A strong international field, featuring more than 20 elite triathletes from 10 countries, is gearing up for the inaugural XTERRA China off-road triathlon. The event will be held at the OCT Yangzong Lake Resort in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, this Sunday, September 22, 2019.
As the grand finale of the 2019 XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour, the event offers US$25,000 in prize money for the race, plus US$10,000 in tour bonuses to the top elite performers in the series, as well as 51 qualifying slots into the XTERRA World Championship for amateurs.
XTERRA Global, owner and producer of the XTERRA World Tour, is producing the event in partnership with Yunnan Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) Industrial Company. The venue is well known for its mountains, lakes, forests, grasslands and caves; and boasts a bird’s eye view of the centuries-old Yunnan-Vietnam Railway.
Headlining the men’s race is three-time XTERRA World Champion and four-time ITU Cross Tri World Champion, Ruben Ruzafa from Spain. The three-time XTERRA European Tour Champion will have plenty of challengers, as seven of the top eight men in the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour standings are on the start list, including a pair of French speedsters, Brice Daubord and Maxim Chane.
XTERRA Europe Director and 2005 XTERRA World Champion, Nico Lebrun, who helped design the course, thinks Ruzafa, Daubord, Chane, and Kieran McPherson from New Zealand all have a chance at the title.
“The question here will be who can adapt quickly to the altitude, and I think Ruben has an altitude tent, so he might have the advantage here,” said Lebrun, noting the base elevation at the swim start is about 6,000-feet. “Maxim, Kieran, and Brice will all be fighting for the podium, and it’s hard to say how they will do here in the thin air.”
The women’s elite race features the top four women in the Asia-Pacific Tour rankings fighting for the race and the tour title, plus a handful of wildcards that could steal the show.
Australia’s Penny Slater won the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race in Kenting back in March and the APAC Tour title last year as well. She has 167 points, two more than her coach, Jacqui Allen, and with a win in Kunming she could secure the tour title for the second year in a row.
One elite who has proven she can race at altitude is five-time XTERRA Mexico Champion Fabiola Corona, who will be competing in her fourth XTERRA in four weeks in four countries.
“I’m very excited for this moment,” said Nico Lebrun, who spent many months in China helping design the course and hosting educational clinics in China on coaching, training, and course management. “This is the first time I created so many parts of a bike loop, with many local workers to help out.
“We were totally free to dig and create trails where we wanted thanks to OCT, and it’s been a very good experience. The bike loop is now very nice, and maybe a bit short and not as technical for our top elites but the perfect balance for locals and still very hard for most of them.”
The race combines a 1.5km swim in the azure-colored Yangzong Lake with a 30km two-loop mountain bike course that winds through the region’s renowned purple sage flowers, and a 10km trail run that twists along mountain and lake trails.
“Seeing the course totally finished is very nice,” added Lebrun. “We also have all these beautiful flowers, with many places looking like Maui. I really think it will be perfect.
“Kunming is a great destination for XTERRA. The course itself is beautiful and has a good mix of single track, big climbs, and open spaces for passing. It’s a real adventure. There is a small town to explore the local shops, culture, and restaurants, and the food is delicious. The whole experience is fascinating, and I look forward to celebrating the inaugural event with everyone this weekend.”
