2010 PRESS GUIDE MAY 22-23 CAMERON PARK / WACO, TX XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1.5km swim + 30km mountain bike + 10km trail run The World’s Greatest Off-Road Triathlon 2010 XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORS The 2010 XTERRA South Central Championship is presented by Paul Mitchell and Degree Men Adventure. Sponsors include the Utah Sports Commission, XTERRA.TV, GU Energy Gel, Gatorade, the Waco Hilton, Zorrel, and the XTERRA Alliance - Wetsuits, Gear, Cycling, Fitness, and Footwear. In 1996 mountain biking and triathlon met in a duel of the fittest on the island of Maui. The race consisted of an open- ocean swim, a mountain bike race, and a trail run. It represented a bold new racing format that attracted outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, mountain bikers and triathletes. The mountain bikers brought their laid-back style and bold self-assurance. The triathletes brought their hard-core training and avid dedication. They soon discovered a common spirit and attitude that pulled them together. For as different as they were, neither could resist the challenges and thrills this new multisport offered. Since that day XTERRA has grown into the world’s leading off-road triathlon with more than 100 races in 15 countries this year, including 67 in the XTERRA America Tour alone. The typical XTERRA is comprised of the following: 1.5 kilometer (0.93-mile) swim in an ocean, lake, or river 30 kilometer (18.6-mile) mountain bike on off-road trails 10 kilometer (6.2-mile) trail run on a variety of surfaces 2010 marks the 15th consecutive year of XTERRA racing. ON THE COVER: XTERRA Pro Rom Akerson at the XTERRA Southeast Championship in Pelham, AL. The XTERRA South Central Championship is the second of five regionals in the America Tour, and offers up $10,500 TABLE OF CONTENTS in prize money for pros and 41 qualifying spots into the XTERRA World Championship for amateurs. Age group XTERRA America Tour Introduction . .3 competitors will also earn points in pursuit of winning their How XTERRA ended up in Waco, Texas . .4 region and qualifying for the invite-only XTERRA USA Schedule of Events . .5 Championship held in Utah on Sept. 25. Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon and XTERRA University . .6 XTERRA Course Description and Maps . .7 This guide will breakdown the who, what, when, where and XTERRA Pro Race Preview and Start List . .8-9 why of the XTERRA South Central Championship - and XTERRA Pro Biographies (Men) . .10-17 XTERRA Pro Biographies (Women) . .18-23 introduce you to some of the professional athletes that will 2010 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Overview . .24 race in the world’s premier off-road triathlon at Cameron 2010 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Prize Money Breakdown . .25 Park in Waco, Texas on May 23. 2010 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Results and Standings . .26-27 Past XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Results . .28-29 2010 XTERRA America Tour Schedule . .30 How the XTERRA America Tour Works for amateurs . .31-33 XTERRA Gear News . .34 2009 XTERRA USA Amateur Championship Review . .35 2009 XTERRA Age Group Regional Champions . .36-37 Produced by 2010 XTERRA World Tour and World Champs Preview . .38-39 XTERRA Trail Running Series Overview and Schedule . .40-41 How XTERRA started & the world of XTERRA overview . .42-43 TEAM Unlimited, and XTERRA.TV . .44-45 Contact :Trey Garman 808.216.8606 // [email protected] 3 XTERRA HEADS TO THE HEART OF TEXAS Insight from the managing director of the XTERRA World Tour, “Kahuna Dave” Nicholas, on how Waco was selected as one of six premier events in the XTERRA America Tour... It happens all the time. XTERRA shows up in a new place – a new city. I’m not sure if everyone or anyone ever wonders why. For 2010 the question would be “Why Waco?” Well, Waco just happens to have some of the finest mountain bike trails anywhere in the U.S., much less Texas. The event will be held in Cameron Park, a marvelous place alongside the Brazos River that was given to the city of Waco 100 years ago – in 1910. Cameron Park was proposed to us by Mike Carter, a longtime XTERRA athlete With all those things going for it; a city that wants us, a and organizer of the races in Austin, Texas. His opinion was fabulous park with legendary trails for cycling and running, seconded by Kim Jennings, another XTERRA athlete who a big river running through the area, bamboo that lines the just happens to be a park ranger at Cameron. Perhaps it course, hotels and restaurants nearby, an interstate just a was destiny that said we had to give Waco some thought mile or two from the compound, a major international airport and go to look and see if fact could support the claims. (Dallas-Ft. Worth) just an hour away and the fabulous Texas Shonny Vanlandingham, a native Texan, had raced at spring flowers in bloom, the question is not “Why Waco” but Cameron and gave it full marks for being a fabulous trail “Why did it take so long to get us there?” system (this picture shows Shonny on the Waco trails). “I’ve ridden the Waco course and it is awesome. I can tell you it’s an incredible bike course and a really nice park. The XTERRA Tribe is going to love it,” said Vanlandingham. The City of Waco wanted us, the Park wanted us, and we had a great experience in Texas at the beginnings of XTERRA back in 1999. What athletes will find is that this part of Texas is not flat. They’ll need to bring their aerobic capacity with them and throw in a healthy dose of courage because they’ll be faced with steep, short uphills and fast, challenging downhills; almost nonstop. Kim and Mike have done a great job in choosing the routing of the 20+ miles of trails to give the right mix of singletrack, doubletrack and access roads. The park will have just finished a huge renovation to celebrate its hundredth anniversary and will be freshly painted and polished. Our host hotel, the Waco Hilton, is a quick bike ride from the start and finish with lots of neat shops and restaurants to satisfy any taste. 4 XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE CAMERON PARK - WACO, TX /// MAY 21-23 FRIDAY, MAY 21: 12-6pm Registration and Packet Pickup* for all events at Redwood Shelter, Cameron Park SATURDAY, MAY 22: 6:30am-7:30am Late XTERRA Trail Run Packet Pickup* at Redwood Shelter, Cameron Park 7:45am XTERRA Trail Run Race Briefing 8:00am-4:00pm Expo Open 8:00am-4:00pm Registration and Packet Pickup* for Championship/Sport races 8:00am XTERRA 21K Trail Run Race Start (race #2 in the XTERRA Texas Series) 8:10am XTERRA 10K Trail Run Race Start 8:15am XTERRA 5K Trail Run Race Start 10:00am XTERRA Trail Run Awards Ceremony, finish line area 11:00am Bike/Run Courses open for practice after Trail Run finish 11:30am XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell, hosted by Conrad Stoltz & Melanie McQuaid 1:00pm Kahuna’s Pre-Race Briefing, tent adjacent to transition/finish SUNDAY, MAY 23: 6:30am Transition and Body Marking open 6:30am-7:30am Late Packet Pickup* (no new registration) 8:00am XTERRA Waco Sport Start (750m swim, 16K MTB, 5K trail run) 8:30am XTERRA South Central Championship Start (1.5K swim, 24K MTB, 10K trail run) 8:30am-1:00pm Expo Open 9:30am-1:30pm Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, a benefit for the Challenged Athletes Foundation 9:00/9:15am XTERRA Waco Sport male/female winners expected 11:15am/11:30am XTERRA South Central Championship male/female winners expected 12:30pm Bike course cut-off for all athletes 12:30pm XTERRA Championship/Sport Awards Ceremony 7:00pm Post Race Party – Location TBD * Photo ID required. Note: No park entry fees will be charged. Look for XTERRA parking signs. If you are staying at the Hilton it is an easy 5 minute bike ride to the venue. The 2010 XTERRA South Central Championship (May 23 in Waco, Texas) will serve as the first of four qualifying events for TEAM USA into the inaugural 2011 ITU Cross Triathlon (aka off-road triathlon) World Championship race in Extremadura, Spain on April 30, 2011. The top five age group finishers in each age group (18-19, 20-24, up to 90 years of age), rolling down to 10th place after the age-up rule, will qualify for the ITU race in 2011. There are four total qualifying events, which also include the XTERRA East Championship (June 20 in Richmond, Virginia), XTERRA Mountain Championship (July 17 in Avon, Colorado) and the Scott Tinley Adventure off-road tri (October 3, 2010 in San Luis Obispo, California). Complete details can be found at usatriathlon.org. Note: This does not replace or have any bearing on qualifying procedures for the 2010 XTERRA World Championship in Maui on Oct. 24, 2010 or future XTERRA World Championships. 5 PAUL MITCHELL CUT-A-THON AND XTERRA UNIVERSITY Founded to help physically challenged athletes reach their athletic goals, the non-profit Challenged Athletes Foundation is the official charity of the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon at each championship stop on the XTERRA America Tour. Stylists will cut hair from 9:30am-1:30pm on Sunday, May 23 at the finish line area of the XTERRA South Central Championship and all proceeds will go to the CAF. XTERRA UNIVERSITY Presented by Paul Mitchell Learn the art of XTERRA from the best off-road multisport athletes on the planet - 3-time XTERRA World Champions Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid.