The best off-road triathletes in the world – South Africa’s Conrad Stoltz and Canada’s Melanie McQuaid – won the XTERRA Southeast Championship on arguably the best off-road triathlon course in the world at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama today.

“This place is amazing, and I know I speak for all of us when I say we love it here,” said Stoltz.  “It’s a true XTERRA course with a nice warm water swim in a beautiful lake, a real mountain bikers course with climbing, technical sections, and fun corners, and a tough but scenic run.  This really is my favorite course.”

It’s Stoltz (pictured) fifth straight win in Shelby County, third straight on this year’s America Tour, and 40th career XTERRA championship victory.

“Impressive, isn’t it,” said Dan Hugo, 25, who finished in second place just 19 seconds behind his fellow countryman to make it a 1-2 showing for Stellenbosch, South Africa.  “You must give credit where credit is due, and what Conrad did today was impressive.  When he needs to produce a good swim, he does.  When he needs a strong run, he delivers.  He doesn’t make mistakes on the bike.  He’s seemingly flawless. I guess 20 years of experience will do that for you.”

What really did it for Stoltz was a great swim that had him out of the water within seconds of the leaders Craig Evans, Branden Rakita, and Seth Wealing, and the fastest bike of the day that was two minutes quicker than Hugo and four minutes better than the one guy most likely to catch him on the run, Josiah Middaugh.
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XTERRA Pacific Championship photo gallery

Smiles ruled the day as Conrad Stoltz, 37, from South Africa and Lesley Paterson, 30, of Scotland won the inaugural XTERRA Pacific Championship at Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz, California this morning.

The tone was set by XTERRA great Jamie Whitmore (pictured), the most successful off-road triathlete of all-time with a world title and 37 championship wins, who was back on the bike and in her first race since 2007 after a bout with cancer that took her glute muscle, hamstring, calf and left her with no feeling in her foot.  With a help of the Challenged Athletes Foundation and a brace for her leg, she raced and won the physically challenged division of the XTERRA sport race today to the heart-warming admiration and joy of the entire XTERRA community.

Combine the good vibes from Whitmore with the sexy swim start spot right on the Santa Cruz Wharf with crowds lining the pier, waves crashing on the shore, and the sun shining brightly on a cool and crisp Northern California morning and you had all the right ingredients for a fabulous event.

The victory for the “Caveman,” however, didn’t come easy as his fellow countryman Dan Hugo pushed him to the extent of his resources.

“I’m really happy to win here today because it’s been a tough week, a tough couple weeks actually as I’ve been sick since I got back from Spain,” said Stoltz, who won the ITU Cross Tri World Championship in Spain on April 30.  “Since then I swam once and ran once. Yesterday I didn’t feel like racing, and the day before I was in bed all day, so today I just really hung in there because it was tough. Glad I won this race despite everything not going to well. That’s what the Caveman’s all about.”
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The stars of XTERRA, featuring some of the world’s finest triathletes and mountain bikers, are headed to Santa Cruz, California for the inaugural XTERRA Pacific Championship at Wilder Ranch State Park on May 15, 2011.

It’s NorCal’s chance to meet, greet, mingle, learn, and race right alongside some of the coolest characters in the endurance world.  Long-time event sponsor Paul Mitchell will host a free XTERRA University session on Saturday, May 14, along with some fun and scenic 5k/10k and 20k trail runs for those up for experiencing the off-road racing scene themselves.  Then, on Sunday the main event kicks off at Cowell’s Beach right next to the pier as pros battle for $10,500 in prize money and amateurs race for qualifying spots into the XTERRA World Championship.

Leading the elite-side of the “XTERRA Tribe” is two-time Olympian and four-time XTERRA World Champion Conrad “the Caveman” Stoltz of South Africa (pictured above and right).  At 37-years-old Stoltz is as good-as-they-come in the sport of off-road triathlon, and holds the XTERRA record for most championship race wins at 38.  He also just won the ITU Cross Triathlon World Title on Saturday in Spain.

Interestingly, Stoltz picked up his first XTERRA win a decade ago at the 2002 West Championship that was held nearby at Half Moon Bay (which is the last time XTERRA was in NorCal for a major event).
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The man and woman with the most XTERRA World Championships – Conrad Stoltz with four and Melanie McQuaid with three – appropriately became the first man and woman to win an ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship.

On Saturday in Spain, Stoltz and McQuaid put their stamp of excellence on the inaugural ITU event at “The Ring” in Extremadura, an International Innovation Centre for outdoor sports in “El Anillo” (Caceres).

Stoltz (pictured above courtesy JACVAN-TRIHEBDO) crushed the bike with a 50-minute split that was three minutes faster than that of runner-up Seth Wealing, and held on during the run for a winning time of 1:26:40.  Wealing was second in 1:27:36, followed by Olivier Marceau (1:29:43), Josiah Middaugh (1:30:27), and Richard Stannard (1:31:04).  Also of note, 3x XTERRA World Champ Eneko Llanos placed sixth, Branden Rakita eighth, Craig Evans 10th, Brian Smith 13th, and Cody Waite 15th.

Both the men’s and women’s elite fields were dominated by regular XTERRA racers from the America and European Tours, none of whom seemed to have a problem adjusting to the exceptionally fast course that combined a 1km swim, with a  20km mountain bike and 6km run.
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South African Conrad “the Caveman” Stoltz won his record-breaking 38th career championship on a picture-perfect, breezy, 75-degree afternoon at Cameron Park in Waco, Texas today.

It took every ounce of energy he had to make it happen as just 15 seconds separated the top three men.  American Josiah Middaugh was more than three minutes behind Stoltz at the bike-to-run transition but made up all but eight seconds by the finish line.

“I looked behind me with about one kilometer to go and just saw these elbows and knees coming at me and knew I had to kick into another gear so Josiah wouldn’t catch me,” said Stoltz.

Middaugh, however, had already put it into his highest gear as he was in a full sprint the last mile trying to chase the Caveman down and simply couldn’t go any faster.

“I ran really, really hard on that run and when I caught Seth he stayed with me on the flats and we picked up the pace together and closed in on Conrad but I had already been sprinting when he turned around and saw me behind him so there was no turbo button left to push to close the gap that last half-mile,” said Middaugh, who posted the fastest 5.5-mile run in 34:50, more than a minute better than Wealing’s run split.
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The 2011 XTERRA West Championship is presented by Paul Mitchell and XTERRAVitality.com. Sponsors include the Utah Sports Commission, XTERRA.TV, GU Energy Gel, Gatorade, Zorrel, Hawaiian Airlines, and the XTERRA Alliance – Wetsuits, Vitality, Cycling, Fitness, Footwear, and Flex.

Josiah Middaugh, 32, of Vail, Colorado and Melanie McQuaid, 37, from Victoria, B.C., Canada, won the pro races at the XTERRA West Championship in 2:13:39 and 2:32:29, respectively, on a beautiful blue sky day at the Aston MonteLago Village Resort in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada this morning.

In each of the last two seasons here in the desert Middaugh had come close to defeating everyone’s chief rival – 4x XTERRA World Champ Conrad Stoltz – only to fall seconds short (by 32 seconds in ’09 and 39 seconds last year).

This year it looked like deja-vu all over again with Stoltz taking a seemingly commanding one-minute, 40 second lead into the run, however, Middaugh – fresh off a winter spent crushing the competition on snowshoes – put together a ridiculously fast run and caught Stoltz on the last big climb at about the four-mile mark and never looked back. Continue Reading

At the XTERRA West Champs in 2009 Conrad “the Caveman” Stoltz and Josiah Middaugh traded paint Nascar-style for most of the run before the World Champ pulled away and took the tape by 32 seconds. It was some of the best back-and-forth spectator friendly racing XTERRA has ever seen.

Last year, same spot in the southern Nevada desert, Stoltz heads out on the run with a 2:15 advantage over Middaugh but energized with a fresh set of legs (Middaugh had fixed an IT band issue in the off-season) the American nearly chases Stoltz down and the margin of victory for the Caveman narrowed to just 39 seconds.

April 10 – Round III – “the Duel in the Desert”.  With all due respect to the other 20 guys on the pro start list, the desert seems to be a ring reserved for Stoltz and Middaugh.  Both are animals in the off-season and are sure to come in to this one in fine shape.

Stoltz has the advantage.  He’s won the last four XTERRA West Championship races to start the season. The Caveman spent his off-season in his hometown of Stellenbosch, South Africa – won a 94.7 mountain bike race (where he upset MTB legend Burry Stander), finished fourth at the South Africa Time Trials, and won XTERRA Buffelspoort.  He was sick at the XTERRA SA Champs and did not finish, but that had nothing to do with conditioning.

Middaugh (pictured below) did all his “off-season” training in the cold temps he feels right at home in having grown up in northern Michigan. Among his winter achievements, he won the USAT Winter Triathlon National Championship, the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon and the North American Snowshoe Championship (for about the eighth time).
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Sam Gardner and Shonny Vanlandingham won the XTERRA Saipan Championship on a crazy, post-tsunami morning in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on Saturday.

The two also won the XTERRA Philippines Championship last Sunday. The victory is Gardner’s third straight in Saipan, while it’s Shonny V’s first in three tries and ends Renata Bucher’s six-year win streak in the Marianas.

XTERRA managing director “Kahuna Dave” Nicholas was all over the course tracking the race, just hours after tracking the tsunami, and brings us this report:

On a most unusual day in Saipan, Gardner and Vanlandingham made it look easy.  Vanlandingham stopped the Saipan winning streak of Swiss Miss Renata Bucher and, for the second week in a row, finished second overall.

“I am a lot more fit this year than last” said Vanlandingham.  “There are a lot of important races early this year and my coach and I started getting ready earlier than normal.”  Being ready is an understatement as she finished just eight minutes behind Gardner.

The biggest news story was the huge earthquake the night before in Japan.  Organizers canceled the annual Friday night trail run as word of the impending tsunami started to spread (do not forget Saipan is over the international dateline, so it was Thursday night on the US Mainland but late afternoon on Friday here in Saipan).

The tsunami did hit Saipan but we were protected by the extremely deep waters outside the island that took almost all the energy out of the big wave.  There was literally no damage here unlike the devastation in Japan and the damage in Hawaii and the West Coast.  The impact the wave had on XTERRA was a pushing and pulling current typical of the phenomena.
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16th Annual XTERRA World Championship headed to Maui’s Northwest Coast

The sport of XTERRA was born on Maui in 1996, and after 15 years on Maui’s south shore, the XTERRA World Championship is headed north to the Kapalua Resort, which will serve as base camp for off-road triathlon’s greatest day on October 23, 2011.

The opportunity arose when the Maui Land & Pineapple Company graciously welcomed XTERRA to play in its 22,000 acre backyard which stretches from the mountains to the sea, and encompasses verdant rainforests, and a network of trails. A pair of the finest hoteliers in the world will host competitors. Race headquarters will be at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, with Outrigger Hotels & Resorts’ Maui Condominium Collection properties as a co-host.

The Kapalua Resort is located on the northwest coast of Maui and its shoreline is distinguished by five lava peninsula-guarded bays and three white sand beaches considered to be among the best in the world. In fact, the XTERRA swim is planned for D.T. Fleming Beach, named “America’s Best Beach” in 2006.

The new location will create a dramatically different challenge for competitors. In stark contrast to the dry and dusty lava-strewn path up Haleakala, the northwest coast is wet and wild with lush rainforests and former pineapple fields that undulate in-and-out of gulches coming down from the West Maui Mountains.

“This new course will give our competitors a new and exciting taste of Hawaii,” said XTERRA managing director Dave Nicholas. “We’ll be able to provide a fantastic mountain bike experience in Kapalua. First blush of the course shows 18 miles with just over 3,000 feet of elevation changes. As the trails move from field to field they drop hundreds of feet down to the bottom of a heavy forested area, and then back up again.”

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XTERRA South Africa Kicks Off World Tour

The picture above (courtesy oakpics.com) shows a flurry of riders getting ready for tomorrow’s XTERRA South Africa Championship race at the picturesque Grabouw Country Club in Western Cape.  Among those pictured is last year’s champ Dan Hugo (far back left), who will have to bring down his mentor Conrad “the Caveman” Stoltz if he is to defend his crown.

XTERRA South Africa media relations brings us this preview:

Men’s Race – South African XTERRA legend Conrad Stoltz made history in October 2010 when he became the first XTERRA athlete to be crowned XTERRA World Champion for the fourth time.  According to Stoltz, he is in good form and looking forward to taking part om the XTERRA SA Champs in Grabouw.

“All-rounders will love the mountain bike course in Grabouw as it features a bit of everything from climbs, to flats, single track, rocks and sand.  Personally I love the technical single track.  The run route is tough and features an enjoyable river crossing followed by a huge mountain climb that always keeps me humble.   XTERRA is such a great sport.  I knew it would just be a matter of time before it got big.  The sporting community is filled with such dynamic, fun people.  It really is great to be part of the global XTERRA family,” says Stoltz.

When asked about advice for first time competitors, Stoltz had the following to say, ““Don’t let the seemingly short distances fool you. Take your time, pace well and be sure to practice your skills before the race”.

Top XTERRA Warriors chasing Stoltz on the day will include countrymen Dan Hugo, Lieuwe Boonstra, and Kent Horner, as well as Nico Pfitzenmaier from Germany.

Women’s Race – The women’s race is sure to be a crowd pleaser with XTERRA Buffelspoort Champion, Carla van Huyssteen facing formidable opponent, Carina Wasle (Austria).  Wasle took gold at XTERRA Grabouw in 2009, but was unsuccessful in defending her title in 2010 as the intense heat experienced on the day proved to be too much for her.

“Last year I arrived in South Africa two days before the event.  Coming from 15C° to 40C°, I didn’t have time to acclimatise. As luck would have it Grabouw experienced a severe heat wave on the day,” laughs Wasle.  “I wasn’t going to make the same mistake, so this year I allowed myself one week in SA to get use to the weather before racing.  I’m also planning to take more fluids with me on the bike.  XTERRA Grabouw is one of my favourite races. The course is tough, but I love it.  The people are friendly and the landscape is beautiful. The event is just tops”.

XTERRA Heads Back to Northern California May 14-15

This May 14-15, XTERRA heads back to Northern California with a championship race for the first time since Half Moon Bay hosted the XTERRA West Champs in 2002.

The new spot is Santa Cruz – just an hour’s drive south from Half Moon Bay along historic Highway 1.  The new name is the XTERRA Pacific Championship.

Dave Nicholas, the managing director of the XTERRA World Tour, has been working behind the scenes to bring XTERRA to Santa Cruz for more than a year-and-a-half and thinks the XTERRA Tribe is going to love what they find in this super cool city known for its great surfing, majestic redwood forests, and slimy banana slugs.

“Santa Cruz is one of the premier surfing meccas in the world, and on any given day you can cruise along West Cliff drive and see tons of surfers waiting for waves,” said Nicholas, in explaining what’s unique about Santa Cruz.  “The Pier is famous for having loads of restaurants and hundreds of Sea Lions who bask in the sun and live beneath the pier barking and raising hell.  Alongside the pier you’ll find the beach boardwalk and famous Big Dipper – an iconic wooden roller coaster.  The boardwalk was built in 1907 and still operates year round with dozens of rides including a pipe organ carousel, carnival attractions and eateries.  It is so original the entire boardwalk is listed as a Historical landmark.”

While the pre-and-post race sightseeing options are off the charts, so too is the course itself. The cold-water, wetsuit legal swim will take place right alongside the pier on Cowell’s Beach and feature two 750-meter laps with a beach shuffle in-between.

After the swim racers will face a fairly long run uphill to the swim-to-bike transition at Depot Park. The first part of the bike course is on the road along West Cliff drive headed towards Wilder Ranch State Park – where the real mountain biking begins.  The course at Wilder starts with a whole lot of climbing, not especially technical, but loose and steep in places.  Riders will find a combination of open roads and single track trails that lead to a steep and rocky downhill.  The more skilled rider will make lots of time on this descent. At the bottom of Baldwin Loop riders will climb again to just over 800′ before getting into some neat trails near the top of the park.

“From there we have some very technical, twisty single track downhill with a few places most folks will walk; some stream crossings with short, steep climbs and then a blistering fast downhill back to the Wilder Ranch tunnel and T2,” said Nicholas.  “Total distance of the bike is roughly 19 miles with 14 miles on trails at Wilder.  I rode about 70% of the course and it is superb. Well, actually, of that 70% I rode about 80% and walked the rest as there were some very steep climbs and a few treacherous downhills.”

The run is not very technical but perhaps the most scenic of any 10k on earth.  Runners will have to drop off a cliff on a very narrow trail to a beach, cross the beach and scramble up the other side to return to the bluffs.  Depending on the tides and surf, they may get wet!  The run back takes athletes past artichoke, pumpkin and rather smelly Brussels sprout fields with a wicked diversion from the flats about 1/4 mile from the finish.  The run will be fast but keep a lookout for the famous on-shore winds.

Another thing for racers to keep a look-out for is all the uber-talented XTERRA locals.  Among  the area greats you’ll find XTERRA age group World Champs like Laura Home, Kathy Frank, Tim and Birgit Johnston – even Ned Overend has called Santa Cruz home.  Northern Cali is also where the sport of mountain biking originated and you can bet they’ve been refining the craft in Santa Cruz ever since.

In addition to Sunday’s Pacific Championship race that will dish out $10,500 in prize money to elites, plus points in the America Tour and qualifying spots into the XTERRA World Championship for amateurs – XTERRA will also host a half-distance sport race and a new bike/run event dubbed “XTERRA Two” that combines a 13-mile mountain bike and a three-mile trail run.

On Saturday trail runners take the main stage with scenic 5km, 10km and 21km races that traverse the coastline from the bluffs to the beach.
To get a feel for just how fun this course is check out the unsolicited chatter about Wilder Ranch State Park on Yelp. http://www.yelp.com/biz/wilder-ranch-state-park-santa-cruz

Starting way back in 2001 as a realized vision of Clif Bar owner Gary Erickson’s mind, the five-woman mountain bike program has grown to include world class XTERRA, triathlon, and running athletes.

2010 was one of our best- check out these results:

• #1 UCI MTB World Cup Trade Team Overall
• UCI MTB World Cup Champion (Catherine Pendrel)
• XTERRA World Champion (Shonny Vanlandingham)
• Three individual World Cup wins (Catherine- MTB in Germany and New York, Katerina Nash- ‘Cross World Cup in France)
• Three MTB Championship National Titles (Georgia Gould- U.S., Katerina- Czech, Catherine- Canada)… ALL won on the same day
• US Pro XC Tour Series Overall (Georgia Gould)
• Danelle Kabush wins XTERRA Alberta, three months after delivering baby “Nico”
• Jane Kibii won two national elite road running events (8 Km Union Tribune, CA and 4 mile Trolley Run, KC)

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2011 XTERRA World Tour Schedule

Below is a look at the tentative 2011 XTERRA off-road triathlon World Tour championship race schedule.  Each of these events offers pro prize money to the top elite finishers as well as slots to the 2011 XTERRA World Championship for amateurs…

Date – Event (Location)
Feb 26 – XTERRA South Africa Championship (Western Cape)
Mar 6 – XTERRA Philippines Championship (Cebu)
Mar 12 – XTERRA Saipan Championship (Northern Marianas)
Apr 9 – XTERRA New Zealand Championship (Rotorua)
May 29 – XTERRA Italy Championship+ (Orosei, Sardinia)
June 11 – XTERRA Brazil Championship (Manaus, Amazon)
June 25 – XTERRA Austria Championship+ (Carinthia)
July 10 – XTERRA France Championship+ (Xonrupt, Alsace)
Aug 6 – XTERRA Mexico Championship (Valle De Bravo)
Aug 13 – XTERRA Czech Championship+ (Spindleruv Mlyn)
Aug 20 – XTERRA European/Germany Championship+ (Zittau)
Aug 27 – XTERRA Japan Championship (Marunuma)
Sept 4 – XTERRA Canada Championship (Whistler)
Sept 10 – XTERRA Switzerland Championship+ (Prangins)
Sept 24 – XTERRA USA Championship (Ogden/Snowbasin, UT)
Oct 23 – XTERRA World Championship (Makena, Maui, Hawaii) Continue Reading

By Ty Stevens

Athletes continue to stream down the infamous Alii Drive on race day. Most traveling thousands of miles and logging thousands of hours in preparation. There were over 1800 athletes this year traveling in from 45 countries and nearly all 50 US states. All here to partake in what is known in the world of endurance sport as the “creme de la creme’ of triathlons, The Ford Ironman World Championships. Each athlete earning their slot after competing in one of a select group of qualifier events held worldwide.

It is quite impressive the diversity of athletes here to compete. From all ages, 18 to 90. As well as all physical capabilities – amputees, blind athletes, and in past years a quadrapalegic athlete. Seems evident it is not just about being physically fit as it is about possessing mental fortitude, and a driving spirit. Overcoming personal barriers and asking what is really possible. Then there is the obstacle of earning a place here, and ultimately the many challenges faced throughout race day. This race further defines each individual’s character, and commitment to something bigger. Face the unknown.

“You never know what to expect in Kona.. I’ve done it two years in a row. And can say this year seemed like a completely different race than last. The heat, the wind, the humidity. Always fun, and always a challenge… and in the end – VERY addictive. No question, I hope to be back here next year!” says Sydney Cornell, a 40yr old mom, and elite age group athlete who trains in Parker, CO. She is a USAT Triathlon Coach, Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor. Sydney’s finish in Kona was an impressive 10:56 this year.

Sydney is also a sponsored ambassador for Tribike Transport. Tribike offers a premiere transport service, and is a supporting sponsor of the Ironman series. Transporting bikes for thousands of athletes nationwide to multisport, and cycling events. This year Tribike shipped over 300 bikes to the ‘big race’ in Kona. Checking at least one obstacle off the list for athletes.

Kailua-Kona, is located on the big island of Hawaii. A quaint, yet bustling little island community with nearly 800 coffee farms, and many visitors as 1.5 million people visit this island each year. Kona being the only place in the US to grow gourmet coffee and is also known for farming vanilla and cacao beans. The Aloha spirit is alive and flowing on the big island, literally as it is home to Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano, which continues to produce lava from its interior. It is quite an ecologically diverse island, experiencing 13 of the 15 known climactic regions on earth. It is not wonder this race is so magical, and unpredictable each year. Continue Reading

By Ty Stevens

The 2010 Ironman Louisville delivers blazing temperatures and equally hot competition. Louisville is home to a few of “the greats” – Muhammad Ali, The Louisville Slugger, and Kentucky bourbon. There is no question as to why this humble yet colorful town serves as the backdrop to what has become a milestone in the multisport world, “The Ironman.”

Over 1500 triathletes toed the line race morning. The temperatures were high, surpassing 90 degrees by mid-afternoon. Many were forced to withdraw during the bike and run due to the extreme conditions. Those that did prevail had a lot to be proud of.

For the women, defending champion Nina Kraft was first out of water, followed by Maki Nishiuchi of Japan. The heat proved too much for even the top contenders. Kraft and Nishiuchi did not finish the bike leg. This cleared the path for Rebekah Keat who took over the lead by the finish of the 112 mile out and back bike ride through Kentucky’s rolling countryside.

Turning in the fastest bike split on the day, Keat would continue that effort into the 26.2 mile run, finishing the run course in 3:23:50, and an overall Ironman win in 9:33:15. Her chase pack included Kim Loefler of Colchester, VT, finishing second and Bree Wee of Kailua-Kona, HI, in a respective third.

1. Rebekah Keat (Australia) – 9:33:15
2. Kim Loefler (USA) – 9:44:23
3. Bree Wee (USA) – 9:50:35
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Challenge Roth 2010
By Richard Ussher

It’s been a scorching summer in Europe this year and when we arrived in Roth it was a balmy 36 degrees at 7 in the evening.

My build up for the race this year had been a little different to last year when I’d had a great race but had felt a bit underdone. This year I’d put in a lot more hours and the results were indicating that I should be a good step up from last year. Not only the training data was suggesting this but also how I’d been feeling at a couple of races prior.

The lead up in Roth was pretty laid back although after last year’s results I was flying a little less under the radar, but only just with such a strong field assembled there.

Race day dawned a little cooler but luckily the rain had disappeared – well actually it hadn’t dawned when we got up but on the way to the course at some ungodly hour around 4:30am, and even seeing it dark at that time is a little strange after Finland.

The swim is always the most dreaded part of any race for me but I’d been working on some new things and swimming PB’s for all my longer sets in the lead up so was reasonably hopeful of a decent swim. I knew I’d have to swim better than last year to do the same times as the front wave of swimmers had been cut down to only the pro’s instead of the Sub 9 hour starters as well – the tri world is definitely against the bad swimmers amongst us!

At the gun it was all elbows and feet as I tried not to lose any teeth – I think I’ll have to do some more training with fists before I attempt another mass start swim but I got away OK only to be continually shuffled back in the pack. It is definitely a skill I haven’t mastered yet at keeping your place in the pack, let alone the swimming. Things were looking good after the first kilometre though as I was swimming comfortably in a pack in which I could see swimmers who were in our same group last year. Then 3 strokes later when I looked up a split had suddenly formed as the swimmers in front of me had dropped off the pace. I was swimming comfortably so decided to try and get across the gap and for the next period I chased with one other guy, just very gradually dropping time. It was however far more positive than usual when I go out the back as if I have completely stopped.
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What do rollercoasters, a great rappel, fantastic scenery, a first class event and “10-24-1″ have in common?

Adventure Sports Week 2010!

“10 days, 2 races, 1 big party” is their motto, and what a party it’s shaping up to be!

Hosted at beautiful Farragut State Park in Bayview, Idaho (just north of Coeur d Alene), ASW 2010 is promising to be one of the top festivals in the USA this year.

Adventure Racing:

Featured in a full-episode documentary by Outdoor Idaho, The Crux and the Crucible, acclaimed as one of the most enjoyable and fun adventure races in 2009 is back with even more exciting challenges, including a great rappel, world-class single track, and even a rollercoaster will greet the racers over 3 days of amazing racing, June 11- 13.

This year, racers can choose to compete in one, two, or even three stages over three days:

The Midnight Ramble will begin at 6:00 pm on friday evening, and will take the racers over the mountains and lakes of north Idaho into the wee hours.

The Crux will start Saturday morning, and will be one of the most memorable days of racing ever… rappelling, rollercoasters and a couple of mountain to negotiate along the way.

Saturday evening, we will have our famous “June Moon” party before the racers hit the trails bright and early Sunday morning for the amazing Crucible, with a breathtaking kayak, awesome trekking and a challenging orienteering leg.

We will also feature a super fun “Sprint” adventure race – the new “C&C Adventure Challenge,” which will be a shorter, frenetic event for racers of every ability.

The Crux and the Crucible is a USARA National qualifier, and racers can earn points for the Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Series.

Adventure races are only the begining for ASW 2010: Continue Reading

The Xxtra Mile LLC, a women’s and girls’ active lifestyle company founded in 2008, has added the Danskin Triathlon Series to its’ 2010 roster of properties, it was announced today. The long-running and highly successful Danskin Series, built by Xxtra Mile partner Maggie Sullivan, joins the Trek Women Triathlon Series as the newest Xxtra Mile property. The two Series are the sports only major women’s triathlon Series created by women, run by women, exclusively for women.

The Trek Women Triathlon Series, in its second year, is currently scheduled for eight U.S. markets in 2010, while the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series is slated for six races in 2010, although that number is expected to increase.

“We are thrilled to have both the Trek Women Triathlon Series and now “the Danskin” as Xxtra Mile properties,” said Maggie Sullivan. “Each Series will have its unique dimensions, but each has women and girls as its sole focus and both are about much more than ‘doing a race.’ They are celebrations that encourage women to reach inside themselves, push the edges, and do so in a fun, supportive and non-intimidating environment.”

“Early registration for the second year Trek Series is ahead of last year, while several of our Danskin events are nearly closed out,” said Margie Pritchard, partner, The Xxtra Mile. Both the Trek Women and the Danskin Series are sprint triathlons consisting of a half-mile swim (.75 kilometer), 12.5 mile bicycle ride (20 kilometers) and 3.1 mile run/walk (6 kilometers). “Both events are for women of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and athletic ability,” added Pritchard. “It’s not always about winning, for many of our athletes ‘finishing is winning’.”

Sullivan-Led Danskin Series
Since its inception in 1990 through 2008, Maggie Sullivan, former VP Sports Marketing Director, served as the Series Director of the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series and led the team which built “the Danskin” into the largest and longest running women’s sport Series in the world. Today, the Danskin Series is a fixture in women’s competitive and multi-sport events with more than 130 races and 250,000 participants since Sullivan started her work with the Series more than 20 years ago.
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