Clemmensen Taastrup, Denmark 3:55:55 20-24 Charly Sibille Montmorot, France 2:58:08 20-24 Larissa Rabago Guadalajara, Mexico 3:40:48 25-29 (2) Martin Kostelnicak Bratislava, Slovakia 2:56:23 25-29 (3) Elizabeth Gruber Colorado Springs 3:26:44 30-34 * Christophe Betard Epinal, France 2:56:00 30-34 Susi Pawel Dresden, Germany 3:39:15 35-39 Oscar Garcia Pilar, Argentina 2:59:28 35-39 * Julie Baker Sonora, California 3:25:51 40-44 (2) Martin Flinta Molndal, Sweden 2:57:10 40-44 (3) Mimi Stockton Stevensville, MI 3:29:06 45-49 (6) Calvin Zaryski Calgary, Canada 3:01:09 45-49 Catherine Gance Cergy, France 3:57:43 50-54 (2) Benoit Lalevee Saint Nazaire, FRA 3:10:28 50-54 (2) Carol Rasmussen Karlslunde, DEN 3:44:32 55-59 Philippe Costet Vandoeuvre, FRA 3:27:02 55-59 Sharon McDowell-Larsen Colorado Springs 3:51:56 60-64 Peter Dann Eagle, Colorado 3:44:07 60-64 (6) Cindi Toepel Littleton, Colorado 4:23:31 65-69 (3) Bruce Wacker Kailua Kona, Hawaii 4:17:57 65-69 (3) Libby Harrow Fruita, Colorado 6:01:00 70-74 Steffen Neuendorff Michelbach, GER 5:46:54 70-74 (8) Wendy Minor Kamuela, Hawaii 6:17:18 PC (10) Fouad Fattoumy Honolulu, HI 3:47:12 (#) denotes number of World Championships won *Top Amateurs 51 2014 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

October 25, 2014 (Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui, HI) - One elite swim. He wasn’t too far off the front. I caught the top 5 on the became an instant legend in her home country and another bike really early and I put together the best race I have done solidified his status among XTERRA’s all-time greats at the 19th here. It wasn’t quite enough to win but I'm very happy with sec- running of the XTERRA World Championship. ond. I feel like I pushed really hard all the way through. I feel like I emptied the tank like 50 times and put every single thing into Flora Duffy, who first dreamed of becoming a world champion this race. Best day I’ve had.” when she was 8-years-old, became the first pro triathlete from Bermuda to win a triathlon world title and Ruben Ruzafa from In the women’s race nothing could stop Flora Duffy, not a Spain captured his third XTERRA World Championship and mechanical, not even a wicked crash that sent her flying into wrapped up a perfect season that featured nine straight wins, the bushes and ripped holes in her racing kit. the XTERRA European Tour Championship, the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship and the XTERRA USA “I crashed so hard, I literally don't know how I got back on my Championship. bike,” said Duffy.

More than 800 endurance athletes from around the world par- “You know how it’s a steep gnarly decent, I hit a root awkward- ticipated in the off-road triathlon, which started and finished at ly and just flew into the trees head first with the bike on top of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua hotel on Maui. The course consisted me. I was lucky I landed in the bushes. Then, five minutes later of a 1-mile swim, a 20-mile mountain bike, and a 6-mile run. I had a mechanical. It was a hard day out there.”

It used to be all about the bike for Ruben Ruzafa, who has now It was even harder for all the elite women trying to keep up with posted the fastest bike split at all three XTERRA World Duffy. Last year’s women’s winner Nicky Samuels did her best, Championship races he’s entered (and won) , but now he’s but said she lacked the fitness after her break from ITU racing. almost just as strong at swimming and running. “I had a break after the ITU season so I think 3rd is about where “I feel great, it’s incredible. Until you finish the race you don't my fitness is, and to hold on to 3rd place was good enough for know if you are going to win. Today, I knew it was going to be me,” said Samuels. hard because Josiah was really good. I am surprised because I swam very well… but Josiah did really well in the ride, and run- Riveros, who was the runner-up two years ago and finished ning of course he was very fast. So, it wasn’t until the end of the fourth last year, worked her way back into the second spot this course that I knew he was not there.” year.

Ruzafa came out of the water less than one-minute behind the “I’m very, very proud of Flora,” said Riveros. leaders and made all that up and more to take the lead on the bike by the six-mile mark when he passed the other 11 riders in “I'm happy for her for getting the title for her country. She’s a front of him and finally Ben Allen. More importantly, his 20:51 role model. She’s very strong and I knew she was the big swim split was 1:45 faster than his toughest opponent, Josiah contender here and she more than proved that today so clap for Middaugh. her and congratulations to everyone.”

He extended the gap on Middaugh by 50-seconds on the bike Emma Garrard continues to shine bright as America’s top and even though the American XTERRA icon ran more than a female racer with a fourth-place showing . minute faster in the final leg of the race, it wasn’t enough. Here’s how Middaugh explained it… Helena Erbenova was several minutes behind the leaders after the swim but coupled a great bike and run to work her way into “I knew I had to have a really good swim. I had a great start fifth despite crashing on the bike. today and I had the best swim I’ve ever had here. I was a little over two minutes behind the lead, but really close to the people I was racing with but Ruben was off ahead with an even better

52 2014 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Ruben Ruzafa 30 Malaga, Spain 2:29:56 $20,000 2 Josiah Middaugh 36 Vial, Colorado 2:31:11 $12,000 3 Ben Allen 29 North Wollongong, Australia 2:34:50 $7,000 4 Dan Hugo 29 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:36:28 $4,000 5 Mauricio Mendez 19 Mexico City, Mexico 2:38:55 $2,500 6 Bart Aernouts 30 Merksem, Belgium 2:38:56 $1,500 7 Conrad Stoltz 41 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:38:57 $1,000 8 Michael Weiss 33 Gumpoldskirchen, Austria 2:39:06 $800 9 Rom Akerson 30 Paquera, Costa Rica 2:39:40 $600 10 Bradley Weiss 25 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:40:09 $500 Also: Brice Daubord, Rob Woestenborghs, Jim Thijs, Ryan Ignatz, Albert Soley TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Flora Duffy 27 Devonshire, Bermuda 2:47:59 $20,000 2 Barbara Riveros 27 Wollongong, Chile 2:50:04 $12,000 3 Nicky Samuels 31 Wanaka, New Zealand 2:56:31 $7,000 4 Emma Garrad 33 Park City, Utah 2:56:54 $4,000 5 Helena Erbenova 35 Jablonec Nad Nisou, Czech 2:57:56 $2,500 6 Suzie Snyder 32 Fredericksburg, Virginia 2:59:53 $1,500 7 Charlotte McShane 34 Mount Taylor, Australia 3:02:59 $1,000 8 Melanie McQuaid 41 Victoria, Canada 3:03:17 $800 9 Jacqui Slack 31 Stoke On Trent, Great Britain 3:03:45 $600 10 Carina Wasle 30 Kundl, Austria 3:04:54 $500 Also: Kathrin Muller, Chantell Widney, Danelle Kabush, Sandra Koblemueller, Lizzie Orchard

Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Mauricio Mendez/Ben Allen (20:01), Nicky Samuels/Flora Duffy (20:22) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Ruben Ruzafa (1:26:53), Flora Duffy (1:41:41) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Josiah Middaugh (37:58), Barbara Riveros (42:01)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Maxim Chane Falicon, France 2:55:37 15-19 (5) Hannah Rae Finchamp Altadena, California 3:30:52 20-24 Thomas Kerner Burglengenfeld, GER 2:53:27 20-24 Natia Van Heerden Hazyview, RSA 3:29:08 25-29 Martin Kostelnicak Bratislava, Slovakia 2:52:58 25-29 * Brittany Webster Canmore, Canada 3:17:36 30-34 * Guillaume Jeannin Bergholtz-Zell, FRA 2:46:21 30-34 Laurianne Levasseur Nantes, France 3:34:14 35-39 Johann Mathis Le Tholy, France 2:57:34 35-39 Nadine Mueller Canmore, Canada 3:25:57 40-44 Martin Flinta Molndal, Sweden 2:53:11 40-44 Kelli Montgomery Wallingford, CT 3:40:24 45-49 Tom Evans Penticton, Canada 2:54:41 45-49 Riikka Vreeswijk-Kelja Gorinchem, NED 3:30:27 50-54 Dennis Farrell Littleton, Colorado 3:11:00 50-54 (2) Tamara Tabeek San Diego, California 3:51:18 55-59 (2) Dennis Brinson Carson City, Nevada 3:20:58 55-59 Martha Buttner Boulder, Colorado 4:05:10 60-64 Johnny Davis Boulder, Colorado 3:40:27 60-64 (5) Cindi Toepel Littleton, Colorado 4:25:46 65-69 (2) David Rakita Durango, Colorado 4:10:39 65-69 Linda Usher West Upton, MA 5:48:52 70-74 (9) Peter Wood La Jolla, California 4:43:18 CA (2) Judith Abrahams Anchorage, Alaska 5:20:13 CA (9) Fouad Fattoumy Honolulu, Hawaii 3:40:00 (#) denotes number of World Championships won *Top Amateurs 53 2013 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (October 27, 2013) - Maui turned up the Samuels, 30, who raced for New Zealand at the London heat and the competition last year as more than 700 endurance Olympics and normally focuses on ITU road events, and said athletes from around the world participated in the ultimate she practiced her mountain biking for only three weeks prior to XTERRA at The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua hotel on Maui. this race. Still, she was able to post the second-fastest bike split Temperatures approaching 90 degrees turned it into a race of among the females at 1:49:36. attrition as much as a race of competition. “I thought it would be hot and thought there would be a lot of Ruben Ruzafa from Spain made a triumphant return to the top sandy stuff on the bike,” she said. “I guess that’s what it might of the XTERRA World Championship podium after completing have been, but more of a mountain bike course with berms and the course in 2 hours, 34 minutes, 34 seconds. Nicky Samuels jumps and things. It was kind of like a school cross country race from New Zealand took the women’s title in her first appear- when you’re 5 or 6. It was fun, something different and a nice ance at the XTERRA World Championship. She finished the way to end the season.” course in 2:57:48. She is the first female from New Zealand to win the XTERRA Ruzafa, who is 30 and resides in Malaga, Spain, won the 2013 World Championship (Hamish Carter took the men’s title in XTERRA World Championship for the second time in his career 2006). Her victory ended the successful run of Scotland’s Lesley last year (and he hasn’t lost a race since). Paterson, who was the two-time defending XTERRA women’s world champ and had posted seven consecutive XTERRA race “We knew that it was a really hot day,” Ruzafa said. “I drink a lot victories leading up to this year’s Worlds. (of water). I drink three bottles on the bike so I can make it to the run relatively fresh. I pushed hard and I’m very, very happy.” “I just didn’t feel like I had the legs from the start and that’s a horrible course to feel like that,” said Paterson, 33. Ruzafa trailed the leaders by around two minutes after the swim, but he more than made up for it with an astonishing bike Paterson said she knew midway through the bike that victo- ride. He finished with a bike split of 1:30:11, which was the ry was probably out of reach, but she still displayed her cham- fastest of the day by more than a minute. He eventually reeled pion spirit by tracking down two fellow pros on the run to take in all the leaders on the bike, and had a lead of about 45 sec- second place. Paterson finished the bike in fourth, but passed onds entering the run. Barbara Riveros first on the run, then staged a late surge to pass Flora Duffy in the final 100 meters of the run. “I was really surprised,” Ruzafa said of his ability to pass the other pros on the bike. Nobody got close to Ruzafa on the run, “I came off the bike just way down, not where I wanted to be, and he eventually finished 1 minute, 27 seconds, ahead of the and I just fought all the way,” she said. rest of the field. Paterson finished in 3:00:14, including the fastest run split of “Two (XTERRA) championships is really, really good for me,” he the day at 43:55. said. “It’s a dream.” Duffy, who is an Olympian from Bermuda, finished in third – five The women’s race had no such drama at the front, as Samuels seconds after Paterson – for an impressive debut of her own at jumped into the lead early in the bike and stayed somewhat- the XTERRA Worlds. “I’m shocked,” she said. “Coming into this comfortably in front the rest of the way. race, I was kind of here just for fun.”

“A bit shocked, really,” Samuels said of her successful debut at On Paterson’s late pass for second place, Duffy said: “I couldn’t the XTERRA World Championship. “I didn’t know how my respond. I was just hoping there was nobody behind Lesley.” descending skills, or lack of, was going to stand up to the other Riveros, who is an Olympian from Chile and placed second at girls.” the 2012 XTERRA Worlds, took fourth this year with a time of 3:01:43.

54 2013 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Ruben Ruzafa 29 Malaga, Spain 2:34:34 $20,000 2 Asa Shaw 29 Frejus, France 2:36:01 $12,000 3 Ben Allen 28 North Wollongong, Australia 2:36:24 $7,000 4 Josiah Middaugh 35 Vail, Colorado 2:37:44 $4,000 5 Braden Currie 27 Wanaka, New Zealand 2:39:05 $2,500 6 Conrad Stoltz 40 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:39:31 $1,500 7 Nicolas Lebrun 40 Digne-les-Bains, France 2:40:57 $1,000 8 Marvin Gruget 21 Beaumes de Venise, France 2:42:03 $800 9 Leonardo Chacon 29 Liberia, Costa Rica 2:42:08 $600 10 Brice Daubord 28 Orleans, France 2:43:00 $500 Also: Francois Carloni, Richard Murray, Kris Coddens, Dan Hugo, Jan Kubicek TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Nicky Samuels 30 Wanaka, New Zealand 2:57:48 $20,000 2 Lesley Paterson 33 Sterling, Scotland 3:00:14 $12,000 3 Flora Duffy 26 Boulder, Colorado 3:00:19 $7,000 4 Barbara Riveros 26 La Pintana, Chile 3:01:43 $4,000 5 Emma Garrard 32 Park City, Utah 3:01:49 $2,500 6 Chantell Widney 33 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 3:04:36 $1,500 7 Helena Erbenova 34 Jablonecu, Czech Republic 3:05:16 $1,000 8 Shonny Vanlandingham 44 Durango, Colorado 3:05:43 $800 9 Jacqui Slack 30 Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom 3:05:52 $600 10 Suzie Snyder 31 Fredericksburg, Virginia 3:08:32 $500 Also: Carina Wasle, Carla Van Huyssteen, Kathrin Muller, Heather Jackson, Renata Bucher

Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Leonardo Chacon (18:31), Flora Duffy (19:21) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Ruben Ruzafa (1:30:11), Shonny Vanlandingham (1:49:22) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Asa Shaw (39:24), Lesley Paterson (43:55) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Mauricio Mendez* Mexico City, Mexico 2:45:48 15-19 (4) Hannah Rae Finchamp* Altadena, California 3:11:02 20-24 Clement Briere Bretteville, France 2:53:23 20-24 (2) Elizabeth Gruber Redding, California 3:29:13 25-29 Albert Soley Bigues, Spain 2:53:27 25-29 Kara Lapoint Truckee, California 3:28:24 30-34 Oliver Pichou Canteleu, France 2:56:19 30-34 Debby Sullivan Roseville, California 3:37:46 35-39 Romaric Delepine Zimming, France 2:50:45 35-39 Jennifer Todd Newbury Parks, CA 3:39:33 40-44 (4) Thomas Vonach Schwarzach, Austria 2:58:10 40-44 (2) Mimi Stockton Stevensville, MI 3:33:09 45-49 (5) Calvin Zaryski Calgary, Canada 2:58:31 45-49 Kim Beckinsale Noosa Heads, Aus 3:28:38 50-54 Tim Sheeper Menlo Park, CA 3:13:38 50-54 (2) Anne Gonzales Aspen, Colorado 3:23:53 55-59 (4) Tom Monica Thousand Oaks, CA 3:28:18 55-59 (2) Lucia Colbert Cordova, Tennessee 4:11:16 60-64 (4) John Royson Albany, California 3:34:51 60-64 Beverly Watson Priddis, Canada 4:15:05 65-69 (2) Bruce Wacker Nelson, NZL 4:29:03 65-69 (7) Wendy Minor Kamuela, Hawaii 6:09:21 70-74 (8) Peter Wood La Jolla, California 5:07:59 75-79 (2) Ron Hill Hayden, Idaho 7:12:11 (#) denotes number of World Championships won PC (8) Ed Fattoumy Honolulu, HI 3:52:13 *Top Amateurs

55 2012 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (October 28, 2012) -A tsunami warning the technical sections, so my tactic was try to push really hard for the Hawaiian Islands was canceled early on Sunday uphill because then you can go hard uphill and then on the morning, and then Javier Gomez Noya and Lesley Paterson downhill just not even try to go crazy fast, just try to recover and went out and stormed the competition at the 2012 XTERRA avoid crashing. It worked pretty well.” World Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua on the island of Maui. After breaking through for her first XTERRA World Championship last year, Paterson did it again. She was the top Gomez Noya was the overall winner, completing the course female, finishing with a time of 2:44:11. (1.5-kilometer swim, 30K mountain bike, 10K trail run) in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 50 seconds. The 29-year-old from Spain “It was perfect from start to finish for me,” she said. “I’ve done followed up his silver medal performance at the 2012 Olympics some great training leading up to this. This was my big focus of with an impressive victory in his inaugural XTERRA appearance. the year, and it panned out exactly how I wanted it to.”

Paterson was the top female, not only repeating her accom- The 32-year-old from Scotland (pictured) took the lead early in plishment of a year ago, but bettering it. She finished with a the bike and then ran away from the other women. She finished time of 2:44:11, which was nearly two minutes faster than her more than four minutes ahead of runner-up Barbara Riveros winning time of a year ago. (2:48:18) from Chile. Marie Rabie from South Africa was third in 2:53:55, and Heather Jackson from Carlsbad, Calif., was fourth A capacity – and XTERRA World Championship record – field of in 2:54:12. Riveros, Rabie and Jackson were all making their 750 athletes from around the world participated in the event, XTERRA World Championship debuts. which was held on Maui for the 17th consecutive year. Among the age-group amateurs, a pair of California teenagers As if the lead-in drama to the event were not enough, a tsunami took the spotlight. Neilson Powless (pictured) from Roseville, warning was issued for all of the Hawaiian Island late Saturday Calif., was the top overall amateur with a time of 2:42:35, while night. Many of the athletes stayed up late trying to get updates Hannah Rae Finchamp from Altadena, Calif., was the top female on the tsunami, and some were even evacuated from their amateur in 3:05:55. hotels or homes. Powless is 16 and a sophomore at Roosevelt High School; “I think maybe some of the athletes had to evacuate or had to Finchamp is 16 and a junior at Maranatha High School. They are stay up a little bit later, but I don’t think it had a big influence on the youngest male and female to ever win the title of top over- the race,” said Conrad Stoltz, who placed third overall. “I think all amateur at the XTERRA World Championship. we were lucky to have a fair world championship.” It is also the first age-group XTERRA world title for Powless. Indeed, the conditions did not adversely affect the race, Finchamp is now a three-time XTERRA world champ in the although an expected swell did create a rougher-than-normal female 15-19 age group. ocean swim. Powless exited the water in 15th place among the amateurs, All of the XTERRA pros know who Javier Gomez Noya is. He is, but he eventually caught them all. His overall finishing time was after all, a two-time ITU triathlon world champ in addition to 14 seconds ahead of New Zealand’s Oliver Shaw. the 2012 Olympic silver medalist. They just didn’t know how good he might be on an XTERRA course. He turned out to be Finchamp’s win wasn’t nearly as close, as she finished more exceptional. Gomez Noya made quite the XTERRA debut, run- than seven minutes ahead of the next amateur female. Her ning away to the overall win. finishing time would have placed her 13th among the pro women. “I didn’t expect that,” Gomez Noya said. “I had a really good swim ... but I knew these guys like Conrad (Stoltz) and the good mountain bikers, they are much better than me, especially on

56 2012 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Javier Gomez Noya 29 Pontevedra, Spain 2:26:54 $20,000 2 Josiah Middaugh 34 Vail, Colorado 2:27:41 $12,000 3 Conrad Stoltz 39 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:30:04 $7,000 4 Leonardo Chacon 28 Liberia, Costa Rica 2:30:19 $4,000 5 Victor Del Correl 32 Santa Olivia, Spain 2:30:24 $2,500 6 Brent McMahon 32 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:30:56 $1,500 7 Asa Shaw 28 Frejus, France 2:32:16 $1,000 8 Tim Don 34 London, United Kingdom 2:32:41 $800 9 Yeray Luxem 26 Merkem, Belgium 2:33:10 $600 10 Olivier Marceau 39 Vallavris, Switzerland 2:33:36 $500 Also: Nicolas Lebrun, Eneko Llanos, Felix Schumann, Sebastian Kienle, Francisco Serrano TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Lesley Paterson 32 San Diego, California 2:44:12 $20,000 2 Barbara Riveros 25 La Pintana, Chile 2:48:19 $12,000 3 Mari Rabie 26 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:53:56 $7,000 4 Heather Jackson 28 Carlsbad, California 2:54:13 $4,000 5 Jacqui Slack 29 Stoke-On-Trent, United Kingdom 2:55:19 $2,500 6 Magali Tisseyre 31 St-Sauveur, Canada 3:01:11 $1,500 7 Renata Bucher 35 Littau, Switzerland 2:01:51 $1,000 8 Shonny Vanlandingham 43 Durango, Colorado 3:02:24 $800 9 Helena Erbanova 33 JabloneC, Czech Republic 3:03:48 $600 10 Marion Lorblanchet 29 Lempdes, France 3:04:21 $500 Also: Elizabeth Orchard, Danelle Kabush, Melanie McQuaid, Brandi Heisterman, Katie Button Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Javier Gomez (19:05), Mari Rabie (21:11) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Josiah Middaugh (1:23:34), Lesley Paterson (1:36:01) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Javier Gomez (37:51), Lesley Paterson (40:51) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Neilson Powless* Roseville, CA 2:42:35 15-19 (3) Hannah Rae Finchamp*Altadena, California 3:05:55 20-24 Oliver Shaw Rotorua, New Zealand2:42:49 20-24 Elizabeth Gruber Redding, California 3:23:04 25-29 (2) Jiri Klima Osek, Czech 2:44:46 25-29 Becci Kaltenmeier Freiburg, Germany 3:21:48 30-34 (3) Tim Van Daele Burcht, Belgium 2:43:59 30-34 Sarah Backler Tauranga, NZL 3:14:55 35-39 Antonio Martin Del Campo Guadalajara, Mexico 2:53:11 35-39 Kristen Tamburrino St. Catharines, CAN 3:21:25 40-44 (3) Thomas Vonach Schwarzach, Austria 2:48:28 40-44 Mimi Stockton Stevensville, MI 3:20:41 45-49 Benoit Lalevee St.Nazaire, France 2:55:40 45-49 Carol Rasmussen Karlslunde, DEN 3:33:09 50-54 (3) Casey Fannin Birmingham, Alabama3:09:00 50-54 Anne Gonzales Aspen, Colorado 3:13:00 55-59 Dennis Brinson Carson City, Nevada 3:13:03 55-59 Lucia Colbert Cordova, Tennessee 3:49:55 60-64 Tryg Fortun Kenmore, Washington 3:24:10 60-64 (2) Sharon Prutton Christchurch, NZL 4:00:43 65-69 Michal Mogrovics Olomouc, Czech 3:56:52 65-69 (2) Kathy Frank Santa Cruz, CA 6:07:13 70-74 Roger Kern Scotts Valley, CA 5:30:38 PC Judith Abrahams Kenai, Alaska 5:41:22 75-79 Nathaniel Grew Costa Rica 6:06:56 CEO Mike Cabigon Edmonton, Canada 2:52:15 (#) denotes number of World Championships won PC (7) Fouad Fattoumy Honolulu, Hawaii 3:34:22 *Top Amateurs 57 2011 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

October 23, 2011 (Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua - Maui) - A new “It felt amazing,” Weiss said. “I had goose bumps. It’s some- venue served as a fitting place to crown new XTERRA world thing very special to catch Lance on a climb. It was an amazing champions. The 16th XTERRA World Championship turned into feeling, and even motivated me more.” a sweet celebration for Michael Weiss, Lesley Paterson and Kapalua, Maui. Hugo finished second with a time of 2:27:33 – 33 seconds behind Weiss. Former three-time XTERRA world champion Weiss and Paterson earned their first XTERRA world titles on a Eneko Llanos of Spain was third in 2:28:26, followed by Josiah new course that was described as both beautiful and brutal. Middaugh of Colorado in 2:29:14. After 15 previous years at Makena, the XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon moved to the Ritz-Carlton Spain’s Ivan Rana, a three-time Olympian who was making his Kapalua this year. A total of 675 athletes representing 28 coun- XTERRA debut, placed an impressive fifth with a time of 2:29:31. tries and 42 states participated in the event, which featured a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 30-kilometer mountain bike and a Like Weiss, it was a breakthrough win for Paterson. She had 10-kilometer trail run. three previous top-10 finishes, including a runner-up showing in 2009. Weiss was the overall winner, completing the course in 2 hours, 27 minutes, including an astonishing bike split of 1:19:32. No She got so excited after passing McQuaid late in the run course other competitor finished with a bike time under 1:21:03. It was that she fell on the rocks leading to the stretch run on D.T. a breakthrough win for the 30-year-old Weiss, who had finished Fleming Beach. second at the 2008 XTERRA Worlds, and then third in 2009 and 2010. “What happens is your heart rate is super high, it’s at the end of the race, you’re dehydrated and your legs are not quite sure “It’s amazing,” said Weiss, who is from Vienna, Austria. “I still what you’re doing with them,” Paterson said. “And I just got in cannot believe it. A big dream came true, and it was a really the lead, so you’re kind of nervous with anticipation.” tough course.” McQuaid had a large lead after the bike, but could not complete Weiss was in the middle of the pack after the swim, but made the race due to exhaustion. She collapsed just a few hundred his remarkable move to the front on the bike. By midway yards from the finish line, and had to be assisted off the course. through the bike course, Weiss and South Africa’s Dan Hugo She said she was okay a few hours after the race. were riding next to each other in second place. Marion “Bubu” Lorblanchet of France took second with a time The only rider in front of them was the legendary seven-time of 2:48:08. She also got passed by the roadrunner legs of Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who was competing in Paterson during the run. the XTERRA World Championship for the first time. Weiss and Hugo actually talked about working together so that they could “On the run, I was good, then I see ‘beep, beep’ and it was conserve energy in their pursuit of Armstrong. Lesley,” Lorblanchet said. “I think it was not possible for me to follow her. “That was a critical moment for me, about three-quarters of the way through the bike and I was with Weiss, and we said let’s “I’m very happy because it was a good race for me. Last year, work together, but (Weiss) was one notch stronger and he kind I was third, this year second, so maybe next year?” of took off from me and he bridged to Armstrong,” said Hugo. Helena Erbenova of the Czech Republic capped an impressive Shortly after breaking away from Hugo, Weiss closed in on XTERRA rookie season with a third place showing at Worlds. She Armstrong, and said it gave him an adrenaline rush that pushed finished with a time of 2:51:51 in her first appearance on Maui. him all the way to the finish line. Erbenova is a former Olympic cross country skier.

58 2011 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Michael Weiss 30 Vienna, Austria 2:27:00 $20,000 2 Dan Hugo 26 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:27:33 $12,000 3 Eneko Llanos 34 Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:28:26 $7,000 4 Josiah Middaugh 33 Vail, Colorado 2:29:14 $4,000 5 Ivan Rana 39 Ordes, Spain 2:29:31 $2,500 6 Olivier Marceau 38 Switzerland 2:29:40 $1,500 7 Ronny Dietz 33 Chemnitz, Germany 2:29:47 $1,000 8 Richard Ussher 35 Nelson, New Zealand 2:29:54 $800 9 Jan Kubicek 31 Chodov City, Czech Republic 2:30:54 $600 10 Christopher Legh 38 Lyons, Colorado 2:31:10 $500 Also: Sam Gardner, Jan Frodeno, Nicolas Lebrun, Mike Vine, Tim DeBoom

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Time Purse 1 Lesley Paterson 31 San Diego, Calif. (Scotland) 2:45:59 $20,000 2 Marion Lorblanchet 28 Clermont Ferrand, France 2:48:08 $12,000 3 Helena Erbenová 32 Czech Republic 2:51:51 $7,000 4 Renata Bucher 34 Lucerne, Switzerland 2:52:02 $4,000 5 Danelle Kabush 36 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2:54:35 $2,500 6 Erin Densham 26 Melbourne, Australia 2:57:46 $1,500 7 Sara Tarkington 30 Boulder, Colorado 2:57:59 $1,000 8 Emma Garrard 30 Park City, Utah 2:58:42 $800 9 Brandi Heisterman 36 Brackendale, B.C., Canada 3:03:39 $600 10 Jessica Noyola 29 San Diego, California 3:04:25 Also: Brigitta Poor, Kelley Cullen, Fabiola Corona, Manuela Vilaseca, Suzie Snyder Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Richard Stannard (20:22), Erin Densham (22:32) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Michael Weiss (1:17:30), Melanie McQuaid (1:29:27) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Alejandro Santamaria (40:58), Lesley Paterson (43:54)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Marvin Gruget France 2:35:22 15-19 (2) Hannah Rae Finchamp Altadena, California 3:16:16 20-24 (2) Alexander Haas Germany 2:33:37 20-24 Danielle Kehoe Arvada, Colorado 3:22:14 25-29 Daniel Carleton South Africa 2:49:21 25-29 Lizzie Orchard Auckland, NZL 3:10:05 30-34 Ryan Ignatz Boulder, Colorado 2:36:53 30-34 Maia Ignatz Boulder, Colorado 3:12:44 35-39 (2) Thomas Vonach Schwarzach, Austria 2:40:10 35-39 Tamara Donelson Edwards, Colorado 3:09:47 40-44 (4) Calvin Zaryski Calgary, Canada 2:39:28 40-44 Kim Baldwin Boulder, Colorado 3:22:52 45-49 (2) Mark Geoghegan Honolulu, Hawaii 2:50:17 45-49 Sue Lambert Anchorage, Alaska 3:30:42 50-54 David Maclean Ludington, Michigan 3:02:36 50-54 Tamara Tabeek San Diego, California 3:29:04 55-59 Jaroslav Balatka Czech Republic 3:19:56 55-59 (6) Barbara Peterson Berkeley, California 3:56:52 60-64 Mike Lyons New Zealand 3:52:52 60-64 (4) Cindi Toepel Littleton, Colorado 3:59:45 65-69 (2) Bruce Wacker Colorado Springs 3:33:27 CEO Cheryl Iseberg Fircrest, Washington 5:51:40 70+ (2) John Stover Jackson, Michigan 4:37:55 CEO Mike Byam Grand Rapids, MI 4:10:00 (#) denotes number of World Championships won PC (6) Fouad Fattoumy Honolulu, Hawaii 3:32:51 - Top Amateurs

59 2010 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Conrad Stoltz 37 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:31:07 $20,000 2 Franky Batelier 32 Rouen, France 2:36:14 $12,000 3 Michael Weiss 29 Vienna, Austria 2:36:45 $7,000 4 Olivier Marceau 37 Cannes, France 2:37:47 $4,000 5 Nicolas Lebrun 37 Digne-les-Bains, France 2:38:50 $2,500 6 Eneko Llanos 33 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:40:44 $1,500 7 Richard Ussher 34 Nelson, New Zealand 2:41:03 $1,000 8 Felix Schumann 27 Tuebingen, Germany 2:41:31 $800 9 Mike Vine 37 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:41:53 $600 10 Jim Thijs 30 Huldenberg, Belgium 2:43:26 $500 Also: Alexander Manzan ($400), Ronny Dietz ($300), Jan Kubicek, Asa Shaw, Branden Rakita TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Shonny Vanlandingham 41 Durango, Colorado 2:58:20 $20,000 2 Julie Dibens 35 Bath, United Kingdom 2:59:33 $12,000 3 Marion Lorblanchet 27 Clermont Ferrand, France 3:06:11 $7,000 4 Christine Jeffrey 37 Guelph, Ontario, Canada 3:07:22 $4,000 5 Suzie Snyder 28 Stafford, Virginia 3:08:04 $2,500 6 Carina Wasle 26 Kundl, Austria 3:08:06 $1,500 7 Lesley Paterson 30 Sterling, Scotland 3:11:37 $1,000 8 Sara Tarkington 29 Boulder, Colorado 3:11:45 $800 9 Emma Ruth Smith 27 Glos, Great Britain 3:11:53 $600 10 Emma Garrard 29 Park City, Utah 3:13:38 Also: Melanie McQuaid, Danelle Kabush, Mieko Carey, Marie Helene-Premont, Darelle Parker

Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Seth Wealing (19:29), Christine Jeffrey (19:41) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Conrad Stoltz (1:23:48), Shony Vanlandingham (1:40:22) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Nicolas Lebrun (44:01), Marion Lorblanchet (48:39)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) Div Name Hometown Time Div Name Hometown Time 15-19 Hannah Rae Finchamp Altadena, California 3:43:10 15-19 Michael Keith Somerset, So.Africa 3:03:13 20-24 Bettina Uhlig Freiburg, Germany 3:27:55 20-24 Jiri Klima Osek, Czech Republic 2:57:59 25-29 Luisa Bryce Denver, Colorado 3:29:13 25-29 Pierre-Yves Facomprez Nevers, France 2:49:54 30-34 Amber Monforte (2) Reno, Nevada 3:18:52 30-34 Tim Van Daele (2) Burcht, Belgium 2:48:28 35-39 Martina Donner Kotschach, Austria 3:33:13 35-39 David Ballabio Aubavilla, Italy 2:53:35 40-44 Kathleen Coutinho Fairfax Station, VA 3:34:31 40-44 Calvin Zaryski (3) Cargary, Canada 2:58:16 45-49 Carolina Colonna Taos, New Mexico 3:34:47 45-49 Mark Geoghegan Honolulu, Hawaii 3:06:26 50-54 Beverly Enslow Metamora, Illinois 3:42:05 50-54 Tom Monica (3) Thousand Oaks, Calif. 3:21:26 55-59 Beverly Watson (5) Priddis, Canada 3:56:39 55-59 Valerio Curridori Villacidro, Italy 3:35:40 60-64 Libby Harrow (2) Vero Beach, Florida 5:30:09 60-64 David Rakita Durango, Colorado 3:45:21 65+ Charlotte Mahan Lenoir City, TN 5:58:34 65-69 Peter Wood (7) La Jolla, California 4:06:19 (#) denotes number of World Championships won 70+ Ron Hill Hayden, Idaho 5:44:54 - Top Amateurs PC Fouad Fattoumy (5) Honolulu, Hawaii 3:44:08

60 2009 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Eneko Llanos 32 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:37:22 $20,000 2 Nico Lebrun 36 Digne, France 2:38:17 $12,000 3 Michi Weiss 28 Vienna, Austria 2:40:24 $7,000 4 Olivier Marceau 36 Cannes, France 2:41:06 $4,000 5 Conrad Stoltz 36 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:41:40 $2,500 6 Franky Batelier 31 Normandy, France 2:42:15 $1,500 7 Felix Schumann 26 Tuebingen, Germany 2:42:57 $1,000 8 Seth Wealing 30 Boulder, Colorado 2:43:58 $800 9 Josiah Middaugh 31 Vail, Colorado 2:44:14 $600 10 Nico Pfitzenmaier 38 Besigheim, Germany 2:44:31 $500 Also: Richard Ussher ($400), Mike Vine ($300), Scott Thorne, Matthew Murphy, Brian Smith

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Julie Dibens 34 Bath, England 2:56:42 $20,000 2 Lesley Paterson 29 Sterling, Scotland 3:04:16 $12,000 3 Melanie McQuaid 36 Victoria, B.C., Canada 3:05:46 $7,000 4 Carina Wasle 25 Kundl, Austria 3:07:23 $4,000 5 Shonny Vanlandingham 40 Durango, Colorado 3:08:00 $2,500 6 Marion Lorblanchet 26 Clermont Ferrand, France 3:13:15 $1,500 7 Danelle Kabush 34 Canmore, Alberta, Canada 3:13:50 $1,000 8 Christine Jeffrey 36 Guelph, Ontario, Canada 3:15:01 $800 9 Sara Tarkington 28 Boulder, Colorado 3:15:56 $600 10 Rebecca Dussault 28 Gunnison, Colorado 3:17:22 Also: Emma Garrard, Marie-Helene Premont, Jenny Tobin, Renata Bucher, Sabrina Enaux

Fastest 1.5-kilometer swim: Luke McKenzie (19:30), Christine Jeffrey (19:42) Fastest 30-kilometer bike: Michi Weiss (1:28:11), Julie Dibens (1:42:48) Fastest 11-kilometer run: Chris Legh (43:59), Lesley Paterson (49:45) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Division Name Hometown Time Division Name Hometown Time 15-19 Sebastien Antony Goupillieres, France 3:19:22 15-19 Shea Reardon Taupo, New Zealand 4:08:43 20-24 Alexander Haas Georgensgmuend, GER 2:56:23 20-24 (2) Monique Avery Rotorua, New Zealand 3:47:15 25-29 Tim Van Daele Burcht, Belgium 2:53:46 25-29 Bridget Keegan Napier,New Zealand 3:39:29 30-34 Cedric Lassonde London, England 2:55:20 30-34 Martina Donner Kotschach, Austria 3:34:33 35-39 Thomas Vonach Schwarzach, Austria 3:00:49 35-39 Sheri Foster Calgary, Canada 3:38:31 40-44 (2) Calvin Zaryski Calgary, Canada 2:56:32 40-44 Darrelle Parker London, England 3:34:24 45-49 (2) Casey Fannin Hoover, Alabama 3:14:18 45-49 (2) Kaja Polivkova Prague, Czech Republic 3:41:30 50-54 (2) Tom Monica Thousand Oaks, California 3:18:19 50-54 (4) Beverly Enslow Metamora, Illinois 3:51:15 55-59 (3) John Royson Albany, California 3:31:02 55-59 Sharon Prutton Christchurch, New Zealand 4:14:38 60-64 (6) Kent Robison Reno, Nevada 3:46:37 60+ Kimiko Matsuda Osaka, Japan 5:55:00 65-69 (6) Peter Wood La Jolla, California 4:09:25 PC (2) Megan Fisher Missoula, Montana 5:22:10 70+ (4) Hans Dieben Chula Vista, California 5:03:46 PC (4) Ed Fattoumy Honolulu, Hawaii 3:51:33 (#) denotes number of World Championships won - Top Amateurs

61 2008 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Ruben Ruzafa 24 Malaga, Spain 2:37:36 $25,000 2 Michael Weiss 27 Vienna, Austria 2:38:10 $15,000 3 Brent McMahon 28 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:40:56 $8,000 4 Mike Vine 35 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:41:37 $5,000 5 Olivier Marceau 35 Vallavris, Switzerland 2:42:01 $3,000 6 Eneko Llanos 31 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:42:49 $1,750 7 Josiah Middaugh 30 Vail, Colorado 2:42:56 $1,200 8 Dan Hugo 23 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:43:28 $1,000 9 Brian Smith 32 Gunnison, Colorado 2:43:47 $800 10 Chris Legh 35 Melbourne, Australia 2:45:20 $700 Also: Seth Wealing ($600), Conrad Stoltz ($500), Jim Thijs ($400), Ryan Ignatz ($300), Franky Batelier ($300)

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Julie Dibens 33 Bath, United Kingdom 3:03:57 $25,000 2 Danelle Kabush 33 Canmore, Alberta, Canada 3:04:56 $15,000 3 Shonny Vanlandingham 39 Durango, Colorado 3:10:49 $8,000 4 Renata Bucher 31 Lucerne, Switzerland 3:11:06 $5,000 5 Christine Jeffrey 35 Guelph, Ontario, Canada 3:11:50 $3,000 6 Jennifer Smith 35 Westport, New Zealand 3:15:59 $1,750 7 Jenny Tobin 39 Boise, Idaho 3:16:08 $1,200 8 Carina Wasle 22 Kundl, Austria 3:17:31 $1,000 9 Sara Tarkington 26 Boulder, Colorado 3:19:16 $800 10 Lesley Paterson 27 Sterling, Scotland 3:19:53 $700 Also: Kristy Lanier, Fabiola Corona, Emma Garrard, Sibylle Matter, Sari Anderson.

Fastest swim (1-mile): Brent McMahon (18:13), Linda Gallo (18:16) taken out of T1 Fastest bike (20-miles): Ruben Ruzafa (1:30:25), Shonny Vanlandingham (1:48:12) Fastest run (7-miles): Brent McMahon (43:18), Danelle Kabush (49:55) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) DivisionName Time Hometown DivisionName Time Hometown 15 - 19 Julian Langer 3:01:35 Vienna, Austria 15 - 19 Charlotte McShane 3:35:01 Victoria, Australia 20 - 24 Francois Carloni 2:54:26 Saint Raphael, France 20 - 24 Erin Kummer 3:36:31 Boulder, Colorado 25 - 29 Peter Hawkins 2:58:24 Gloustershire, GBR 25 - 29 Emma Smith 3:40:25 London, United Kingdom 30 - 34 James Walsh 2:55:17 Carlsbad, CA 30 - 34 Dominique Angerer 3:44:43 Elsbethen, Austria 35 - 39 Patrick Harvey 2:59:46 Auckland, New Zealand 35 - 39 Sarah McMahan 3:45:04 Incline Village, Nevada 40 - 44 Dirk Pauling 2:56:24 Rupperswil, Switzerland 40 - 44 Keri Grosse 3:34:04 Leavenworth, Washington 45 - 49 (7) Tom Lyons 3:13:51 Reno, Nevada 45 - 49 Ulrike Striednig 3:53:56 Klagenfurt, Austria 50 - 54 Franz Pretzl 3:23:00 Teublilz, Germany 50 - 54 (3) Beverly Enslow 3:55:47 Metamora, Illinois 55 - 59 Randy Beckner 3:26:32 Helena, Montana 55 - 59 Beverly Watson 4:19:39 Priddis, Alberta, Canada 60 - 64 Bruce Wacker 4:02:08 Colorado Springs, CO 60+ Kathy Frank 5:51:52 Bend, Oregon 65 - 69 (5) Peter Wood 4:09:11 La Jolla, California PC: Megan Fisher, 5:09:47, Missoula, MT 70+ Manfred Klittich 5:18:25 Eschborn, Germany (#) denotes number of World Championships won PC David Kyle, 4:59:04, Athens, FL Top Amateurs

62 2007 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Conrad Stoltz 34 Stellenboch, South Africa 2:40:54 $25,000 2 Olivier Marceau 34 Cannes, France 2:42:05 $15,000 3 Brian Smith 32 Gunnison, Colorado 2:42:35 $8,000 4 Chris Legh 35 Lyons, Australia 2:44:26 $5,000 5 Bevan Docherty 30 Taupo, New Zealand 2:44:54 $3,000 6 Felix Schumann 25 Germany 2:45:04 $1,750 7 Nicolas Lebrun 34 Digne-Les-Bains, France 2:45:19 $1,200 8 Mike Vine 34 Victoria, Canada 2:45:57 $1,000 9 David Henestrosa 30 Manresa, Spain 2:47:04 $800 10 Nico Pfitzenmaier 36 Besigheim, Germany 2:47:53 $700 Also: Hektor Llanos - Spain ($600), Lieuwe Boonstra - South Africa ($500), Eneko Llanos – Spain ($400), Sam Gardner – United Kingdom ($300), Jim Thijs – Belgium ($300)

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Julie Dibens 32 Bath, United Kingdom 3:01:24 $25,000 2 Melanie McQuaid 34 Victoria, Canada 3:09:52 $15,000 3 Jamie Whitmore 31 Mt. Aukum, California 3:11:37 $8,000 4 Shonny Vanlandingham 38 Durango, Colorado 3:12:44 $5,000 5 Candy Angle 38 Weymouth, Massachusetts 3:13:14 $3,000 6 Dara Marks Marino 32 Flagstaff, Arizona 3:14:41 $1,750 7 Sibylle Matter 34 Bern, Switzerland 3:15:56 $1,200 8 Michelle Lombardi 39 Somerset West, South Africa 3:19:47 $1,000 9 Daniela Campuzano 21 Tulancingo, Mexico 3:22:02 $800 10 Carina Wasle 23 Kundl, Austria 3:22:33 $700 Also: Anna Scheiderbauer - Germany, Sara Tarkington - USA, Amber Monforte – USA, Kristy Lanier - USA

Fastest swim: Jordan Bryden, (19:47), Julie Dibens (20:16) Fastest bike: Brian Smith (1:30:51), Shonny Vanlandingham (1:46:32) Fastest run: Chris Legh (45:11), Julie Dibens (49:58)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Division Name Time Hometown Division Name Time Hometown 15 – 19 Martin Jiskra 3:05:01 Karlovy Vary, CZE 15 - 19 Monique Avery 3:56:35 Rororua, New Zealand 20 - 24 Nicolas Fernandez 3:01:14 Pelissannee, France 20 - 24 Erin Beresini 4:06:11 Hermosa Beach, California 25 - 29 Lars Fricke 3:00:01 Apolda, Germany 25 - 29 (2) Marion Summerer 3:29:35 Honolulu, Hawaii 30 - 34 Alexander Eiler 2:57:34 Kailua, Hawaii 30 - 34 Susie Wood 3:31:54 Nelson, New Zealand 35 - 39 Laurent Beuzeboc 2:58:04 Saint Bonnet, France 35 - 39 Lisa Lieb 3:39:09 Durango, Colorado 40 - 44 Ulrich Katzer 3:02:02 Anger, Austria 40 - 44 Kaja Polivkova 3:41:05 Prague, Czech Republic 45 - 49 (6) Tom Lyons 3:09:01 Reno, Nevada 45 - 49 Meiling Yee 3:54:57 Sunnyvale, California 50 - 54 Tom Monica 3:25:19 Walnut Creek, California 50 - 54 (2) Beverly Enslow 3:56:52 Metamora, Illinois 55 - 59 James Lewis 3:45:39 Broomfield, Colorado 55 - 59 (3) Cindi Toepel 4:24:55 Littleton, Colorado 60 - 64 (5) Kent Robison 3:43:37 Reno, Nevada 65 - 69 Art Gardenswartz 4:27:07 Albuquerque, New Mexico (#) denotes number of World Championships won PC (3) Ed Fattoumy 3:46:33 Honolulu, Hawaii Top Amateurs

63 2006 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Hamish Carter 35 Auckland, New Zealand 2:42:36 $25,000 2 Olivier Marceau 33 Cannes, France 2:42:55 $15,000 3 Seth Wealing 27 Boulder, Colorado 2:44:05 $8,000 4 Josiah Middaugh 28 Vail, Colorado 2:45:51 $5,000 5 Eneko Llanos 29 Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:46:49 $3,000 6 Brent McMahon 26 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:46:58 $1,750 7 Greg Krause 29 Denver, Colorado 2:48:47 $1,200 8 Nicolas Lebrun 33 Digne-les-Bains, France 2:50:51 $1,000 9 Ryan Ignatz 28 Boulder, Colorado 2:52:16 $800 10 Nico Pfitzenmaier 34 Besigheim, Germany 2:52:28 $700 Also: Michael Simpson ($600), Andrew Noble ($500), Hektor Llanos ($400), Jimmy Archer ($300), and Sam Gardner ($300)

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Melanie McQuaid 33 Victoria, B.C., Canada 3:07:53 $25,000 2 Danelle Kabush 31 Canmore, Alberta, Canada 3:15:58 $15,000 3 Sibylle Matter 31 Bern, Switzerland 3:19:50 $8,000 4 Jennifer Smith 33 Westport, New Zealand 3:20:08 $5,000 5 Renata Bucher 28 Lucerne, Switzerland 3:22:14 $3,000 6 Jenny Tobin 38 Boise, Idaho 3:22:42 $1,750 7 Michelle Lombardi 38 Somerset West, South Africa 3:23:44 $1,200 8 Mami Saito 29 Kawasaki, Japan 3:24:32 $1,000 9 Shonny Vanlandingham 37 Durango, Colorado 3:24:58 $800 10 Cameron Randolph 36 Ridgway, Colorado 3:30:17 $700 Also: Carina Wasle (AUS), Ingrid Rolles (RSA), Nicole Newton (USA), Imke Schiersch (GER), Jackie Burt (USA)

Fastest swim: Brent McMahon (19:41), Sibylle Matter (20:51) Fastest bike: Josiah Middaugh (1:35:08), Melanie McQuaid (1:49:55) Fastest run: Brent McMahon (45:05), Danelle Kabush (53:51)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Division Name Time Hometown Division Name Time Hometown 15 - 19 Kyle Kennedy 3:33:37 West Vancouver, Canada 15 - 19 Valeria Curridori 4:10:50 Villacidro, Italy 20 - 24 Rom Akerson 2:57:43 Costa Rica 20 - 24 * Suzie Snyder 3:36:19 Colorado Springs, CO 25 - 29 Trevor Glavin 3:11:38 Salinas, CA 25 - 29 Kim Hill 3:50:48 Honolulu, HI 30 - 34 Conrad Snover 3:01:50 Truckee, CA 30 - 34 * Laura Home 3:40:35 Santa Cruz, CA 35 - 39 Calvin Zaryski 3:04:51 Calgary, Canada 35 - 39 Janice Fliegler 3:53:46 Carson City, NV 40 - 44 Tim Johnston 3:11:10 Los Gatos, CA 40 - 44 Barbara Alber 3:56:18 Dettingen, Germany 45 - 49 $ Tom Lyons 3:14:24 Reno, NV 45 - 49 Catherine Dunn 3:52:50 Wellington, New Zealand 50 - 54 * Ian Davidson, Jr. 3:22:59 Clemson, SC 50 - 54 $ Barbara Peterson 4:08:44 Berkeley, CA 55 - 59 # Kent Robison 3:38:47 Reno, NV 55 - 59 * Cindi Toepel 4:25:14 Littleton, CO 60 - 64 # Peter Wood 3:59:46 La Jolla, CA 60+ Wendy Minor 5:53:53 Honolulu, HI 65+ John Stover 4:51:22 Jackson, MI Physically Challenged Division * Two-time XTERRA World Champ # Four-time XTERRA World Champ * Fouad Fattoumy 4:07:40 Honolulu, HI $ Five-time XTERRA World Champ Top Amateurs

64 2005 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS

TOP 15 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Nicolas LeBrun 32 Villeneuve-Loubet, France 2:38:19 $25,000 2 Eneko Llanos 28 Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:41:41 $15,000 3 Brent McMahon 24 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:42:01 $8,000 4 Mike Vine 31 Victoria, B.C., Canada 2:42:22 $5,000 5 Chris Legh 32 Melbourne, Australia 2:43:32 $3,000 6 Nico Pfitzenmaier 34 Besigheim, Germany 2:43:48 $1,750 7 Olivier Marceau 32 Cannes, France 2:45:29 $1,200 8 Ronnie Schildknecht 25 Thalwil, Switzerland 2:45:43 $1,000 9 Conrad Stoltz 32 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2:46:23 $800 10 Josiah Middaugh 27 Vail, Colorado 2:47:33 $700 Also: Greg Krause ($600, 2:47:42), Jimmy Archer ($500, 2:49:32), Francisco Serrano ($400, 2:49:52), Peter Reid ($300, 2:50:05), Robert Latschen ($300, 2:51:18)

TOP 15 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Melanie McQuaid 31 Victoria, B.C., Canada 3:07:16 $25,000 2 Sibylle Matter 31 Bern, Switzerland 3:08:00 $15,000 3 Jamie Whitmore 29 Elk Grove, California 3:13:51 $8,000 4 Renata Bucher 27 Lucerne, Switzerland 3:17:14 $5,000 5 Jenny Tobin 35 Boise, Idaho 3:17:17 $3,000 6 Danelle Kabush 30 Canmore, Alberta, Canada 3:19:45 $1,750 7 Shonny Vanlandingham 36 Durango, Colorado 3:20:01 $1,200 8 Monique Merrill 36 Breckenridge, Colorado 3:25:08 $1,000 9 Melissa Thomas 35 Boulder, Colorado 3:25:49 $800 10 Lisa Isom 33 Vail, Colorado 3:26:08 $700 Also: Sonia Foote (3:30:35), Ingrid Rolles (3:32:21), Mami Saito (3:33:45), Kate Major (3:38:22), Imke Schiersch Fastest swim: Brent McMahon (19:42), Sibylle Matter (20:47) Fastest bike: Nicolas LeBrun (1:29:13), Shonny Vanlandingham (1:45:40) Fastest run: Brent McMahon (44:01), Sibylle Matter (51:53) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE AGE GROUP) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE AGE GROUP) Division Name Time Hometown Division Name Time Hometown 15 - 19 Jordan Bryden 3:09:20 Calgary, Canada 15 - 19 Kate Chapman 3:57:01 Breckenridge, Colorado 20 - 24 Scott Thorne 3:03:58 Hamilton East, New Zealand 20 - 24 Marion Summerer 3:21:03 Freiburg, Germany 25 - 29 Ryland Garnett 3:02:02 Seaford, Australia 25 - 29 Louisa Davis 3:41:03 Wadestown, New Zealand 30 - 34 Jason Jablonski 3:01:48 Wenatchee, Washington 30 - 34 Laura Home 3:30:54 Santa Cruz, California 35 - 39 Michael Nahom 3:03:28 New Milford, Connecticut 35 - 39 Beate Kleindienst 3:52:56 Dachau, Germany 40 - 44 # Tom Lyons 3:08:21 Reno, Nevada 40 - 44 Rita Haerteis 3:44:24 Penzberg, Germany 45 - 49 Casey Fannin 3:13:57 Birmingham, Alabama 45 - 49 # Barbara Peterson 3:59:52 Berkeley, California 50 - 54 Ian Davidson, Jr. 3:21:29 Clemson, South Carolina 50 - 54 Cindi Toepel 4:12:16 Littleton, Colorado 55 - 59 Gary Mercer 3:59:56 Anderson, California 55 - 59 Susan Swan 5:17:22 Coromandel, New Zealand 60 - 64 % Peter Wood 3:53:53 La Jolla, California 60+ $ Wendy Minor 5:06:43 Honolulu, Hawaii Challenged Athletes Division # Four-time XTERRA World Champion Fouad Fattoumy 3:50:44 Honolulu, Hawaii $ Five-time XTERRA World Champion % Three-time XTERRA World Champion Top Amateur Female # Four-time XTERRA World Champion Top Amateur Male 65 2004 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

TOP 10 PRO MEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Eneko Llanos 27 Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:28:44 $25,000 2 Olivier Marceau 31 Cannes, France 2:29:45 $15,000 3 Josiah Middaugh 26 Vail, Colorado 2:33:28 $8,000 4 Dominic Gillen 27 Washington, Connecticut 2:33:53 $5,000 5 Justin Thomas 29 Fairfax, Virginia 2:34:31 $3,000 6 Nicolas LeBrun 31 Villeneuve-Loubet, France 2:36:58 $1,750 7 Sylvain Dodet 28 Antibes, France 2:38:26 $1,200 8 Hektor Llanos 32 Victoria-Gasteiz, Spain 2:39:04 $1,000 9 Jimmy Archer 32 Boulder, Colorado 2:40:39 $800 10 Robert Latschen 33 Graz, Austria 2:40:41 $700

TOP 10 PRO WOMEN Pl Name Age Hometown Final Time Purse 1 Jamie Whitmore 28 Elk Grove, California 3:01:35 $25,000 2 Melanie McQuaid 31 Victoria, B.C., Canada 3:04:25 $15,000 3 Danelle Kabush 29 Victoria, B.C., Canada 3:05:19 $8,000 4 Melissa Thomas 33 Boulder, Colorado 3:05:38 $5,000 5 Katrin Helmcke 29 Buchenbach, Germany 3:07:43 $3,000 6 Sibylle Matter 31 Bern, Switzerland 3:08:17 $1,750 7 Erika Csomor 30 Budapest, Hungary 3:14:14 $1,200 8 Lynley Allison 31 Auckland, New Zealand 3:15:28 $1,000 9 Candy Angle 34 Weymouth, Massachusetts 3:16:34 $800 10 Stefania Bonazzi 34 Ferrara, Italy 3:16:39 $700

Fastest swim: Jan Sibbersen (18:45), Megan Melgaard (20:13) Fastest bike: Josiah Middaugh (1:27:12), Melissa Thomas (1:41:02) Fastest run: Jan Rehula (33:14), Erika Csomor (38:18)

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALES) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALES) Division Name Time Hometown Division Name Time Hometown 15 - 19 Jana Chocholova 4:22:29 Hluboka, CR 15 - 19 # Taylor Tolleson 2:51:56 Pacific Grove, CA 20 - 24 Suzi Snyder 3:36:03 Springfield, MA 20 - 24 Petr Vejvoda 2:59:41 Liberec, CR 25 - 29 Amber Monforte 3:21:29 Reno, NV 25 - 29 Jim Vance 2:45:06 San Diego, CA 30 - 34 Ingrid Rolles 3:15:23 Honolulu, HI 30 - 34 # Matt Boobar 2:53:17 Plymouth, NH 35 - 39 Birgit Johnston 3:27:32 Los Gatos, CA 35 - 39 Curt Chesney 2:46:38 Boulder, CO 40 - 44 Josie Sinclair 3:42:25 Epsom, AUS 40 - 44 * Tom Lyons 2:59:04 Reno, NV 45 - 49 # Barbara Peterson 3:43:21 Berkeley, CA 45 - 49 Bruce Wilson 3:11:10 Temecula, CA 50 - 54 ! Lorenn Walker 4:08:27 Waialua, HI 50 - 54 Chris Robinson 3:45:46 Vancouver, WA 55 - 59 $ Wendy Minor 4:40:23 Honolulu, HI 55 - 59 * Kent Robison 3:23:27 Reno, NV 60+ Peter Wood 3:44:18 La Jolla, CA #Two-time Champ, *Three-time Champ $Four-time Champion 65+ Armin Beyrich 4:09:36 Eresing, GER !Five-time Champ TOP AMATEURS

66 2003 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (FEMALE) XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (MALE) Division Name Time Hometown Division Name Time Hometown 20 - 24 Shae Rainer 3:26:28 Austin, Texas 15 - 19 Taylor Tolleson 3:00:13 Pacific Grove, CA 25 - 29 Sonia Foote 3:28:55 Rotorua, NZ 20 - 24 Chad Seymour 2:57:04 Honolulu, Hawaii 30 - 34 Katrin Hockenjos 3:25:49 Konstanz, Germany 25 - 29 Greg Krause 2:53:42 Denver, Colorado 35 - 39 Riikka Kelja 3:24:37 Netherlands 30 - 34 Robert Latschen 2:47:30 Graz, Austria 40 - 44 Maria Raether 3:33:13 Weinheim, Germany 35 - 39 Michael Nahom 2:54:02 New Milford, CT 45 - 49 Barbara Peterson 3:38:37 Berkeley, California 40 - 44 # Tom Lyons 2:55:18 Reno, Nevada 50 - 54 $ Lorenn Walker 4:01:03 Waialua, Hawaii 45 - 49 Leo McCarthy 3:11:06 Kapaa, Hawaii 55 - 59 * Wendy Minor 4:49:12 Honolulu, Hawaii 50 - 54 Guenther Weber 3:17:25 Roth, Germany PRO Melanie McQuaid 2:57:08 Victoria, BC, Canada 55 - 59 # Kent Robison 3:37:18 Reno, Nevada * Three-time XTERRA World Champion 60+ * Hans Dieben 4:14:07 Chula Vista, CA $ Four-time XTERRA World Champion PRO Eneko Llanos 2:32:56 Spain Top Amateur Female # Two-time XTERRA World Champ * Three-time XTERRA World Champion Top Amateur Male

1996-2002 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (AMATEUR WOMEN)

DIV 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 15-19 Allegra Erisman Allegra Erisman Allegra Erisman Brandy Bounds Tulsi McCarthy N/A N/A 20-24 Rebecca Bashton Cara Coolbaugh Jaymi Cowan Kerry Barnholt Lucia Kuhner Lucia Kuhner Kelly Rees 25-29 Zoe King Jessica Burwell Catherine Phillips Yvonne Timewell Lindsay Price Amy Patz Amy Patz 30-34 Tina Eakin Amy Patz Erin McCarty Katrin Tobin Lynn Martin Rikke Johansen Chantal Ratte 35-39 Serena Warner Sabine Greipel Chantal Ratte N/A Monika Birk Shannon Oliver Sue Forbes-Kikukawa 40-44 Jodi Ruby Devyani Kamdar Monika Birk Lorenn Walker Susy Jones Laurie Woodbury Sally Hill 45-49 Beverly Enslow Barbara Peterson Lorenn Walker N/A N/A N/A N/A 50-54 Lorenn Walker Libby Harrow N/A N/A N/A Wendy Minor N/A 55-59 Wendy Minor N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 60+ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1996-2002 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONS (AMATEUR MEN)

DIV 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 15-19 Hunter Claxton Pearce Creasman Eliot Challifour Tyler Smith N/A N/A N/A 20-24 Josiah Middaugh Rohin Adams Andy Blow Jeff Cormack Jason Irons Luis Canales N/A 25-29 Andrew Wadsworth Bernard Hug Keith Meter Ben Travis Karl Schultz Charles Smith Masco Wieser 30-34 Matt Boobar Benoit Dussault Norman Thiabult Dave Bonetti Dave Bonetti Gerry Clark Paul Hopwood 35-39 Mark Gavach Paul Hopwood Richard Ely Paul Hopwood Paul Hopwood Paul Hopwood Richard Knight 40-44 Tom Lyons Dave Ruby Joseph Zwack Howard Jones Steve Cole Patrick Follett David Fonseca 45-49 Keiji Matsuba John Royson John Royson Reed Johnson Kalli Nottrodt Otto Lingk Bob Macy 50-54 Jiri Kokes Dave Kinsey Kent Robison Bob Macy Bob Macy Mike Malloy Dan Neyenhuis 55-59 Richard Wall Leo Meeuwisse Brian Parkinson Peter Wood Wilburn Powell Ed Hudcovic Ed Hudcovic 60+ David Sharp Hans Dieben Hans Dieben N/A N/A N/A N/A CA Paul Martin Paul Martin Joel Sampson Paul Martin N/A N/A N/A 67 TOP 3 ELITES ALL-TIME

2017 ------2006 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Bradley Weiss 2:32:09 1. Flora Duffy 2:47:47 1. Hamish Carter 2:42:36 1. Melanie McQuaid 3:07:53 2. Mauricio Mendez 2:33:24 2. Barbara Riveros 2:56:11 2. Olivier Marceau 2:42:55 2. Danelle Kabush 3:15:58 3. Ruben Ruzafa 2:33:45 3. Laura Philipp 2:57:24 3. Seth Wealing 2:44:05 3. Sibylle Matter 3:19:50 2016 ------2005 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Mauricio Mendez 2:49:38 1. Flora Duffy 3:14:59 1. Nicolas Lebrun 2:38:19 1. Melanie McQuaid 3:07:16 2. Ruben Ruzafa 2:51:02 2. Lesley Paterson 3:25:01 2. Eneko Llanos 2:41:41 2. Sibylle Matter 3:08:00 3. Ben Allen 2:53:49 3. Suzie Snyder 3:29:03 3. Brent McMahon 2:42:01 3. Jamie Whitmore 3:13:51 2015 ------2004 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Josiah Middaugh 2:35:32 1. Flora Duffy 2:54:17 1. Eneko Llanos 2:28:44 1. Jamie Whitmore 3:01:35 2. Braden Currie 2:38:30 2. Lesley Paterson 2:59:16 2. Olivier Marceau 2:29:45 2. Melanie McQuaid 3:04:25 3. Ruben Ruzafa 2:40:40 3. Emma Garrard 3:03:28 3. Josiah Middaugh 2:33:28 3. Danelle Kabush 3:05:19 2014 ------2003 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Ruben Ruzafa 2:29:56 1. Flora Duffy 2:47:59 1. Eneko Llanos 2:32:56 1. Melanie McQuaid 2:57:08 2. Josiah Middaugh 2:31:11 2. Barbara Riveros 2:50:04 2. Nicolas LeBrun 2:36:31 2. Jamie Whitmore 3:01:14 3. Ben Allen 2:34:50 3. Nicky Samuels 2:56:31 3. Justin Thomas 2:37:31 3. Candy Angle 3:06:09 2013 ------2002 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Ruben Ruzafa 2:34:34 1. Nicky Samuels 2:57:48 1. Conrad Stoltz 2:22:55 1. Candy Angle 2:57:33 2. Asa Shaw 2:36:01 2. Lesley Paterson 3:00:14 2. Eneko Llanos 2:23:57 2. Jamie Whitmore 2:59:10 3. Ben Allen 2:36:24 3. Flora Duffy 3:00:19 3. Nicolas LeBrun 2:27:37 3. Shari Kain 3:03:20 2012 ------2001 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Javier Gomez 2:26:54 1. Lesley Paterson 2:44:12 1. Conrad Stoltz 2:28:48 1. Anke Erlank 3:00:59 2. Josiah Middaugh 2:27:41 2. Barbara Riveros 2:48:19 2. Kerry Classen 2:37:02 2. Cherie Touchette 3:11:51 3. Conrad Stoltz 2:30:04 3. Mari Rabie 2:53:56 3. Jimmy Riccitello 2:37:31 3. Kerstin Weule 3:12:37 2011 ------2000 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Michael Weiss 2:27:00 1. Lesley Paterson 2:45:59 1. Michael Tobin 2:30:53 1. Kerstin Weule 3:07:04 2. Dan Hugo 2:27:33 2. Marion Lorblanchet 2:48:08 2. Mike Vine 2:33:10 2. Melanie McQuaid 3:09:17 3. Eneko Llanos 2:28:26 3. Helena Erbenova 2:51:51 3. Michael Pigg 2:33:43 3. Uli Blank 3:17:32 2010 ------1999 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Conrad Stoltz 2:31:07 1. Shonny Vanlandingham 2:58:20 1. Ned Overend 2:32:50 1. Shari Kain 3:04:19 2. Franky Batelier 2:36:14 2. Julie Dibens 2:59:33 2. Michael Tobin 2:34:26 2. Kerstin Weule 3:06:27 3. Michi Weiss 2:36:45 3. Marion Lorblanchet 3:06:11 3. Jimmy Riccitello 2:35:54 3. Jody Purcell 3:08:42 2009 ------1998 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Eneko Llanos 2:37:22 1. Julie Dibens 2:56:42 1. Ned Overend 2:24:46 1. Sue Latshaw 2:58:49 2. Nico Lebrun 2:38:17 2. Lesley Paterson 3:04:16 2. Wes Hobson 2:29:16 2. Uli Blank 3:00:05 3. Michi Weiss 2:40:24 3. Melanie McQuaid 3:05:46 3. Michael Tobin 2:31:22 3. Caroline Rahner 3:06:27 2008 ------1997 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Ruben Ruzafa 2:37:36 1. Julie Dibens 3:03:57 1. Mike Pigg 2:28:48 1. Cameron Randolph 3:04:25 2. Michi Weiss 2:38:10 2. Danelle Kabush 3:04:56 2. Ned Overend 2:32:12 2. Lesley Tomlinson 3:04:31 3. Brent McMahon 2:40:56 3. Shonny Vanlandingham 3:10:49 3. Jimmy Riccitello 2:34:49 3. Sue Latshaw 3:11:32 2007 ------1996 ------

Men Women Men Women 1. Conrad Stoltz 2:40:54 1. Julie Dibens 3:01:24 1. Jimmy Riccitello 2:27:42 1. Michellie Jones 3:04:53 2. Olivier Marceau 2:42:05 2. Melanie McQuaid 3:09:52 2. Mike Pigg 2:31:13 2. Shari Kain 3:05:05 3. Brian Smith 2:42:35 3. Jamie Whitmore 3:11:37 3. Ned Overend 2:33:39 3. Sian Welch 3:20:55

68 ALL-TIME XTERRA WORLD CHAMPS (ELITES)

69 2018 XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR ELITE STANDINGS

ELITE MEN S S S S S S S G S S S S G S S G Pl Name, NAT TOT MLT CYP GRE ITG POR BEL SUI FRA CZE ITA ROM POL GER FIN NOR DEN 1 Francois Carloni, FRA 628 56 x 51 47 x 75 x 69 x 51 67 x 69 x 61 82 2 Roger Serrano, ESP 605 75 75 56 x x x 67 x x 75 x x 82 x 75 100 3 Peter Lehmann, GER 511 33 x 39 30 67 x 43 x 39 x 51 47 28 67 67 x 4 Xavier Dafflon, SUI 456 x x 43 56 x 47 47 x x 67 x x 58 75 x 63 5 Maxim Chane, FRA 451 51 67 23 27 x x x 53 47 x x 61 53 x x 69 6 Rui Dolores, POR 420 36 x x x 61 30 27 28 x 39 x 39 49 x 36 75 7 Arthur Serrieres, FRA 393 x x 61 75 x x 56 75 x x 75 51 x x x x 8 Bradley Weiss, RSA 324 x x x x x x x 82 67 x x 75 100 x x x 9 Dominik Wychera, AUT 313 x x 36 x x x x x x 43 x 27 37 61 56 53 10 Arthur Forissier, FRA 307 x x 75 67 x x 75 90 x x x x x x x x 11 Sam Osborne, NZL 290 x x x x x x x x 43 x x 67 90 x x 90 12 Geert Lauryssen, BEL 267 47 x x 43 x 61 x 58 x x x x x x x 58 13 Ruben Ruzafa, ESP 250 x x x x 75 x x 100 75 x x x x x x x 14 Marcello Ugazio, ITA 250 x x 67 61 x x 61 x x 61 x x x x x x 15 Doug Hall, GBR 233 39 51 x x x x 21 x 33 x x 33 x 56 x x Also: Jan Kubicek, Tomas Kubek, Tim Van Daele, Fausto Fognini, Victor del Corral, Clement Briere, Ben Allen, Karel Zadak, Anthony Pannier, Henry Sleight, Theo Dupras, Filippo Rinaldi, Lukas Kocar, Francesco Figini, Yeray Luxem, Christophe Betard, Pavel Andreev, Will Crudgington, Hannes Wolport, Veit Hoenle, Jose Estrangeiro, Olly Shaw, Pierrick Page, Corentin Duclos, Greg Souvatzoglou, Francisco Serrano (Plus 50 more). Find complete standings at xterraplanet.com.

ELITE WOMEN S S S S S S S G S S S S G S S G Pl Name, NAT TOT MLT CYP GRE ITG POR BEL SUI FRA CZE ITA ROM POL GER FIN NOR DEN 1 Carina Wasle, AUT 893 67 x 61 67 67 61 61 82 67 67 x 61 82 75 75 x 2 Brigitta Poor, HUN 788 75 75 56 x 75 x 75 100 x x 75 67 100 x x 90 3 Helena Karaskova, CZE 589 61 x 67 75 x x 56 90 75 x x 75 90 x x x 4 Nicole Walters, GBR 503 47 61 75 61 x 67 67 x x x x x 58 67 x x 5 Morgane Riou, FRA 393 56 x 51 x x 75 47 x x x 67 56 41 x x x 6 Ania Tomica, POL 296 x 51 x x x x 30 53 43 x 56 x x x x 63 7 Jessica Roberts, GBR 288 x x 30 30 x 47 x 58 x x x x x 56 67 x 8 Elizabeth Orchard, NZL 269 x x x x x x x x 61 51 x x 75 x x 82 9 Sandra Mairhofer, ITA 223 x x 43 56 x x x x x 61 x x 63 x x x 10 Renata Bucher, SUI 209 x x x 36 x x x x 56 56 x x x 61 x x 11 Eva Garcia Gonzalez, ESP 205 x x x x 61 x x x x 75 x x 69 x x x 12 Penny Slater, AUS 197 x x x x x x x 69 47 x x 47 34 x x x 13 Bianca Morvillo, ITA 155 x x x 51 x x x x 51 x x x 53 x x x 14 Maud Golsteyn, NED 154 51 x 47 x x 56 x x x x x x x x x x 15 Angela Niklaus, SUI 130 x x x x x x 39 63 x x x x 28 x x x Also: Cecilia Jessen, Samantha Kingsford, Diane Luethi, Michelle Flipo, Daria Rogozina, Loanna Duvoisin, Diane Lee, Sabina Rzepka, Lesley Paterson, Ine Couckuyt, Mikaela Jonsson, Heidi Thranum, Barbara Riveros, Anna Brychtova, Aina Picas, Mariana Brugger, Yulia Surikova, Johandri Leicester, Maria Doring, Ksenia Chemykh, Eleonora Peroncini, Sarah Tavecchio, Tina Toivonen, Megane McDonald, Isabelle Ferrer, Marta Menditto, Joanna Kuronen, Lenka Cibulkova, Elisabeth Gruber, Ladina Buss, Daria Radczuk, Bianca Reitwiessner.

Gold Points: 1=100, 2=90, 3=82, 4=75, 5=69, 6=63. 7=58, 8=53, 9=49, 10=45, 11=41, 12=37, 13=34, 14=31, 15=28 Silver Points: 1=75, 2=67, 3=61, 4=56, 5=51, 6=47, 7=43, 8=39, 9=36, 10=33, 11=30, 12=27, 13=25, 14=23, 15=21

70 2018 XTERRA PAN AMERICAN TOUR ELITE STANDINGS

ELITE MEN S S S S G G S S G G S DG Pl Name, NAT TOT CHI ARG CRC URU BRA OKM DMR VIC BCR MEX QBC USA 1 Kieran McPherson, NZL 829 67 75 x 67 100 69 51 75 58 90 61 116 2 Josiah Middaugh, USA 774 x x 67 x x 100 75 67 90 100 75 200 3 Karsten Madsen, CAN 729 x x 61 75 90 90 61 x 53 82 67 150 4 Branden Rakita, USA 652 61 56 x x 75 58 47 61 63 69 56 106 5 Alex Roberts, NZL 368 x x x 61 58 37 56 47 34 28 47 x 6 Brian Smith, USA 335 x x x x x 82 x x 69 58 x 126 7 Rafael Juriti, BRA 335 51 43 x 47 63 x x x x 49 x 82 8 Sam Long, USA 309 x x x x x 63 x x 82 x x 164 9 Ian King, USA 221 x x 36 x x 41 x 27 x x 43 74 10 Rom Akerson, CRC 217 x x 75 x x 75 67 x x x x x 11 Will Kelsay, USA 195 x x x x x 53 x 43 31 x x 68 12 Alejandro Sfriso, ARG 192 x 51 x 51 49 x x x x 41 x x 13 Bradley Weiss, RSA 180 x x x x x x x x x x x 180 14 Mauricio Mendez, MEX 175 75 x x x x x x x 100 x x x 15 Humberto Rivera, USA 140 x x 47 x x 31 x x x x x 62 Also: Walter Schafer, Joshua Merrick, Maxi Morales, Nelson Hegg, Will Ross, Hans Ryham, Brent Mattison, Alexandre Manzan, Ryan Petry, Francisco Serrano, Diogo Malagon, Gonzalo Tellechea, Irving Perez, Ryan DeCook, Luis Piedra, Andres Darricau, Brent McMahon, Felipe Moletta, Esteban Rojas, Federico Venegas, Carlos Chang, Brad Zoller, Gustavo Torres, Lucas Mendez, Eduardo Lass, Leonardo Saucedo, Andres Zuniga, Gabriel Angeloro (Plus 15 more) Find complete standings at xterraplanet.com.

ELITE WOMEN S S S S G G S S G G S DG Pl Name, NAT TOT CHI ARG CRC URU BRA OKM DMR VIC BCR MEX QBC USA 1 Fabiola Corona, MEX 768 67 75 x x x 82 75 61 69 100 75 164 2 Kara LaPoint, USA 686 x x x 67 75 75 67 47 82 90 67 116 3 Kelli Montgomery, USA 520 x x 75 61 58 49 56 27 x 69 51 74 4 Lesley Paterson, GBR 400 x x x x x 100 x x 100 x x 200 5 Allison Baca, USA 392 75 61 x x x x x 43 75 x x 138 6 Julie Baker, USA 361 x x x x x 90 x 75 90 x x 106 7 Carito Nieva, ARG 274 61 56 x 75 82 x x x x x x x 8 Katie Button, CAN 273 x x x x x 63 x 51 x x 61 98 9 Jessie Koltz, USA 243 x x 61 x x 69 x 23 x x x 90 10 Suzie Snyder, USA 236 x x x x x x x 56 x x x 180 11 Heather Zimchek-Dunn, USA 220 x x x x x 45 x 30 63 x x 82 12 Rebecca Blatt, USA 211 x x 56 x x 41 x x 58 x x 56 13 Anne Usher, USA 154 x x x x x 53 x 39 x x x 62 14 Magali Tisseyre, CAN 150 x x x x x x x x x x x 150 15 Laura Mira Dias, BRA 146 x x x 56 90 x x x x x x x Also: Tess Amer, Anne-Sophie Marechal, Emanuela Bandol, Sabrina Gobbo, Nike Matanza, Maria Barrera, Andrea Gutierrez, Luiza Zanini, Adilia Jimenez, Melanie McQuaid, Camila Nicolau, Paolo Reyes, Erin Storie, Evelyne Blouin, Tatiana Queiroz, Maria Lujan Soto, Ana Prade, Brisa Melcop, Vanessa Teixeira, Lisa Helmer.

Double Gold Points: 1=200, 2=180, 3=164, 4=150, 5=138, 6=126, 7=116, 8=106, 9=98, 10=90, 11=82, 12=74, 13=68, 14=62, 15=56 Gold Points: 1=100, 2=90, 3=82, 4=75, 5=69, 6=63. 7=58, 8=53, 9=49, 10=45, 11=41, 12=37, 13=34, 14=31, 15=28 Silver Points: 1=75, 2=67, 3=61, 4=56, 5=51, 6=47, 7=43, 8=39, 9=36, 10=33, 11=30, 12=27, 13=25, 14=23, 15=21

71 2017 XTERRA ASIA-PACIFIC ELITE TOUR STANDINGS

Elite Men S G S G PL Name, NAT TOT NZL DAN TAH ALB 1 Sam Osborne, NZL 332 75 90 67 100 2 Bradley Weiss, RSA 190 DNS 100 DNS 90 3 Ben Allen, AUS 187 56 75 56 DNS 4 Olly Shaw, NZL 149 67 DNS DNS 82 5 Kieran McPherson, NZL 143 61 82 DNS DNS 6 Joe Miller, PHI 120 DNS 45 DNS 75 7 Takahiro Ogasawara, JPN 104 DNS 41 DNS 63 8 Alex Roberts, NZL 101 43 58 DNS DNS 9 Mauricio Mendez, MEX 75 DNS DNS 75 DNS 10 Fabien Combaluzier, FRA 69 DNS 69 DNS DNS 11 Akihiko Maeda, JPN 69 DNS DNS DNS 69 12 Brodie Gardner, AUS 63 DNS 63 DNS DNS 13 Maxim Chane, FRA 61 DNS DNS 61 DNS 14 Will Ross, USA 53 DNS 53 DNS DNS 15 Hayden Wilde, NZL 51 51 DNS DNS DNS 16 Jacky Boisset, FRA 49 DNS 49 DNS DNS 17 Lewis Ryan, NZL 47 47 DNS DNS DNS 18 Rodney Bell, AUS 39 39 DNS DNS DNS

Elite Women S G S G PL NAME, NAT TOT NZL DAN TAH ALB 1 Penny Slater, AUS 297 56 90 61 90 2 Leela Hancox, AUS 251 43 75 51 82 3 Samantha Kingsford, NZL 223 67 DNS 56 100 4 Kristy Jennings, NZL 191 DNS 69 47 75 5 Jacqui Allen, GBR 150 75 DNF 75 DNS 6 Carina Wasle, AUT 100 DNS 100 DNS DNS 7 Laura Mira Diaz, BRA 99 36 63 DNS DNS 8 Myriam Guillot-Boisset, FRA 82 DNS 82 DNS DNS 9 Lesley Paterson, GBR 67 DNS DNS 67 DNS 10 Hannah Wells, NZL 61 61 DNS DNS DNS 11 Deborah Lynch, NZL 51 51 DNS DNS DNS 12 Lydia Hale, NZL 47 47 DNS DNS DNS 13 Mary Gray, NZL 39 39 DNS DNS DNS

72 2018 XTERRA WORLD TOUR ELITE RACE WINNERS

Date Race Location Elite Winners Feb 24 XTERRA South Africa Grabouw, Western Cape Brad Weiss/Carina Wasle March 10 XTERRA Motatapu South Island, New Zealand Dougal Allan/Paties Alizue March 18 XTERRA Chile # Silver San Bernardo, Santiago Mauricio Mendez/Allison Baca March 24 XTERRA Argentina # Silver Dique Ullum, San Juan Kieran McPherson/Fabiola Corona March 25 XTERRA Costa Rica # Silver Playa Reserva Conchal Rom Akerson/Kelli Montgomery April 7 XTERRA New Zealand + Silver Rotorua Sam Osborne/Jacqui Allen April 15 XTERRA Malta * Silver Majjistral Nature Reserve Roger Serrano/Brigitta Poor April 22 XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship + GOLD Danao, Cebu, Philippines Brad Weiss/Carina Wasle April 22 XTERRA Cyprus * Silver Akamas Roger Serrano/Brigitta Poor April 29 XTERRA Greece * Silver Vouliagmeni Arthur Forissier/Nicole Walters May 5 XTERRA Uruguay Silver Punta del Este Karsten Madsen/Carito Nieva May 11 XTERRA Tahiti + Silver Moorea Mauricio Mendez/Jacqui Allen May 12 XTERRA Brazil # GOLD Ilha Bella, Sao Paolo Kieran McPherson/Sabrina Gobbo May 19 XTERRA Oak Mountain # GOLD Pelham, Alabama, USA Josiah Middaugh/Lesley Paterson May 27 XTERRA Garda * Silver Lake Garda, Italy Arthur Serrieres/Helena Karaskova June 2 XTERRA Portugal * Silver Golega Ruben Ruzafa/Brigitta Poor June 3 XTERRA Dominican Republic # Silver Samana Josiah Middaugh/Fabiola Corona June 9 XTERRA Belgium * Silver Namur Francois Carloni/Morgane Riou June 17 XTERRA Albay + GOLD Legaspi, Philippines Sam Osborne/Penny Slater June 23 XTERRA Switzerland * Silver Vallee de Joux Arthur Forissier/Brigitta Poor July 1 XTERRA France * GOLD Xonrupt Ruben Ruzafa/Brigitta Poor July 8 XTERRA Victoria # Silver Victoria, B.C., Canada Kieran McPherson/Julie Baker July 15 XTERRA Czech * Silver Prachatice Ruben Ruzafa/Helena Karaskova July 21 XTERRA Beaver Creek # GOLD Beaver Creek, CO, USA Mauricio Mendez/Lesley Paterson July 22 XTERRA Abruzzo * Silver Scanno, Italy Roger Serrano/Eva Garcia Gonzalez August 4 XTERRA Mexico # GOLD Tapalpa Josiah Middaugh/Fabiola Corona August 5 XTERRA Romania * Silver Tirgu Mures, Transylvania Arthur Serrieres/Brigitta Poor August 12 XTERRA Poland * Silver Krakow Bradley Weiss/Brigitta Poor August 18 XTERRA Quebec # Silver Quebec City, QC, Canada Josiah Middaugh/Fabiola Corona August 18 XTERRA European Championship * GOLD Zittau, Germany Bradley Weiss/Brigitta Poor August 26 XTERRA Finland * Silver Imatra Xavier Dafflon/Carina Wasle Sept 1 XTERRA Norway * Silver Norefjell Roger Serrano/Carina Wasle Sept 9 XTERRA Denmark * GOLD Mons Klint Roger Serrano/Michelle Flipo Sept 15 XTERRA Pan American Championship Ogden, Utah, USA Josiah Middaugh/Lesley Paterson October 28 XTERRA World Championship Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii $100,000 Prize Purse

* XTERRA European Tour / # XTERRA Pan American Tour / + XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour GOLD = Min. $15,000 pro prize purse & 100-point scale / Silver = Min. $7,500 pro prize purse & 75-point scale

73 XTERRA HALL OF FAME

NED OVEREND (2005) After retiring from mountain biking in 1996 at the age of 40 (he won six national titles and became mountain bikings first world champion in 1990), Overend competed in the first-ever XTERRA in 1996, finishing third. In ‘97 he was second, and in ‘98 and ‘99 he won consecutive World Championships at the ripe young age of 42 & 43. He was also the XTERRA USA Series Champion in 2002. At the 2004 World Championship, at age 50, Overend posted the 9th fastest bike split and placed 21st overall. Midway through the bike course Peter Reid was overheard saying “There’s a 50-year-old in front of me!” He was so devastating on the mountain bike that he earned the nicknames of “Deadly Nedly” and “The Lung.” At the end of his career, commentators respectfully called him “The Old Man of the Mountain.” SCOTT TINLEY (2006) In 1996, Scott competed in XTERRA's inaugural event, known as Aquaterra at the time. That day, he finished in 4th place and went on to finish in the top 10 in both 1997 and '98. But more than just an athlete, Scott was one of the early ambassadors for the sport. Tinley was at the sharp end of getting athletes to Maui. When you look at the high level pro's that came 10 years ago, it is far more impressive than what one, solitary, unusual race with a $5,000 prize list should have attracted. Jimmy Riccitello, Mike Pigg, Wes Hobson, Ray Browning, Pat Brown, Scott Molina, Emilio Desoto, Jeff Devlin, Kenny Glah, Paul Huddle, Michellie Jones, Paula Newby, Sian Welch, Karen Smeyers and more. A lot of that participation is because of ST, who helped found and develop the sport of off-road triathlon. KERSTIN WEULE (2007) Kerstin Weule, using equally deadly swim, mountain bike and run speed, won more XTERRA races than anyone (until Jamie Whitmore took on the challenge). She won 19 XTERRA titles, including the US. Pro Series in 1999 and 2000, and the 2000 World Championship. Born in Braunlage, Germany in 1966, Weule’s name was synonymous with XTERRA for years. The winning started in 1998 in Louisiana and she won the next two big races. In her career, Kerstin won at almost every U.S. venue where XTERRA traveled too, including races in the UK and Canada. Weule brought much to XTERRA – an open disposition, the ability to share all that she knew at XTERRA University clinics, a great laugh, her cartwheel at the finish line, & blue painted toenails on raceday. JIMMY RICCITELLO (2008) Flash back to 1996… AquaTerra…the first XTERRA…123 Speedo-clad racers on the start line at dawn on the beach in Wailea, Maui. A who’s who of triathlon and mountain biking showed up to try some- thing completely new…off-road triathlon. And, it turned out that XTERRA with its catch phrase “Your toughest competitor is Mother Nature” was right up Riccitello’s alley. He took the inaugural XTERRA World Championship by more than three minutes over triathlon great Mike Pigg. After the win, he said “Man this race is a bitch, but it’s the true spirit of triathlon – the athlete against the course”. Over seven years Riccitello raced XTERRA all over the U.S., including six more Maui World Championships, and was always the life of the party. MICHAEL TOBIN (2009) Tobin won at everything he tried, posting championships in running (and not your usual 5K but running up mountains for a couple hours); duathlon, where he was Powerman Champ twice with 14 interna- tional victories; XTERRA with 16 victories and a World Championship; and adventure racing – where he has won all over the world. Tobin dominated XTERRA for years. He won Kirkwood in 1997; won 3 of 4 in 1998; and won 9 out of 10 in 1999. To that point, the one prize that eluded Tobin was Maui. He was 4th in 1997 – 3rd in 1998 – 2nd in 1999 and finally won it all in 2000.

74 XTERRA HALL OF FAME

SHARI KAIN (2010) Shari Kain came to XTERRA as an accomplished mountain biker – a U.S. champion in both cycling and cyclocross and she was to have a major impact on XTERRA. Kain had an epic duel with Michellie Jones in the inaugural XTERRA of 1996 but came up 12 seconds short. In 1999 “Sharoo” won it all in style by doing the hula across the finish line in a grass skirt. That fabulous finish wasn’t Shari’s only contribution to the XTERRA Legend that day. It is said she is responsible for the post-race game of naked touch football - a hallmark of the early days of XTERRA SCOTT SCHUMAKER (2011) Scott Schumaker is perhaps THE pioneer of XTERRA racing. He could race, and he could write with the best of them. He was part of the inaugural class of one hundred and twenty three who started the first XTERRA (or AquaTerra as it was then know) in Wailea in 1996 – and he took 4th behind some of the biggest names in the sport - Jimmy Riccitello, Mike Pigg and Ned Overend. In the first four years of XTERRA, he was a factor in just about every race…and introduced the sport to the triathlon world by writing about his experiences for industry magazines. His race reports were irreverent and often hilarious, introducing technical terms such as “Umpa-lumpa” to the sport. JAMIE WHITMORE (2012) Jamie “J-Dawg” Whitmore career was kick-started at the “Crown Jewel” XTERRA Saipan Championship race back in 2002 when she upset the reigning world champ at the time, Anke Erlank. Over the next six years she won 37 championships in a dozen different countries, including the XTERRA World Championship in 2004. She is still the most successful female pro the sport has ever known. Her accomplishments in the sport, however, pale in comparison to her achievements in life. NICO LEBRUN (2013) Nicolas "The Professor" Lebrun from France crossed the Atlantic and landed in Richmond, Virginia for his first XTERRA race in 2001. He finished 3rd behind another, first-timer - Conrad Stoltz in 2nd, and Canada’s Mike Vine in first. It was the start of something big for him, and for XTERRA….The following year he returned to Richmond and scored his first XTERRA win. Over the next 13 years he was a major and consistent force in XTERRA racing in Europe and in America with 90 top five finishes, including 32 wins and four European Tour Championships. But the crowning moment in his XTERRA career, was in Maui in 2005 when he won the XTERRA World Championship. CONRAD STOLTZ (2015) In 2015 XTERRA inducted the most decorated XTERRA athlete of all-time, Conrad “The Caveman” Stoltz. Stoltz collected an unprecedented 53 career championship wins and seven world titles (4 from XTERRA and 3 from ITU) in his illustrious 15-year career. The reception he received was goose- bump worthy … a well-deserved standing ovation from an adoring crowd. “XTERRA has been an integral part of my life,” he said, holding back tears. “We always talk about XTERRA being family, and it is. It really is. What Tom and Dave and Julie created is simply amazing, and I’m beyond grateful.”

DAN HUGO (2016) At just 31-years-old Hugo is the youngest athlete ever inducted to the Hall, but he was just a teenager when he did his first XTERRA in 2004 at the inaugural XTERRA South Africa Championship. He finished 3rd that day and over the next 11 years finished in the top 5 over 70 times. Among those podium positions was an agonizing 22nd runner-up finishes, but he also won his fair share with 15 majors. in his last two years – 2013/14 – he did two dozen XTERRA races on six continents and during that stretch won races in eight countries including the prestigious XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship.

75 FLASHBACK TO ‘96 : FROM AN ORGANIZER’S PERSPECTIVE

WE JUST DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER By “Kahuna Dave” Nicholas

“Hey Boss” said Jerry Pupillo. “Look at those guys down on the beach washing the mud off. Why don’t we do one of those Ironman things but on mountain bikes”? It sounded like a good idea to me and here we are 20 years later. This all happened at the 1995 Hawaiian Mountain Tour bike race at Kualoa Ranch when a bunch of pro men rode their bikes down to the ocean after a very muddy cross country race.

Every swim we had done for Ocean Challenge or the King’s Race was point-to-point. So not knowing any better we did the first swim from Ulua Beach to Wailea Beach. It was 1500m or so and I recall we started the race – picked up the signs and quickly carried them to swim out and transition. The park manager was James Ramsaur and he truly did create an amazing set of trails. He had 250 acres and somehow made I did a ton of homework to find out about triathlon. Tinley and a 9 mile loop. We later named him Kimo as that’s Hawaiian for The Grip (Mark Allen) all agreed it was the best runner that usu- James. That first year we took some white trellis Kimo used for ally won Ironman or the shorter distances. We were bike guys weddings and made the finish arch. That race was called and when I designed our race (AquaTerra now XTERRA) I made GatorTerra. We bought a few kids blowup pool alligators and sure the bike took up a lot more of the total time than a road put them out on the trails on race morning. Definitely scared a triathlon. I figured the triathlete would win the swim, the few athletes. mountainbiker would get the lead on the bike and the triathlete would catch up on the run and they would cross the line togeth- XTERRA would have never started if TK had not found out that er. Damn if it did not work first time out. Shari Kain and Maui was looking for a TV event. He came back and told me our Michellie Jones did exactly as I predicted with Michellie passing crazy idea of a triathlon on mountainbikes was going to happen Shari about 200m from the finish. Notorious cyclist Jimmy on Maui. It had to be in Wailea-Makena so go over there and Riccitello won but mountainbiker Ned Overend came in 3rd and make it work. won it all a few years later and he was a rock in the water. We knew it was a made for TV event and we had to fit it in a one Kiely planned parties, we gave away some comp rooms, we had hour show. Ironman distances were way too long and frankly, really nice meals and even cocktail parties. The atmosphere their TV show was pretty boring. I figured we had to have the was completely different from triathlon. The biggest comment winners take about 2 ½ hours. Given that total time for the race we heard was “why are you treating us so nice?” The answer we could easily edit the footage to make an interesting one was we didn’t know any better. We figured the athlete was the hour show. We had done a lot of mountain bike races, lots of reason for the event and we had best treat them well. ocean swims and even 10K runs that went around Diamond Head so we knew how to figure total time for each leg. That’s After the race old John Cobb who had a big online bike shop how the distances for XTERRA were determined. We went over told me we had to take this to the mainland and he knew the to Maui a lot of times but could not find any trails. We had perfect place. There was a new park in Ruston, Louisiana that worked with a Maui windsurf organizer named Paul Ehman for had a world class trail builder who had created that perfect years on our ocean and cycling events and Paul had a great con- place. Cobb put up $5,000 and the America Tour was created. nection with Ulupalakua ranch. We went onto the ranch and We had mtb friends in Big Bear & I convinced them to help found miles and miles of dirt roads. Some wide open but many organize one. Tinley knew somebody at Kirkwood resort and gnarly, lava rock hard smaller roads as well. From our experi- that became our 3rd race for 1997. ence creating mountain bike races I knew this would be one tough race. Not one foot of single track but tough riding.

76 FLASHBACK TO ‘96 : FROM AN ORGANIZER’S PERSPECTIVE

There was about a mile of road we had to use to get from the The run was harder to make than it seemed as most of it would Aston resort (later Outrigger) to the dirt road leading to the have to be on the road. Not what we wanted. So we scouted ranch. This road was as wide as a 4 lane highway. We found out woods and beaches and although we had to cross a couple later this was made to handle huge trucks bringing cinders roads, Ted Kozlo got the Maui police to approve it and help. down from the volcano to fill in the area that became Wailea. Scary forest was created with a rake. It was nothing but scrub There was too much traveled dirt road so we started looking for kiawe trees and other woody weeds. We wanted to go over the cow trails or smaller, older routes to follow. We found one and pu’u past little beach but it was too dangerous. I remember it worked well and led to what would become Heartbreak Hill. doing it and sliding and tumbling down that damn thing to The problem was that when we came back to mark it we could- black sand beach. What we did was leave Makena Beach (Big n’t figure out which small trail it was. Then one of us remem- Beach) through the parking lot and then started walking into bered an old abandoned car was on the trail we used. We found the woods. We eventually found our way back to black sand the car, an old Plymouth Valiant, and that is how Valiant Park beach and Scary Forest was created. How did we mark it? With got its name and that cool, twisty bit came to be. a rake making a path through the leaves and hundreds of arrows. Another problem cropped up when we couldn’t bring the bike back to the hotel in the distance we wanted . Going back would Ulupalakua allowed us one day on their ranch for the race. This make the bike too long. Plus, there was no good run route is how the no advance look or practice on the trails happened. around the hotel. The solution was a small horse stable busi- They are a full, working ranch and I did not blame them in the ness out past Makena. We could tie the bike route to come least. They did allow us access to mark the course and I recall down to the stables for T2 and then create a run back to the wondering why our stakes and marks kept being knocked hotel. The stable owner was a great guy and helped a lot. down. What we found is the cattle saw the arrows and thought they were food ! That’s why in those first years before the ranch The only problem was not enough space at T2 to put bike racks. started moving the cattle for the race week we had to hang I took a chapter out of the original Ironman T2 and we put up arrows from tree branches or screw them into fence posts. tents, built big bag racks and hired a couple flatbed trucks to take the bikes back to the start. Riders would come screaming down Cactus Alley into T2. We posted a marshal just up the road and he would call the bike number on a 2-way radio. Another vollie would yell out the number at T2 and a volunteer would grab that bag and have it waiting. At the dismount line another volunteer would take the bike and the athlete would grab their transition bag and go into a tent with benches to change. Like I said, we just didn’t know any better & it seemed like the right thing to do.

There was no real route from the ranch to the stables. We found remnants of an old road but it was totally overgrown. I had a bunch of Marines that worked with us on the NFL Pro Bowl and we took a dozen or so to Maui with us to work on the course and marshal points. Those guys are workers. We blasted through the bush cutting trees, pulling crap out of the way and uncover- XTERRA racing was the work-life passion of Dave Nicholas for two ing the old route. About half way down we ran into hundreds of decades. He was the race director at every XTERRA World Championship huge cactus. Some had been growing there for years & were 10- from 1996 to 2017, and is the driving force behind the ever-expanding 12 feet high. It was christened “Cactus Alley” and was part of XTERRA World Tour. He’s also one heck of a race-car driver, and at the the course for years. young age of 75 drove his 1960 MGA to several class victories this year.

77 FLASHBACK TO ‘96 : FROM A RACER’S PERSPECTIVE

AQUATERRA FLASHBACK By Scott Schumaker

I’ll tell you one of the reasons I loved racing XTERRAs back when it all began, the late race starts and sleeping in until the luxurious time of 7am! November 3, 1996, 9 AM

BOOM!

The cannon fires. I charge down Wailea beach and into the tranquil Pacific with 122 athletes. It’s the first Aquaterra, now XTERRA. Well-known multi-sport names like Newby-Fraser, Pigg, Jones, Hobson, Tinley, Smyers and Riccitello are in the scantily- The tape shows that I tried to go around him. I think I wanted clad mob. There are a few notable mountain bikers too. Overend. the swim prime. We exit the water side by side, but he’s on his Kain. Kloser. It’s not the first off road triathlon*, but with its Maui feet a half stride before I am. location, end-of-the-season date, big name athletes, TV coverage and prize money, it has definitely garnered the most buzz. I dive Sprint! I can get this. into the water and think, “If this thing takes off it could change A wave breaks. It’s tangles up my legs. Brent is already charging the face of triathlons!” up the beach. It’s one big triangle of a swim and I need to stay on Brent Looking back, I suppose could blame that wave for not getting Imonen’s feet. He’s a damn fine ocean swimmer. With the likes of the prime. Or I could blame the extra drag of the bike shorts I Overend and Kloser back there I need as much of a lead as possi- chose to wear. But, really, Brent was just a damn fine ocean ble. Shit, Riccitello is back there too. I know he can ride a moun- swimmer. I’m sure he still is. Hobson came out of the water tain bike. Most triathletes can’t. Most triathletes seem to prefer close behind me. Pigg came out close behind him. Riccitello glass-smooth pavement. Yawn. Boring. Not me. I’m excited to get was a minute back. Tinley, 1:20. Overend nearly 3 minutes. I on the dirt. I’m excited to get dirty! Swim faster, Brent. recall the run to the transition area feeling long. Did Dave “Kahuna” Nicholas have his mini-cannon that first OK, there’s my transition space. Finally. C’mon, bike jersey! Get year? Was the Pacific tranquil? Did I really think Aquaterra could on my wet body. I’m glad I cut the sleeves off! GU packets…stay change triathlons as I dove into the water? Was the swim one stuffed in those back pockets. OK, shoes are on. Grab the moun- big triangle? I have no idea. It was 20 years ago. Memory fogs. tain bike. It’s a Scott hardtail. Aluminum frame. 26-inch wheels. Let me check the tape. Stand by. V-brakes. Handlebar that round into bar ends. It’s a mere 30 pounds of XC awesomeness! OK, I just checked the tape. Was there a mini-cannon? Nope. It was a conch shell being blown. Was the Pacific tranquil? Yes. I’m sprinting out across the bike mount line and launch myself Was the swim a triangle? No. It was a point-to-point swim from cyclocross-style onto my bike. I’m first out of transition. I am the Ulua Beach to Wailea Beach. Was I thinking about Aquaterra No Fear Bike Leader! possibly bringing a whole new dimension in multi-sport? I hope not. I hope I was focused on the race. There’s a section of paved road before the dirt begins. I’m riding hands free putting on the bike gloves that had been dangling I’m right on Brent’s feet. Perfect. Look! There’s a giant turtle from my bar ends. There goes Hobson. Shit!…and Pigg! So much swimming underneath us**. That is sooo cool. Scott, stay focused for being the bike leader. That didn’t last long. I’m a better tech- on the race, man! Swim faster, Brent. Should I try to go around nical rider than Hobson. Not sure about Pigg. But there is 3000 him? No, I need to conserve my energy. I probably can’t get feet of climbing before the big descent. around him anyway. He’s fast.

78 FLASHBACK TO ‘96 : FROM A RACER’S PERSPECTIVE

That big descent would become known as The Plunge and I I’m in the post-finish line tent dropping another cupful of ice wouldn’t see Hobson or Pigg on it. In fact, I wouldn’t see either water over my head. This really could take off, I think. This whole of them again until after the finish line. A half-dozen others mountain bike, Aquaterra triathlon thing. How amazing would would pass me on the climb to The Plunge, including Riccitello that be?! I would totally do these all the time over road triathlons. and, eventually, Overend. Those two were moving incredibly It was way more fun. And crazy challenging. And those Team fast. If Phil Liggett had been commenting he would have said Unlimited people seem really nice. They’ve treated us all like they were dancing on their pedals. kings and queens. And they know how to put on a well-organized race. It’s too bad they are based in Hawaii though. There’s no Whew. That was tough. Here we go the big descent! It’s double way they’ll make anything big happen stuck out here in the track and fast. It’s not all that technical, but the lava rocks are middle of the Pacific. bouncing my bike around like a pinball and rattling my brain! Just don’t crash. Just don’t crash. Just don’t crash. *The Kirkwood Enduro-X went down in August 6, 1994. - Scott Tinley’s Dirty Adventures followed in the fall of 1995. I didn’t crash but it wasn’t the best bike ride of my life either. It **I’m relatively sure a turtle actually did swim underneath us. ***Credit for the line “sweating like a whore in church” : Jimmy was, however, a hell of a lot more exciting and challenging— Riccitello. mentally and physically—than road triathlons. Plus drafting, which was a heated debate in road triathlons at the time, was impossible. It was pure. It was bliss. By the time I hit the bike- to-run transition I was in love.

OK, I’m off the bike in one piece and in eighth place. Or is it ninth? I don’t know. There’s sweat in my eyes; I’m sweating like a whore in church***. I’m covered in a fine film of red dust. It’s f’ing hot! Why did they start this race so f’ing late in the morning? I might still be able to pull out a top ten finish though. C’mon, swimmer legs, work for me.

I’m weaving down through a forest of stunted growth. There’s very little shade. There’s a fallen tree marked with yellow hazard tape. Duck! And another one. Jump!

I’m on Big Beach. Plod. Plod. Ugh, this is a long beach. Plod. Plod. Plod. Damn you swimmer legs! Scott Schumaker (pictured above interviewing Michellie Jones after that There’s a rocky ledge. More sand. Pavement. More trail. A first race) would go on to race almost every XTERRA Triathlon held over “beach” made of baby-head sized rocks. Sweating. Sunbathers the next five years, writing about each one for multisport magazines and are looking at me like I’m nuts. My legs are really failing now. XTERRA, and he is a member of the XTERRA Hall of Fame. While he never There’s the finish line. Hallelujah! won the big one, or even any of the smaller ones—Kahuna calls him the Dan Marino of XTERRA—he was a consistent top finisher and his articles 2:49:12. 12th place. helped grow the sport. Currently Scott is the managing partner at Bright Antenna Records and recently put out a children’s book called Henry’s It wasn’t my best race speed-wise. I had really been hoping to Big Star Adventure. instagram: @scottschumaker finish in the top 10, and if all pistons were firing, top 5. Still, compared to my current 2015 speed, I was kind of, sort of fast. I didn’t appreciate it then. I appreciate it now. Perspective mat- ters.

79