XTERRA is a series of of off-road triathlon races, (three-sport races which include swimming, mountain biking, and trail running). The XTERRA Global Tour is owned and produced by TEAM Unlimited (http://www.teamunlimited.com/). The XTERRA race series is the best-known series of off-road triathlons, and is considered by most to be the de-facto world championship of the sport. Off-road triathlon is a form of triathlon, or three-stage race, consisting of a swim stage, mountain-biking stage, and a trail-running stage. ... Swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. ... A mountain bike in the forest Freeriding on a Hardtail freeride bicycle A full suspension Mountain Bike A rider during a Cross Country race A mountain bike, mountain bicycle or ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) is a bicycle designed for riding off-road, either on dirt trails or other unpaved environments... Off-road triathlon is a form of triathlon, or three-stage race, consisting of a swim stage, mountain-biking stage, and a trail-running stage. ...

It began in 1996 on the island of Maui as the Aquaterra, and was later renamed the XTERRA. The Nissan Motor Corporation named their popular sport utility vehicle line after the race, and became the race series' primary sponsor. 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Maui is also the name of the mythological demigod of various Polynesian cultures, including that of ancient Hawai‘i; see Maui (mythology). ... A sport utility vehicle (SUV) or off-roader is a vehicle that combines the load-hauling and passenger-carrying capacity of a large station wagon or minivan with features designed for off-road driving. ...

Organization

The Xterra has two primary divisions, Professional and "Age-Groupers". In the professional division athletes compete for cash prizes and sponsorships and race greater distances. The Age-Group division was created for those who still want to compete but have no aspirations to become professional athletes. Both pro and Age-Group levels compete in a points series, where athletes accumulate points by placing in the top ten positions of each race in which they compete. Several venues known as Xterra Championships Series offer more points due to their larger draws. In the United States, there are Championships for each region of the country. These venues also offer a "Sport" version of the race where contestants complete races that are typically half the distance of the full version.

Race Format

As an off-road race, the distances can vary widely depending on the terrain available. The target distances are as follows:

• Professional: 1.5 km Swim, 30 km Mountain biking, 11 km Trail Run
• Sport: 500 m Swim, 15 km Mountain biking, 5 km Trail Run

In the United States the sport distances are often used as miles yielding a 1/2 mile (804 m) Swim, 15 mile (24 km) Mountain Bike, and a 5 mile (8 km) trail run. A rider during a Cross Country race Mountain biking (Mountain bicycling) is a form of cycling which uses very sturdy bicycles with (usually) straight handlebars and wide tires. ... A rider during a Cross Country race Mountain biking (Mountain bicycling) is a form of cycling which uses very sturdy bicycles with (usually) straight handlebars and wide tires. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ...

Events and Locations

The majority of XTERRA races are held in the United States. Even with a current total of over 40 races held between the first race in March and the international championships in October an ever increasing number of races are sanctioned each year.

Some previous race locations and general dates have included:

Major events include:
XTerra Saipan Championship: April - Saipan, MP
Nissan XTerra West Championship: May - Temecula, CA
Nissan XTerra East Championship: June - Richmond, VA
Nissan XTerra Central Championship: July - Keystone, CO
Nissan XTerra USA Championship: September - Lake Tahoe, NV
Nissan XTerra World Championship: October - Wailea, HI

External Links

Official XTERRA Website (http://www.xterraplanet.com/)