Puerto Rico Series Completes Successful First Season

Rivera Fuentes, Orta Cruz win season finale at Cabo Rojo

The inaugural season of the XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series came to a fast finish this month, as Carmelo Rivera Fuentes and Ileana Orta Cruz raced to impressive victories in the XTERRA Cabo Rojo Trail Run.

The season finale was held on August 12, on the scenic - and secluded - trails of Cabo Rojo. Rivera Fuentes placed first overall, completing the 7-kilometer course in 31 minutes, 29 seconds. Jose Heredia placed second in 32:09.

Orta Cruz placed sixth overall with a time of 33:06, and dominated the women's field. She finished more than nine minutes ahead of runner-up Lidivina Vargas.

Close to 200 runners participated in the Cabo Rojo Trail Run, which was the third, and final, race of the 2012 XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series.  Series director Efrain Cardona said it was the first trail run ever staged in that area of the island of Puerto Rico.

"That part of the island has amazing mountain bike trails, so we were happy to bring trail running there for the first time," he said. "Many of the folks from that part of the island ran, so we were successful in finding new runners."

This was the first year of the XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series, and the three races drew more than 700 total entries.

Terry McIntyre and his son, Keenan, entered all three of the races in the series. Keenan, 14, captured first place in the 10-14 age group at all three races, and thus emerged with the overall series championship for his age group; Terry placed second in the overall standings for the male 45-49 age group.

"Puerto Rico has a lot of good runners," Terry said. "Keenan and I are not crazy about road races. Trail running is more exciting and very challenging - always something different on the trails. XTERRA is a great intro to trail racing."

The XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series will return for the 2012-13 season with even more races, including a new race coming up in November. To learn more about the series, please visit www.xterrapr.com.

All the age-group winners for the 2012 XTERRA Puerto Rico Trail Run Series received a free entry to the 2012 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship, which is scheduled for September 23 at Snowbasin Resort near Ogden, Utah.

Here is a list of the champions:

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