Press and Media Center

XTERRA World Tour Returns to Japan and Brazil

XTERRA JAPAN RETURNS TO MARUNUMA

Four hours away from the bustling urban sprawl of Tokyo and its 35 million residents sits the Kanko So Resort – a traditional Japanese inn remotely situated in the protected natural preserve of Nikko National Forest 4,000 feet above sea level where nobody lives year round (The resort gets snowed in during the winter months).

On Saturday in this amazing place affectionately referred to as “Samurai Country,” several hundred athletes will take on one of XTERRA's most difficult courses during the sixth running of the XTERRA Japan Championship at Oku-Nikko Marunuma in the Gunma prefecture.

Sam Gardner (pictured) from the UK is back in town to defend his title (he became the first male Brit to win an XTERRA championship race here last year) and will be up against the likes of Takahiro Ogasawara (second place and Japan Champ last year), Yasuo Takahashi, Yu Yumoto, and Matt Murphy from Australia racing in his first-ever XTERRA.

The women's field will pit Saipan's very own Mieko Carey against another Aussie newcomer to the sport - Kylee Lock.

Win or lose, after the race athletes will soak in the “onsen” bath - a natural hot spring with extremely hot and cleansing volcanic water that the Kanko So Resort is famous for.  Then  they will feast on curry and noodles and sautéed beef, succulent pork, hot corn on the cob and ice cold beer while being entertained by Taiko drummers and a Japanese tribe band jamming out African drum beats and ritual dances for everyone to enjoy.

HEAVY HITTERS READY FOR XTERRA BRAZIL

Dan Hugo, Mike Vine, Brian Smith, and Liewuwe Boonstra - winners of the XTERRA Northwest Cup, XTERRA Malaysia Championship, XTERRA Winter World Championship, and XTERRA South Africa Championship - respectively, are all on the start list for the XTERRA Brazil Championship on Saturday in Angra dos Reis.

Those big four will be joining an absolutely stacked men's pro field that also includes triathlon legend and reigning XTERRA Brazil Champ Alexandre Manzan, Rodrigo Altafini, and Costa Rica's Rom Akerson.  There are 20 elites on the start list and no doubt a heavy battle will ensue in the jungles.  Carla Prada returns to defend her women's pro title and has a dozen elite's on the start line gunning to steal the crown.