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PRESS RELEASE – Piti, GU – Nearly 130 professional and amateur athletes representing 11 countries are set to compete in the XTERRA Guam Championship, presented by Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) and PIVOT LLC, on March 29 at 7:00 a.m at Port Authority Beach in Piti, according to race director Eric Tydingco. Eleven professional athletes, including local pros Mieko Carey and Charlie Epperson are registered for the race.
“XTERRA Guam served as my introduction to the sport of off-road triathlons in 2011,” says Epperson. “It is an amazing landscape!and community-supported event. A must-do race for all triathletes and adventure racers.”
Returning professional athletes are 2013 XTERRA Guam runner-up Dan Hugo and Bradley Weiss of South Africa, XTERRA Guam 2012 top female finisher Renata Bucher of Switzerland and Carina Wasle of Austria. First-time XTERRA Guam pros include Markus Benesch of Austria, Michal Bucek of Slovakia and Oliver Shaw and Mark Leishman, both of New Zealand.
“Guam treated me really well last year, and I’m pleased to be returning for a second time to have another shot at winning here,” said Hugo. “Beyond [the race], I’ll be spending two weeks on Guam in total and hope to get to know a lot of it.”
The course begins at Port Authority Beach with a 1.5-kilometer swim, followed by a 35- kilometer mountain bike up Nimitz Hill, into the technical terrain of Mt. Aluton, then down through Mannengnon Hills. Competitors will then return to the transition point at Port Authority Beach to begin the 8.2-kilometer trail run through jungle rivers and slippery waterfalls.
“I’m racing XTERRA Guam for the third time, and every time it is a new challenge,” said Wasle. “It’s so much fun riding through the red sand, with its flowy and technical ups and downs. On the run, there are some surprises, like the waterfall, which is my favorite part.”
(AP/Carlos Osorio)
