XTERRA Maui preview

On Sunday the best off road triathletes in the world will meet in Maui to fight for the XTERRA World Champion title and about $125,000 in prize money. They will deal with a 1.5k swim in the ocean, a fairly tricky 30k mountain bike section and a very scenic 11k off road run.

Favorites for the men’s title are by most accounts Conrad Stoltz (RSA) and Seth Wealing (USA) especially since defending champion Hamish Carter (NZL) has retired. Eneko Llanos (ESP) who finished 6th in Kona this year had a bit more recovery time to be also considered a favorite. (Until this year, the XTERRA Worlds always happened one week after the Ironman Championships, but this year it was two weeks.) Other challengers to look out for are 2005 champion Nicolas Lebrun (FRA), Olivier Marceau (FRA), Josiah Middaugh (USA), Chris Legh (AUS) and Mike Vine (CAN).

In the women’s race the favorites have to be defending champion Melanie McQuaid (CAN), 2004 champion Jamie Whitmore (USA) and 2002 champion Candy Angle (USA). Other athletes to watch are Sibylle Matter (SUI), Julie Dibens (GBR) and Jennifer Smith (NZL). Erika Csomor (HUN) just finished 10th in Kona and is also someone who could spoil the party. Plus she seems to be a lock to win the double title (best combined Maui and Kona time). That distinction in the men’s race belongs to Eneko Llanos. Unless he does not finish the men’s race, he would seem to have that title already in the bag.