Press and Media Center

XTERRA Malaysia Championship New in '09 and XTERRA West Cup on May 2

For the first time ever the XTERRA World Tour is headed to Southeast Asia with the inaugural XTERRA Malaysia Championship race on the beachfront of Teluk Cempedak in Kuantan, Malaysia on June 7.

The race combines a 1.5km swim in the pristine calm, clear, and warm waters of the South China Sea, followed by a 30km mountain bike in the surrounding forested hills, and a 10km sandy beach trail run.

Kuantan is a 2.5 hour drive from Kuala Lumpur (or a 45-minute flight).  The host hotel is the luxurious Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia.  The event website will be launched soon at xterramalaysia.com, until then check out www.triathlonmalaysia.com.

VEGAS BABY!  XTERRA WEST CUP ON MAY 2

Whether you gamble or not, Las Vegas is one fascinating place, and this year it’ll host the first of eight XTERRA Cup Series races – the West Cup on May 2.

The course is located in the expansive and private desert surrounding Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort, just 17 miles from “The Strip” in Henderson, NV. The course is pure desert.  Think a combination of hard packed dirt roads and rutty, fun up and downs where you pick your line and give it a go.  The full-distance race is a 1.5km swim in Lake Las Vegas (a 320 acre privately-owned lake), a 30km mountain bike and 10km trail run.  There’s also a half-distance race and relay team options.

One big thing for athletes to consider is Southwest Airlines flies from everywhere to Las Vegas, and they take bikes for $50 (and you get two checked bags for free).  The race is on Saturday with a big party after and that gives you time to hit Vegas and relax by the pool on Sunday or tour the fabulous Valley of Fire, Red Rocks, or Hoover Dam.

The West Cup will dish out 35 slots to the XTERRA World Championship in Maui to top finishers in each division.  In early May you can expect great weather with daytime highs in the 80's and nighttime lows in the 60's.    More information on the race can be found online at http://www.sunsetracing.com/events/xterra-west-cup.

NEW SoCAL TRAIL RUN AT BLACK MOUNTAIN

The sixth of seven races in the XTERRA SoCal Trail Run Series takes place on Sunday (March 22) at Black Mountain Regional Park in northern San Diego just east of Del Mar.

Despite "mountain" being in the race name, these 5 and 15-kilometer runs are all about speed and with only 300 feet of total elevation gain they’re set to be the fastest courses in the series.  Race Director Brennan Lindner describes the trails as having “twists, turns, and a few creek crossings. It’s one of the best races around.”

Racers at this one are also treated to a hot breakfast, a great race t-shirt (seriously, it's not a plain white one), cool finisher medal and the chance to win some great swag.

After Sunday’s race, SoCal runners have just one more chance to earn points toward their series totals. Those with the highest scores at the end of the season will earn the title of XTERRA Regional Champion and receive free entry to the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship on September 13 in Bend, Oregon. Then it’s on to the December 6th XTERRA Trail Running World Championship on the spectacular Hawaiian island of Oahu where athletes go head to head against the world’s best trail runners.

For more information about the XTERRA Trail Run Series, visit www.xterratrailrun.com.

XTERRA WINTER HIGHLIGHT VIDEOS

An "epic bluebird day" greeted competitors in the 2nd annual XTERRA Winter World Championship at Snowbasin Resort in Utah earlier this month, and to see just how pretty it was (And the grueling racing action that accompanied the bright sun and blue sky) check out these highlight videos put together by the TEAM TV crew and Park City TV.

Also be sure to check out the still images captured by XTERRA photographer Nils Nilsen at www.xterraphotos.com.