- JUNE 20, 2009 North Little Rock, AR The World’s Greatest Off-Road Triathlon Since 1996 2009 PRESS GUIDE 2009 XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CUP SPONSORS The 2009 XTERRA South Central Cup is presented by Orbea, Paul Mitchell, and XTERRA.TV. National sponsors include GU, XTERRAGear.com, Rodale, Zorrel, Gatorade, Choice Hotels, and the Utah Sports Commission. Local sponsors include the Heart of Arkansas, North Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission, North Little Rock Parks and Recreation, The Ride bike shop, Lewis and Clark Outfitters, Hippie-Tech Suspension, and Road ID. XTERRA Discount Code 00224890 In 1996 mountain biking and triathlon met in a duel of the fittest on the island of Maui. The race consisted of an open- ocean swim, a mountain bike race, and a trail run. It represented a bold new racing format that attracted outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, mountain bikers and triathletes. The mountain bikers brought their laid-back style and bold self-assurance. The triathletes brought their hard-core training and avid dedication. They soon discovered a common spirit and attitude that pulled them together. For as different as they are, neither could resist the challenges and thrills this new multisport offered. Since that day XTERRA has grown into the world’s leading off-road triathlon with more than 100 races in 13 countries this year, including 60 in the XTERRA America Tour alone. The typical XTERRA is comprised of the following: 1.5 kilometer (0.93-mile) swim in an ocean, lake, or river 30 kilometer (18.6-mile) mountain bike on off-road trails 10 kilometer (6.2-mile) trail run on a variety of surfaces ON THE COVER: 2008 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Champions Melanie McQuaid and Conrad Stoltz on top, and XTERRA Amateur 2009 marks the 13th consecutive year of expansion for National Champions Joshua Olmstead and Erin Kummer on bottom. XTERRA with races in 32 states, and welcomes a new ABOVE: Shonny Vanlandingham at Southeast Cup in Pelham, AL. eight-stop nationwide Cup Series racing format. TABLE OF CONTENTS Each of XTERRA’s eight regions in the U.S. will host an XTERRA Cup championship race with $10,000 in prize XTERRA America Tour Introduction . .3 money for pros and 41 qualifying spots into the XTERRA XTERRA South Central Cup Preview/Schedule . .4-5 World Championship for amateurs. Age group competitors Paul Mitchell and XTERRA University . .6 will also earn points at the Cup Series races in pursuit of Course Preview and Bike Map . .7 winning their region and qualifying for the invite-only Pro Start List . .8 XTERRA USA Championship held in Utah on Sept. 26. XTERRA Pro Biographies . .9-22 About the 2009 XTERRA Cup Series for Pros . .23 2009 XTERRA Cup Series Pro Prize Money Breakdown . .24 This guide will breakdown the who, what, when, where and 2009 XTERRA Cup Series Standings . .25 why of the XTERRA South Central Cup race - and Results, review of the first five Cup Races . .26-30 introduce you to some of the professional athletes that will Past XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Results . .31-32 race in the world’s premier off-road triathlon in North Little How the XTERRA America Tour Works (for amateurs) . .33-35 Rock, Arkansas. XTERRA.TV . .36 2009 XTERRA America Tour Schedule . .37 2008 XTERRA Age Group Regional Champions . .38-39 2008 XTERRA USA Championship . .40-41 2009 XTERRA World Tour Schedule . .42 Produced by 2009 XTERRA World Championship race preview . .43 XTERRA Trail Running Series Overview and Schedule . .44-45 How XTERRA started & the world of XTERRA overview . .46-47 XTERRAGear.Com News and TEAM Unlimited . .48-49 3 XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CUP PREVIEW For the last five years Fred Phillips at DLT Events has hosted the XTERRA Dawg Dayz point series race here, and thanks to his efforts, the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau, and the grand folks from the Heart of Arkansas, it has turned into a major championship event. As such, some of the world’s best all-around athletes are gathering in central Arkansas this week to compete in the inaugural XTERRA South Central Cup off-road triathlon. The course itself in Burns Park (one of the largest municipal parks in America) is pure XTERRA with a swim in Victory Lake (an enclosed waterskiing section of the Arkansas River), a mountain bike course comprised of 80% rocky, twisty, tree-lined single track, and a cliff-climbing, meadow- meandering trail run with panoramic views of Little Rock. There are is also a half-distance race and relay team options available, and on Sunday fat tire enthusiasts can the top step on any given day after taking down all of them revel in the “3 legged Dawg” mountain bike race, part of the at last year’s USA Championship race. France’s Nico USA Cycling MTB national calendar. Lebrun, the 2005 XTERRA World Champ and three-time XTERRA European Tour Champ, was a minute away from a PRO RACE PREVIEW win in Richmond on Sunday and placed second the week before in Idaho. Colorado stand-outs Seth Wealing and The XTERRA South Central Cup is race No. 6 in the eight- Brian Smith have also won their share of big races, and stop nationwide XTERRA Cup Series for pros, and with just seem just about due to breakout in 2009. three races remaining, the pressure is on. In the women’s race Canadian Melanie McQuaid, a 3-time After suffering a sizeable (7-stitch) gash to the top of his foot XTERRA World Champ, has been simply unstoppable. Five at Sunday’s XTERRA Atlantic Cup in Richmond, Virginia Cup races, five Cup wins in 2009. She’s won nine of her (which he won anyway), Cup Series leader Conrad “the last 11 since the start of ‘08, and 23 XTERRA Championship Caveman” Stoltz will sit this race out. His absence opens wins in her career. the door for his countryman and protégé Dan Hugo. The sports young South African star, at 23-years-old, won his One of America’s all-time greatest cyclists and the most first XTERRA Championship on the America circuit just two successful mountain biker in NORBA history, Shonny weeks ago at the Northwest Cup in Idaho. The other four Vanlandingham, has one of those two race victories race wins have all belonged to Stoltz. With a victory here in McQuaid didn’t get, and is the most likely candidate to steal Arkansas, Hugo (in theory) could still win the rest of the another one from McQuaid here. “Shonny V” rides for races and enter the finale – the XTERRA USA Orbea and how cool would it be to win big in their backyard Championship in Utah on Sept. 26 – in a points tie for 1st (Orbea USA is headquartered in Little Rock). with Stoltz. It would be a remarkable feat, especially considering the quality and depth of the field around him. Others in the chase include mountain bike specialist Jenny Smith from New Zealand and swimming star (she’ll come Foremost is America’s greatest hope, four-time national out of the water with the lead men) Christine “Big Fish” champ Josiah Middaugh from Vail, Colorado who has Jeffrey from Canada. Also of note is Olympian Rebecca finished second three times this season, and third in the Dussault (2006 Winter Olympics) from Colorado, who is in other race. Canadian Mike Vine is fourth in the Series, her first-year racing in the off-road circuit and showing signs behind the aforementioned trio, and proved he’s capable of that she’s figuring it all out (placed 6th in last two races). 4 XTERRA SOUTH CENTRAL CUP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS VICTORY SKI LAKE, BURNS PARK NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS JUNE 19 - 21, 2009 FRIDAY, JUNE 19 All day Bike course open for pre-riding 5:00-8:00pm Packet pick up and Registration at XTERRA Village (Burns Park, Victory Ski Lake) 6:00pm XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell at XTERRA Village SATURDAY, JUNE 20 6:00-7:30am Packet pick up and race day registration for XTERRA Sport race 7:00-9:00am Packet pick up and race day registration for XTERRA South Central Cup 8:00am XTERRA Sport Race Start 9:00am-1pm Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, a benefit for the Challenged Athletes Foundation 10:00am XTERRA South Central Cup Race Start (1-mile Swim, 17-mile MTB, 6-mile Trail Run) 10:00am Music, food, post-race bbq opens 1:30pm XTERRA South Central Cup Race Awards 2:00pm Bike course reopens for pre-riding. 3:00-5:00pm XTERRA Post Race Party at The Cornerstone Pub (314 Main Street N. Little Rock) 6:00-7:00pm Early Packet Pick up for Mt Bike Race, BMX Track Area at Burns Park SUNDAY, JUNE 21 - 3 Legged Dawg Mountain Bike Race Day 6:30am - 30 min Packet Pick up & Race Day Registration for Mountain Bike Race 8:10 am All Jr races 10 & under and 12 & under 8:45 am CAT 3 Start time 10:00 am CAT 1 and CAT 2 Race Start Time. Noon (approx) Awards Note: Race Start & Finish Location is near the BMX Track, plenty of parking available there. 5 PAUL MITCHELL CUT-A-THON AND XTERRA UNIVERSITY Founded to help physically challenged athletes reach their athletic goals, the non-profit Challenged Athletes Foundation is the official charity of the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon at each Cup stop on the XTERRA America Tour. Stylists will cut hair from 9am-1pm on Saturday, June 20 at the finish line area of the XTERRA South Central Cup and all proceeds will go to the CAF.