Off-road multisport events have risen in popularity primarily due to the marketing and event prowess of Team Unlimited, the company responsible for the XTERRA points series and national and world off-road championships.
The XTERRA Off-Road series continues to grow year after year and many younger athletes have taken to the trails as an uninhibited way to enjoy multisport.
Most off-road events in the U.S. are triathlons but off-road duathlons have started to take off in several areas of the country. Although off-road events sound like something that would take place in mountain towns, a new crop of urban off-road events, on trails that many would not know existed, have started to show up on the race calendar.
Common distances for off-road events include:
• ½ mile swim/8-12 mile mountain bike/3 mile trail run
• 1.5k swim/30K mountain bike/11K trail run
The XTERRA brand reaches worldwide, with the majority of their point series events taking place in the United States. Beyond Xterra, many event companies have started independent off-road events that are very popular with local crowds.
Off-road events have a generally more raucous feel to them while building community and encouraging friendly rivalry. These events tend to feel “low-key” as compared to their on-road counterparts, but make no mistake; these events take safety to the highest level and encourage safe riding while blazing through on single track trails.
USA Triathlon hosts a national off-road championship each year, and the ITU will host the first ever ITU World Off-Road Championship in 2008.
Off-road events offer a great way to get into multi-sports for mountain bikers, trail runners, or for those with an adventurous side who don’t mind getting a little dirty.
Getting Started
In 2006, USA Triathlon sanctioned about 50 off-road events. Participants can find events ranging from local, low key races to big time production events.
Interested participants should visit the USAT website as well as the Xterra website (www.xterraplanet.com) for calendar listings of all USAT sanctioned off-road events in the United States.
History
(From xterraplanet.com)
In 1996, mountain biking and triathlon met in a duel of the fittest on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The race was called Aquaterra. It consisted of an open-ocean swim, a mountain bike race, and a trail run. It represented a bold new racing format that attracted outdoor enthusiasts, mostly mountain bikers and triathletes. The mountain bikers brought their laid-back style and bold self-assurance. The triathletes brought their hard-core training and avid dedication. They soon discovered a common spirit and attitude that pulled them together. For as different as they are, neither could resist the challenges and thrills this new multi-sport offered.
The thrill of running on pure adrenaline through the mountains. The chill of fresh ocean waves streaming over a swimmer's back. The awesome view mountain bikers get at the top of a dormant Hawaii volcano. These are the elements of a race called XTERRA.
Xterra USA Championship Series
The Xterra Points Series consists of more than 50 races in the United States. Amateur competitors compete at up to three events to earn points toward an XTERRA Regional Championship title. With this title comes an invitation to compete for a national title at the Xterra USA Championship in Lake Tahoe, NV. Top finishers in regional and national championships are invited to compete at the Xterra World Championship in Maui, Hawaii
The XTERRA Global Tour
XTERRA also holds championship events in Saipan, New Zealand, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Spain and Germany. Top-ranking athletes from these national championships are invited to compete at the Xterra World Championship with athletes who qualified in the U.S. series. Pros compete in the Xterra USA National Championship Series and Global Tour for some of the richest pro purses in multi-sport. The most coveted title and largest purse is offered at the Xterra World Championship.
Future
As a relatively young option in the world of multi-sport, the off-road discipline has room to grow. The individual sports of mountain biking and trail running have exploded in the recent years, with much of the success of those disciplines attributed to the X-Games and Adventure Racing.
USA Triathlon is committed to increasing the visibility of off-road racing through training and coaching programs, building a greater national scene and offering race directors resources to start and continue off-road events.
