XTERRA World Championship

Makena Beach & Golf Resort - Maui, Hawaii | Sunday, October 24 - $105, 000 Prize Purse

XTERRA World Championship Off-Road Triathlon - The Big Show

2009 World Championship Results »

WHAT IS XTERRA: The world’s premier off-road triathlon, combining a 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) swim that starts in front of the Makena Beach & Golf Resort (formerly the Maui Prince)…a 32-kilometer (20-miles) mountain bike that climbs 3,000 feet up and down the lower slopes of Haleakala, and a 12-kilometer (7.5-miles) trail run that traverses lava rock, forest trails, and beach sand. Top pros finish in roughly two-and-a-half hours.

WHO RACES IN MAUI: A sold-out field of 550 racers including 75 professionals and 475 amateurs who in 2009 represented 22 countries & 35 U.S. states, ages 15 (Lucas Garzon from Piedade, Brazil) to 72 (Ron Hill from Hayden, Idaho).

WHEN: The XTERRA World Championship starts at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 24, 2010. The XTERRA Makena Beach 5km and 10km trail runs are on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 8:00 a.m.

WHERE: At the Makena Beach & Golf Resort (formerly the Maui Prince) on Maui’s South Shore.

WHY: The XTERRA World Championship race is the last in a series of nearly 100 off-road triathlon races held in 16 countries and 30+ U.S. States. The concept is to provide a bona-fide off-road world championship for amateur and pro athletes. For pros there is $105,000 in prize money at stake.

COURSE

Access to bike course is permitted on race day only. Athletes trespassing on the course will be disqualified.

Maui’s XTERRA course is a classic point-to-point covering 27 miles of unyielding terrain. The experience is a sensory riot – crystal clear Pacific waters, fragrant breezes, bright sun, fine volcanic dust, needle-like kiawe thorns, soft white sand, cool green lawns, and lava rock of every shape, color, and size.

START AND SWIM: Located at Maluaka Beach fronting the Makena Beach & Golf Resort, there are plenty of great vantage points to watch the mass start from the lawn above. Pros are easy to spot with their identifying swim caps - men in blue and women in pink. A short beach sprint mid-race between two 750-meter laps of a triangular course gives spectators a chance to pick out their friends and family from the field. The fastest age group swimmers (male and female) will win an XTERRA Velocity++ Speedsuit!

BIKE: The bike course is not open to the public and cannot be pre-ridden by competitors.. For newcomers, it is read and react. For veterans, the experience might allow them to remember portions but more often than not it instills a solid feeling of respect for the Old Lady of XTERRA. Every year competitors say, “XYZ course is tougher than Maui”. Every year around noon on Championship Sunday, the look – the eyes pointing down and the head shaking side to side – tells you that there is nothing like Haleakala. Climbing from sea level to 1,200 feet then down and back up to 1,400 feet with a final portion called “the plunge,” an 8-kilometer nerve wracking ride back to sea level, this track has everything.

RUN: Out on the run athletes will find all sorts of sand - white, gold, black, salt and pepper, green or garnet. There’s a lot of climbing involved, a spooky forest to navigate, a dozen different surfaces to cross, and just before the finish line some of Hawaii’s most stunning oceanfront scenery. There is no accounting for the heat generated by gnarly lava fields, making otherwise simple obstacles extremely difficult to conquer. The "Makena Beach Mile" is a grueling slog along soft sand, but a beautiful end run along the ocean-front golf course helps racers forget it all at the finish.

FINISH: The Makena Beach & Golf Resort is the place to be for both transitions, the finish, and live race reports. There’s food booths, the Paul Mitchell cut-a-thon, XTERRA Gear shop, the Kona Brewing Liquid Aloha Lounge, and a front row seat to one of the greatest spectacles in all of sport - the spontaneous, ecstatic, and sometimes tear-jerking displays of emotion at the finish line.

PRACTICE COURSE

Our practice course is representative of the actual course. Only registered athletes are allowed on the practice course. Show your race number to sign in and out of this course. Training partners and friends may also use the course, cost is $10 at event registration. They will be given a practice course race number.

Helmets are required for all bikers. Registered athletes may also use this course for running. DO NOT LITTER!

MAUI MAGIC

“ONO DINNERS”, Maui is a reward for a great season and as such competitors are treated to a pair of amazing dinners with the Night of Champions carbo-loading affair on Saturday and the awards celebration on Sunday – complete with highlight videos and special presentations. Both are held under the stars at the magnificent Makena Beach & Golf Resort.

Competitor dinner ticket is included in entry fee. Guest tickets are available at registration - $55 adult/$30 children 3-12 for Saturday and Sunday night dinner. Any tickets remaining from online sales will be available at registration until sold out. Tickets will not be available for sale at the door.

A BLESSING AND A LEI, There is perhaps no pre-race ritual more spiritually powerful than the beachfront Hawaiian blessing by Reverend Alalani Hill, and there’s certainly nothing better than crossing the finish line and seeing Raena, who welcomes each finisher with a fresh flower lei.

CHAMPIONS FORUM, former pro winners get together to share their secrets for success and some really funny stories from races past.

XTERRA WARRIOR AWARD, Since 2003 XTERRA has honored a member of its Tribe that has shown exemplary courage in the face of adversity, gone above and beyond to help the greater community or personified the “Live More” spirit. Previous winners include Juergen Fehrenbach, Jamie Whitmore, Tae Yoong Kim, Nico Pfitzenmeier, Dr. John Mills, Willie Stewart, and Bryan Medrano.

XTERRA HALL OF FAME, On the eve of the World Championship another XTERRA legend will be inducted into the XTERRA Hall of Fame. Last year, former World Champ and adventure racer Michael Tobin joined this exclusive group. In 2008, the inaugural race winner Jimmy Riccitello was given a spot in the hall. In 2007, former World Champ Kerstin Weule was added to this exclusive club, in ‘06 triathlon great Scott Tinley got in and in 2005 Ned Overend opened the doors as the first inductee.

SPECTATORS GUIDE

The Makena Beach & Golf Resort is the place to be! The swim starts at Maluaka Beach fronting the Makena and there are plenty of great vantage points to watch the mass start. Pros are easy to spot with their identifying swim caps - men in blue and women in pink and a short beach sprint mid-race between two 750-meter laps gives spectators a chance to pick out their friends and family from the field. As the race progresses you'll get live race reports, shop at XTERRA Gear, eat at the food booths, drink in the Kona Brewing Liquid Aloha Lounge, and enjoy a front row seat to one of the greatest spectacles in all of sport. The spontaneous, ecstatic and sometimes tear-jerking displays of emotion at the finish line.

ATHLETE PHOTOS

We are happy to announce that Brightroom will be the official event photographer for athlete photos. Photos will be ready three to five days after the event. You can visit Brightroom now and sign up for email notification. They will alert you when the photos are ready for online viewing and ordering.

XTERRA World Championship

Makena Beach & Golf Resort - Maui, Hawaii | Sunday, October 24 - $105, 000 Prize Purse