XTERRA is a series of
cross triathlon races, i.e. three-sport races which include
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
,
mountain biking, and
trail running
Trail running is a sport-activity which combines running, and, where there are steep gradients, hiking, that is run "on any unpaved surface". It is similar to both mountain and fell running (also known as hill running). Mountain running may, h ...
. The XTERRA Global Tour is owned and produced by XTERRA Sports Limited. The XTERRA race series is the best-known series of cross triathlons, and is considered by most to be the ''de facto'' world championship of the sport.
It began in 1996 on the Hawaiian island of
Maui as the ''Aquaterra'', and was later renamed the ''XTERRA''. Japanese automaker
Nissan licensed the name from the triathlon series for their own 1999-2015
sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon defini ...
— and was the race series' primary sponsor from 1998 to 2006, when the two companies parted ways.
Organization
The XTERRA has two primary divisions, professional and "age-groupers". In the professional division athletes compete for cash prizes and sponsorships. The age-group division was created for those who still want to compete but have no aspirations to become professional athletes. Both divisions compete in a points series, where athletes accumulate points by placing in the top fifteen positions of any race in which they compete.
Several events 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:
*Championship/pro: 1.5 km swim, 30 km
mountain biking, 11 km trail run
*Sport: 500 m swim, 15 km
mountain biking, 5 km trail Run
The largest difference between the XTERRA race and a regular Triathlon is in the biking section. Though less than the standard 40k distance (in a regular Triathlon), XTERRA has steeper, more aggressive inclines for a shorter distance, usually between 27-30k, over rough terrain.
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
the sport distances are often used as miles yielding a 1/2 mile (805 m) swim, 15 mile (24 km) mountain bike, and a 5-mile (8-km) trail run.
See also
*
Duathlon
Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format similar to triathlons. The International Triathlon Union governs the sport internationally.
Distance and format
...
*
Triathlon
A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the ...
References
External links
Official XTERRA Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xterra Triathlon
Multisports
Triathlon competitions
Recurring sporting events established in 1996
Multisports in the United States