The Return to Blood Rock

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A venue that almost seems as if it was created entirely just for off-road triathlon. Between the waters of Double Oak Lake and the world-class trails of Oak Mountain, Stop #3 has just about everything an off-road triathlete could ask for: pristine lake waters, an epic bike loop that balances fast and flowing sections with plenty of climbing, and absolutely no shortage of singletrack. But with limited sections that allow for clear passing, strategy will be key. 

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This is where the first off-road vs on-road battle of 2023 came down to the absolute wire when Arthur Serrières edged out Eric Lagerstrom by just 22 seconds in an absolute screamer of a finish. If these two find themselves on the startlist again, it will be the battle to watch. But as the only US stop of the series this time round, expect a big showing from the nation's best. The young Sully Middaugh finished 5th overall at the 2023 XTERRA World Championship and he only seems to be getting stronger and faster with every race. 

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This will also be the first double-feature stop of the series and this year that means a lot more. The new scoring system gives almost as much weight to the Short Track race as it does to the Full Distance. FD races now come with 100 max points and ST races with 75, therefore a good showing in both could mean a significant jump up the leaderboard, while a poor performance in either could lead to a significant drop.