Press and Media Center

XTERRA Maui Show Debuts

XTERRA MAUI SHOW DEBUTS, JAN. 15

The one-hour feature show documenting the XTERRA World Championship held on the south shore of Maui on October 26, 2008 makes its debut in national syndication today in Traverse City, MI (2pm on ABC), on Saturday in San Francisco (12:30pm, KNTV), San Diego (12:30pm, KNSD), and Salt Lake City (1:30pm, KSL), and on Sunday in Boston (1:30pm, WMUR) and Minneapolis (12pm, KSTP) along with dozens of other markets across the U.S.  See full listing here.

The show received “instant classic” status from the XTERRA staff in an inter-office preview showing yesterday.  Between the Maui scenics, great pro race coverage, quirky amateur highlights, cool soundtrack, amazing clarity of the footage, and unpredictable nature of the story telling it’s a show that everyone should enjoy and be entertained by.

The TEAM TV crew had 30-some cameras in operation on race day, including point-of-view cams mounted on motorcycles, mountain bikes and jet skis, under-water cameras, and of course the camera on top of the helicopter hovering high above the action. 

As a result, producer Kevin Kau was able to bring you some amazing shots of sea turtles gliding underneath swimmers, deer stampeding through the bike course dangerously close to riders, Conrad bombing the lava strewn downhill at break-neck speed, and runner after runner bonking their head on low-hanging trees in the spooky forest.

While there were no tear-jerking stories, there was a ton of inspiration to be found through the trials of the nearly 600 athletes from 25 countries and all walks of life that raced in the grueling competition against Mother Nature.

Of course if you follow the sport you already know who won, but pretend you don’t as you tune-in and see just how surprising and exciting this race turns out.

Media interested in receiving a copy of the show need simply to email trey@xterraplanet.com.  Copies will be made available for purchase to the general public soon at xterragear.com.  A written recap of the race can be found here.

WINTER IS UPON US...

XTERRA Pro Brian Smith is making quite the name for himself during the cold season having just reigned in the USAT Winter Triathlon National title in Bend, Oregon over the weekend.  This, less than a year after capturing the first-ever XTERRA Winter World Championship at Snowbasin Resort.  A host of XTERRA standouts (past and future Winter Worlds racers) took part in USAT's Winter Tri Nationals with Mike Kloser (adventure racing extraordinary/race director for the XTERRA Mountain Cup at Beaver Creek) coming in 2nd, XTERRA Hall of Famer Ned Overend taking 5th, and pro Jason Jablonski winning the 35-39 title (13th overall).

In the women's race former Olympian Rebecca Dussault (who placed 2nd at XTERRA Winter last year) won the women's crown, followed by XTERRA regular Emma Garrard (5th at XTERRA Winter), Heather Best, Lisa Isom (3rd at XTERRA Winter) and Bend's own Sarah Max.

This year's XTERRA Winter Worlds featuring a $10,000 prize purse is less than two months away on the weekend of March 7-8 at Snowbasin Resort and the adventure capitol of Ogden, Utah.

KAHUNA DAVE TALKS ABOUT "THE NEW DEAL"

The first-ever XTERRA race was in 1996, and the sport has been expanding and evolving ever since.  This season will see significant changes in the structure of the XTERRA America Tour, and Dave Nicholas – XTERRA’s managing director – crafted this note to competitors to bring everyone up to speed…

Welcome to the 2009 season.  This 10th year of the Tour will mark the biggest changes ever and we want to let you know early what those changes will be.

First and foremost the bigger championship events will now be called the XTERRA Regional Cup Series and instead of having just four big races with slots to Maui (Temecula, Pelham, Richmond, Utah in 2008) we will have eight major events – one in each region – that will award higher points AND give amateurs a chance to qualify for the XTERRA World Championship on Maui. 

The pros will be invited to the Cup Series races and each will boast a $10,000 prize purse.  Pro points are given only at the eight regional cup events and pros, for 2009, will count their best five-of-eight plus the finals in Utah.

How you become an amateur champion has also changed.  Each region now has at least six races, and there are more than 60 races throughout the nation.  For 2009 amateurs will count their best four finishes rather than three like in the past.  Amateurs will also have to count two events from their region instead of one - in their total points score.

The XTERRA crew will be at each of the eight Regional Cup events, although in fewer numbers than usual.  You’ll get that same pumping feeling you get by seeing loads of competitors and friends and we have some fantastic new places for you to race at; and now closer to home.

The XTERRA USA Championship is on the same late September date as always but is now in Ogden; for years home of the Mountain championship.  The Mountain Cup event will be at Beaver Creek, CO.

Confirmed XTERRA Cup locations as of Jan. 10:

May 2 - XTERRA West Cup – Lake Las Vegas (Henderson, NV)
May 17 - XTERRA Midwest Cup – Fort Custer Park (Augusta, MI)
May 24 - XTERRA Southeast Cup – Oak Mountain State Park (Pelham, AL)
June 6 - XTERRA Northwest Cup – Farragut State Park (Athol, ID)
June 20 - XTERRA Southcentral Cup - Heart of Arkansas (North Little Rock, AR)
July 12 - XTERRA Northeast Cup – Sugarbush Resort (Warren, VT)
July 18 - XTERRA Mountain Cup – Beaver Creek Resort (Avon, CO)

Did you notice something?  The Atlantic Region Cup is not listed.  We’re working on it every day and hope to have news very soon and rest assured we will get it done.  Find the full schedule here.

We hope you’ll like this new format.  It gives each of you double the chances to get to Maui and for the USA champs; we are increasing the number of people in some age groups that will be invited.  All the rules and regs are published on the website for those of you who want the details.

LIVE MORE. . . . RACE MORE. . . . SEE YOU ALL VERY SOON

Kahuna

MR. & MRS. SMITH HOST SNRGY XTERRA CAMP MARCH 13-15

Brian and Jenny Smith, who for years have been among the top performing pros on the XTERRA circuit, are teaming up with amateur standouts Brandyn Roark-Gray and Trever Gray to host a three-day training clinic in Farmington, New Mexico from Friday, March 13th through Sunday, March 15th.  To learn more or save your spot call Jenny (970.596.6691) or Brandyn (505.947.6546).

DEWITT, CASTELLANELI FIRST XTERRA WINNERS OF 2009

In the “windiest XTERRA Boney Mountain Trail Run to date” according to race director Brennan Lindner, 438 runners came out to Newbury Park, CA on January 10th for the first XTERRA race of the new year.

The weather didn’t faze Ben Dewitt, 23 from Ventura, CA, who turned in a 1:33:48 to win the off-road half-marathon trail run that featured more than 2,500 feet of elevation gain and winds so strong they were practically blowing runners off the trails. Less than a minute behind was 33-year old Patrick Baldwin of Del Mar.

Santa Barbara resident Christina Castelanelli, 30, who finished third overall at the XTERRA Trail Running World Championship in Hawaii last month, took the women’s title in 1:50:52.

The youngest runner was 14-year old Hannah Rae Finchamp, from Altadena, who turned in an amazing 7th place overall finish. 

OGDEN MARRIOTT HOST HOTEL FOR WINTER WORLDS

The official host hotel for the 2009 XTERRA Winter World Championship is the Ogden Marriott located in the center of downtown and adjacent to Historic 25th Street. A variety of casual and upscale restaurants, unique shops and other attractions can be found right out the door.

The XTERRA rate is $94 per night plus tax (11.9%), and reservations should be made by Feb. 16 by calling the hotel at 1.800.627.7468 or 801.627.1190.  After Feb. 16 rate is at the discretion of hotel.