XTERRA Italy Report

The island of Sardinia lies in the heart of the Mediterranean nestled just off the coast of Italy. It is a state of Italy similar to how Hawaii is a state of the USA. It’s a big island with a magnificent history going back to prehistoric times and is a perfect place for XTERRA. Hilly, hot and hospitable.

The first XTERRA Italy, held last year, was a great success. Good enough to be voted Italy’s best triathlon for the 2004. The organizers, Fuel Triathlon Club, with Mimmo Trudu as the capo and director went far beyond what they did last year and produced a stunning event. All the lessons learned were applied perfectly. The race itself was darn near perfect and the hospitality of the people of Monte Linas from the area of Villacidro was above anything we’ve seen.

For the second week in a row Swiss Olympian Olivier Marceau handled the men’s field with apparent ease. Melanie McQuaid, coming off a disappointing race in the Czech republic took control of the women’s race early and never looked back, winning her first European title.

Great Britain’s Richard Stannard, the Aquathon World Champion (swim-run) was all alone leaving the water to lead the field onto the bike course. He was soon gobbled up by Marceau who had French triathlete Cedric Fleureton trading the lead with him. Lieuwe (call him Louie) Boonstra (RSA), Nico Lebrun (FRA) and Allessandro Degasperi (ITA) were battling it out slightly behind. Marceau put the hammer down late in the bike and was up by two minutes over Fleureton into transition and Cedric had a similar gap to Boonstra, Degasperi and Lebrun who were nose-to-tail.

Out in the women’s field, Melanie was crushing the bike where she turned in the 10th fastest split of the day! Jamie Whitmore, Melissa Thomas and Candy Angle were also blazing in the hot Sardinian sun, but Angle crashed and put herself out of the race and Whitmore tumbled as well, putting her three minutes behind her rival after the bike.

Thomas was very fast. We think it was because of the protein she took in while sampling a plate of Sardinian manzo de Cavallo (go to the dictionary on that one) and was a solid third in T2 just behind Jamie as they took it out into the woods for the run. Germany’s Katrin Helmke was fourth and Suiss star Renata Bucher fifth. The world has quickly learned that no lead is safe when Renata starts running, and true to form she posted the fastest women’s run by almost two minutes and pulled herself up into third at the finish.

Marceau ran a very quick 18-minute first lap and then cruised home to a minute victory over an impressive Fleureton. Cedric is more known for his ITU racing but seems to have the mountain bike skills necessary to become a threat in XTERRA. Nico was his usual very quick self, moving past Louie Boonstra and Sandro Degasperini as they were fifth through fifth. American Justin Thomas had problems on the bike and fell way behind but came through with the third fastest run to finish a respectable seventh.

This event is far more than a race. The whole city and community of Villacidro comes out and supports this event. Even the president of the Italian Triathlon Federation attended and fell in love with what we already know ... XTERRA rocks. Two big pasta parties with very traditional Sardo food, lots of awards, gallons of Sardinian red wine and just ask Jamie about the Lemoncello ... well maybe don’t ask her; but come out next year and try it youself. You simply cannot be disappointed.

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