Forty-four elites are scheduled to compete at the XTERRA Pan America / USA Championship race in Ogden, Utah next Saturday, September 16.
In the last few weeks we’ve caught up with some of the race favorites including reigning champs Josiah Middaugh and Suzie Snyder from the U.S., and top contenders Bradley Weiss from South Africa (who just won the XTERRA European Championship) and Kara LaPoint from Colorado, but the talent goes well beyond those four.
In the men’s race Mexico is well represented with Mauricio Mendez, the current XTERRA World Champion. He was second to Middaugh at XTERRA Beaver Creek this year and 3rd at this race in 2014 as an 18-year-old.
XTERRA Argentina Champion Gonzalo Tellechea, who is currently ranked 5th in the Pan Am Pro Series, is on the start list along with his countrymen Andres Darricau and Mario de Elias. Representing Brazil is Felipe Moletta, the reigning and three-time XTERRA Brazil Champion.
Jean-Philippe Thibodeau, who finished in the top four at four races this year and is ranked fourth in the Pan Am Pro Series, will carry the torch for Canada while rookie elite Cedric Wane (ranked 6th) represents Tahiti.
The Kiwi’s are in full force with Kieran McPherson, the XTERRA Thailand Champion who is ranked 3rd in the Series, Kyle Smith, who was 3rd at XTERRA New Zealand and the ITU Cross Tri World Champs in Canada a few weeks ago, and Alex Roberts.
The Aussies are led by Ben Allen, who finished 3rd at XTERRA Worlds twice in the last three years.
Markus Benesch and Dominik Wychera from Austria and Julien Buffe from France add a European twist to the mix. For Buffe, ranked 8th on the tour, this will be the fifth race on the Pan Am Pro Series for him and his girlfriend Morgane Riou.
And then there are the Americans, who will also be racing for the USA Championship title. Branden Rakita leads the charge as the Pan Am Pro Series points leader, having finished in the top seven at nine events this season. Sam Long could be the dark horse, he finished 3rd at XTERRA Beaver Creek behind only Middaugh and Mendez this summer.
The women’s elite field is just as diverse as the men’s with racers representing France, Brazil, Canada, Scotland, New Zealand, the U.S., and the U.K.
Two-time XTERRA World Champion Lesley Paterson finished third on this course the first time she raced it in 2009. She was second in 2010 and 2011, and she won it in 2012 and 2013.
To win it she’ll have to get past Snyder, who won five races this year included a head-to-head against Paterson at Oak Mountain. In their next head-to-head, however, Paterson won big at Beaver Creek, so this will be the rubber match.
Other hopefuls include Morgane Riou from France, who did 11 XTERRA races this season including a stretch of eight in eight weeks this summer. In her last race, she won XTERRA Dominican Republic, and is ranked 3rd in the Pan Am Pro Series.
Lizzie Orchard from New Zealand was the runner-up here a year ago, finishing just three minutes behind Snyder and is fresh-off a third-place showing at the European Championship in Denmark.
Canada is sending a strong contingent with Katie Button, Katharine Carter, Annie Bergen, and XTERRA newbie Holly Henry. Brazil counters with Sabrina Gobbo, winner of four straight XTERRA Brazil Championships, and Laura Mira Dias who is ranked fourth in the series.
ELITE MEN:
1 – Branden Rakita – 36, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2 – Josiah Middaugh – 39, Eagle-Vail, Colorado
3 – Kieran McPherson – 25, Matamata, New Zealand
4 – Jean-Philippe Thibodeau – 26, Quebec, Canada
5 – Gonzolo Tellechea – 33, San Juan, Argentina
6 – Cédric Wane – 31, Papeete, Tahiti
7 – Brian Smith – 42, Gunnison, Colorado
8 – Julien Buffe – 30, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
12 – Felipe Moletta – 31, Parana, Brazil
14 – Chris Ganter – 38, Boise, Idaho
15 – Ian King – 27, Fort Collins, Colorado
18 – Michael Nunez – 36, Salt Lake City, Utah
19 – Mauricio Mendez – 21, Mexico City, Mexico
20 – Sam Long – 21, Boulder, Colorado
29 – Mario de Elias – 33, Buenos Aires, Argentina
31 – Andres Darricau – 41, Buenos Aires, Argentina
NR – Ben Allen – 32, Wollongong, Australia
NR – Markus Benesch – 43, Vienna, Austria
NR – Alex Modestou – 30, Durham, North Carolina
NR – Alex Roberts – 27, Taupo, New Zealand
NR – Walter Schafer – 26, Centennial, Colorado
NR – Kyle Smith – 20, Waikato, New Zealand
NR – Bradley Weiss – 28, Stellenbosch, South Africa
NR – Dominik Wychera – 24, Kritzendorf, Austria
ELITE FEMALE:
1 – Suzie Snyder – 35, Reno, Nevada
2 – Kara LaPoint – 30, Woody Creek, Colorado
3 – Morgane Riou – 31, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
4 – Laura Dias – 32, Lavras, Brazil
5 – Annie Bergen – 41, Kelowna, B.C., Canada
6 – Sabrina Gobbo – 40, Sao Paulo, Brazil
7 – Lesley Paterson – 36, Stirling, Scotland
8 – Caroline Colonna – 53, Taos, New Mexico
9 – Julie Baker – 40, Sonora, California
10 – Jessie Koltz – 28, Reno, Nevada
11 – Katie Button – 32, Victoria, B.C., Canada
14 – Emma Garrard – 36, Park City, Utah
16 – Heather Zimchek-Dunn, 31, Olympia, Washington
22 – Genevieve Evans, 44, Tahoe City, California
26 – Katharine Carter – 30, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
29 – Anne Usher – 38, Portland, Oregon
NR – Lizzie Orchard – 32, Auckland, New Zealand
NR – Holly Henry – 19, Victoria, B.C., Canada
NR – Jacqui Allen – 34, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom