Xterra maui pre race

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Maui Preps to say Aloha to World's Best Endurance Sports Athletes

4/10/2013

The 18th edition of the XTERRA World Championship on October 27 at Kapalua, Maui will feature one of the greatest collections of elite athletes in event history.

There are more than 70 pros representing 20 countries on the tentative pro start list including some of the biggest names from the XTERRA, ITU, 70.3, duathlon, winter triathlon and mountain bike racing scenes. Of note, every pro on the start list qualified for Maui by racing in at least one XTERRA major this season.

With last year's winner Javier Gomez not on the start list, the "favorites" focus shines on XTERRA icons Conrad Stoltz and Josiah Middaugh. Stoltz has won an unprecedented four XTERRA World titles and captured his third straight ITU Cross Tri World Championship this summer. Middaugh, who finished 2nd place less than a minute behind Gomez at Worlds last year, won the XTERRA U.S. Pro Series crown this season.

Leonardo Chacon from Costa Rica upset both Stoltz and Middaugh to win the USA Championship race in Utah last month and was fourth in Maui last year. 2008 XTERRA World Champ Ruben Ruzafa and XTERRA European Tour champ Hector Guerra represent the hopes of Spain.

Ben Allen won more World Tour championships than anyone this year with seven. Dan Hugo makes his return to the Kapalua course where he was just seconds shy of winning the 2011 crown. Brent McMahon is a speedster who’s finished in the top six four times, including a pair of 3rd-place showings.There’s a cast of experienced Euro Tour stars in the mix including Yeray Luxem, Asa Shaw, Nico Lebrun, Olivier Marceau, Felix Schumann, and Kris Coddens.

Among all the heavy hitters two XTERRA World Championship first-timers stand-out, Olympians Courtney Atkinson from Australia and Richard Murray from South Africa. Both won their home country XTERRA Championship races and bring world-class speed to the sandy shores of Maui.The field is just as deep for the women although the “Scottish Rocket” Lesley Paterson, with her two world titles and seven straight XTERRA victories, is clearly the woman to beat.

The reigning and two-time XTERRA European Tour champ Helena Erbenova got the best of Paterson at ITU Cross Tri Worlds this summer, but Paterson wasn’t 100% for that race. And last year in Maui Erbenova was shackled with an injury that kept her from her best. Here’s to hoping both are in great shape on October 27.Barbara Riveros was just 2nd to Paterson at the USA Champs in Utah, and was 2nd in Maui last year as well. Heather Jackson is the top American female returner, she placed 4th last year and was the runner-up at 70.3 Worlds last month. Emma Garrard was the top American at the USA Championship last month, finishing fourth behind only Paterson, Riveros, and Chantell Widney.

This will be the first Maui attempt for Widney, who was 3rd at the ITU Cross Tri Worlds this year. She’s part of a Canadian contingent that will be in full force with 3x XTERRA World Champion Melanie McQuaid, two-time runner-up Danelle Kabush, Brandi Heisterman, Christine Jeffrey, and Katie Button.

Jacqui Slack and Renata Bucher won four XTERRA World Tour races a piece this year, and are joined by fellow Euro Tour star Kathrin Muller.The U.S. can pull for its last two national champions – Shonny Vanlandingham and Suzie Snyder; while other notables include Nicky Samuels, Liz Orchard, and Sarah Backler from New Zealand and Carla Van Huyssteen from South Africa.

2013 also marks the return of three-time World Champ Julie Dibens, who dominated from 2007-2009. Indeed a regal field with Dibens, Paterson, Vanlandingham, and McQuaid accounting for every XTERRA World title since 2005.

More from Maui to come as we get closer to off-road triathlon's greatest day...

TENTATIVE XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PROS

(Place at last year’s WC) – Name, Country
(2) - Josiah Middaugh, USA
(3) - Conrad Stoltz, RSA
(4) - Leonardo Chacon, CRC
(6) - Brent McMahon, CAN
(7) - Asa Shaw, GBR
(9) - Yeray Luxem, BEL
(10) - Olivier Marceau, SUI
(11) - Nicolas Lebrun, FRA
(13) - Felix Schumann, GER
(16) - Felipe Moletta, BRA
(17) - Braden Currie, NZL
(19) - Brice Daubord, FRA
(20) – Jan Kubicek, CZE
(22) - Francois Carloni, FRA
(24) - Jim Thijs, BEL
(27) - Branden Rakita, USA
(30) - Cody Waite, USA
(31) - Jan Francke, CZE
(35) - Ben Allen, AUS
(37) - Will Ross, USA
Courtney Atkinson, AUS
Grant Bovee, USA
Kris Coddens, BEL
Chris Ganter, USA
Marvin Gruget, FRA
Hector Guerra, ESP
Fabio Guidelli, ITA
Dan Hugo, RSA
Ryan Ignatz, USA
Josh Kenyon, NZL
Dennis Kruse, GER
Andy Lee, USA
Kyle Leto, USA
Jason Michalak, USA
Richard Murray, RSA
Ruben Ruzafa, ESP
Tim Snow, USA
Richard Stannard, GBR
Graham Wadsworth, GBR
Adam Wirth, USA

(Place at last year’s WC) – Name, Country
(1) - Lesley Paterson, GBR
(2) - Barbara Riveros, CHI
(4) - Heather Jackson, USA
(5) - Jacqui Slack, GBR
(7) - Renata Bucher, SUI
(8) - Shonny Vanlandingham, USA
(9) - Helena Erbenova, CZE
(11) - Elizabeth Orchard, NZL
(12) - Danelle Kabush, CAN
(13) - Melanie McQuaid, CAN
(14) - Brandi Heisterman, CAN
(15) - Katie Button – CAN
(16) - Caroline Colonna, USA
(17) - Tamara Donelson, AUS
Sarah Backler, NZL
Mieko Carey, JPN
Genziana Cenni, ITA
Laura Mira Dias, BRA
Julie Dibens, GBR
Emma Garrard, USA
Dunia Gomez, MEX
Christine Jeffrey, CAN
Kathrin Muller, GER
Nienke Oostra, DEN
Daz Parker, GBR
Brigitta Poor, HUN
Nicky Samuels, NZL
Suzie Snyder, USA
Carla Van Huyssteen, RSA
Chantell Widney, CAN

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