The fifth of 11 stops on the XTERRA European Tour takes us to the beautiful village of Les Charbonnieres in Vallee de Joux, Switzerland on Saturday.
More than 60 elite racers representing 16 countries as well as 700+ amateurs from around the EU will take part in XTERRA Switzerland, which is doubling as the ETU European Cross Triathlon Championships.
XTERRA Switzerland is the first of four 100-point Gold-level events on the tour, attracting the very best off-roaders from around the world and a sold-out field in the amateur ranks.
In the men’s field you’ll find 3x XTERRA World Champion and 2016 XTERRA Portugal winner Ruben Ruzafa, the defending XTERRA European Tour, Malta, and Greece winner Roger Serrano, the inaugural XTERRA Belgium Champion Kris Coddens, this year’s XTERRA Philippines and South Africa Champion Bradley Weiss, the reigning XTERRA Asia-Pacific Tour Champion Ben Allen, the defending XTERRA Switzerland Champion Arthur Forissier, and last year’s XTERRA Sweden winner Sam Osborne.
The women’s elite field is just as strong with 3x XTERRA European Tour Champion Helena Erbenova looking for her eighth straight win in the EU against the likes of reigning ETU Cross Triathlon European Champion Renata Bucher, XTERRA Costa Rica and Argentina Champ Myriam Guillot-Boisset, defending XTERRA Switzerland Champion Carina Wasle, XTERRA Malaysia Champ Jacqui Slack, the top ranked American in the XTERRA Pan Am Pro Series Kara LaPoint, and a host of others.
This is the fourth year of racing in the Vallee de Joux and XTERRA World Tour managing director Dave Nicholas says, “Everything looks superb. The location is stunning with long green hills, typical Swiss cows munching grass and ringing their bells. The lake is cool and clear and the forests tall and dark. The pro field is enormous.