The XTERRA Trail Run World Series has officially launched, connecting the XTERRA trail running community under one umbrella for the first time.
Over 30 races in 22+ countries have been added, with a custom-built global rankings system to connect and compare, and slots already available to the first ever invite-only XTERRA Trail Run World Championship.
The XTERRA Trail Run World Championship will be held in a new location each year, with 2023 details to be announced in the coming weeks.
XTERRA notes that… ‘Differing from other elite-focused trail running series, the XTERRA Trail Run World Series is open to all runners – from young to old, amateur to elite – infusing the same signature XTERRA mix of community, challenge, and adventure to deliver an inclusive trail running experience that showcases the best running locations the world has to offer.’
While XTERRA has held trail run competitions in the past, all regions had not previously been united via a global rankings system with a world championship that is accessible only by earned slots.
Regional champions will be crowned in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific in 2023 before the ultimate champion is decided at the soon-to-be-announced XTERRA Trail Run World Championship.
The XTERRA Trail Run World Series consists of marathon (35+km) and half-marathon (15-34km) distances, with cut off times varying according to distance and difficulty. Shorter distances may be available at some events.
XTERRA added that… ‘And with rankings currently being retroactively calculated from all certified XTERRA marathon and half-marathon events since January 2022, technically the race has already begun.
‘A teams category, AKA ‘the racing duo’, also forms part of the series for those who prefer not to suffer alone. But be warned, those who suffer together must also finish together in order to be awarded rankings points or championship slots.’
Another addition to the run series is the inclusion of segment challenges, awarding the top 20 ‘speedsters, climbers and downhill bombers’ across a defined section of the trail with additional ranking points. These challenges will be in select races only.
www.xterraplanet.com/trail-run-world-series
