Taiwan
April 15
US$25,000
110 Points
Full-Distance Triathlon
🔴 Watch Replay
A brutal course that will test strength and resilience in every way as the world’s best in off-road tri take on the heat, height, and humidity of Taiwan’s southern mountains. Beginning in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, the race heads from the shore of Little Bay Beach into the rocky trails of Kenting National Park where almost 40K of crushing climbs and fast technical descents on bike and foot will decide who lays claim to first stop of the XTERRA World Cup series.
1.5K
Swim
29K
MTB
9K
Trail Run
Partly Sunny
27°C
Water 25°C
+1100m climb
Summary

A blistering start to an all-new series

If the goal was to raise the game and take XTERRA elite racing to the next level, the start list alone for this opening race would say mission accomplished. This will, by a long way, be the single most competitive race to ever take place in the APAC region or almost anywhere outside of an XTERRA World Championship. Both reigning champs will be there. Every elite man and woman in the top five of the XTERRA World Rankings will be there. No less than 10 of the top 15 2022 male World Championship finishers will be there, and 10 of the top 20 females. It’s all the biggest names in off-road tri right now and not a single one of them is racing in familiar territory. And this is just the opening race.

"I expect pure fire, shoulder-to-shoulder shootouts, and not just for the win, but for every finishing position because the points matter."
Sandra Mairhoffer

To add even more fuel to the fire, each of the top athletes has an almost equal chance of taking this race. Male and female, any one of the top 5 could take it and even a few outside the top 5. It’s the first race back from a cold off-season for many and an opening race that will largely be determined by the heat, humidity, and one of the toughest bike courses on the series. 

Arthur Serrieres has to be the favourite but he starts with only 3 days acclimation to the potentially suffocating heat and humidity. Ruben Ruzafa has been first off the bike in 9 straight World Championships and this is 100% a rider’s course. The Forissier brothers are the only 2 men to have beaten Arthur Serrieres last season and they will both have had a full 10 days of acclimation, while Sebastien Carabin will also be looking to capitalise on his immense strength on the bike. 

"I'm ready for everything."
Arthur Serrieres

For the woman is just as open and just as exciting. Each of the top 5 claimed victory over one or more of the other four last season. Sandra Mairhofer is the current European Champion, Solenne Billouin is the current World Champion, Loanne Duvoisin was the 2022 Short Track Series Champion, Alizee Paties was the 2022 XTERRA Greece and XTERRA Italy Lake Scanno Champion, and Marta Mendito, on top of being the 2022 XTERRA Belgium and XTERRA France Champion, has just claimed the first-ever XTERRA Oman crown under hot conditions. Every single one of these women has what it takes to win the opening World Cup race, and that’s just the top 5.

Men's start list
Points
Arthur Forissier
-
Ruben Ruzafa
-
Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen
-
Kieran Mcpherson
-
Sebastien Carabin
-
Michele Bonacina
-
Arthur Serrieres
-
Lukas Kocar
-
Felix Forissier
-
Maxim Chane
-
Xavier Dafflon
-
Dominik Wychera
-
Andres Carnevali Del Castillo
-
Yen Ching Chiang
-
Kohei Yamamoto
-
Paris Fellmann
-
Taylor Charlton
-
Women's start list
Points
Alizee Paties
-
Solenne Billouin
-
Loanne Duvoisin
-
Sandra Mairhofer
-
Maeve Kennedy
-
Suzie Snyder
-
Marta Menditto
-
Carina Wasle
-
Georgia Grobler
-
Elizabeth Orchard
-
Kate Bramley
-
Johandri Leicester
-
Jessica Koltz
-
Chi Wen Chang
-

This will be nothing short of an all-out elite showdown and the course is one that can make an athlete just as much as it could break them. There’s a lot of speculation for now, but on April 15, everything will be answered on the trails of southern Taiwan.

Race Week Updates
Monday, April 10

It’s the first day of race week and the Kenting Youth Activity Center (KYAC) is starting to feel a lot like the Olympic Village as the elites begin to arrive in numbers. The temple-like red and white bricked buildings set to the backdrop of the same mountains where the race will take place certainly set the mood for the World Cup opener, and having so many elites staying in close quarters will no doubt make things interesting.


But not everybody has left it to race week to get familiar with the course and climate. The Forissier brothers have already spent a few days training in the northern capital of Taipei before heading south. Sandra Mairhofer and Loanne Duvoisin have been in Kenting since April 6th to acclimate while Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen and Solenne Billouin have had numerous opportunities to find their lines on the course since April 4th.

“[The MTB course] is really intense and there’s a lot of steep climbs, so you need to keep pushing and have some above-threshold power to keep moving.”
Jen Emil Sloth Nielsen

After a relatively cold week down south, it looks like the sun is set to return just as Georgia Grobler, Jessie Koltz, Xavier Dafflon, Elizabeth Orchard, Carina Wasle and Kate Bramley are set to arrive and make their way out to check the trails.

Tuesday, April 11

The heat is definitely picking up today but that hasn’t stopped many of the pros getting onto the course to pick their fastest route through the mountains of Kenting National Park. Felix Forissier was looking lightning fast coming down on the bike, as was his brother Arthur, Georgia Grobler, Xavier Dafflon, Solenne Billouin, and Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen.

More big names are set to enter the fray with Maxim Chané, Marta Menditto, Alizee Paties, Suzie Snyder, and Kieran McPherson all set to arrive in Kenting before the day is out. So expect things to only get hotter on the trails tomorrow.

Wednesday, April 12

It’s pretty much a full house in and around the KYAC with Paris Fellman, Lukas Kocar, Dominik Wychera and ‘the Boss’ Ruben Ruzafa all in the mix now. There’s been a lot of discussion about the trails and the consensus is loud and clear: this is one demanding course.


There’s just one name still to come, and that is the champion Arthur Serrieres who arrives tomorrow afternoon. He won’t have had the same time that the likes of Maxim Chane, the Forrisiers, and Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen have had to find the fastest lines, but the Frenchman was one of the first to point out that strategy will play a large role in a series this long, and this is no doubt part of his.

Thursday, April 13

With the sun just about to go down, the last of the pre rides and runs are just finishing up. Many of the elites spent parts of the day helping age groupers in the swim and bike clinics before heading out for a final recon.


Tomorrow is the calm before the storm. But we’re looking forward to hearing from the top 7 ranked men and women at the elite press briefing as they share their thoughts on the World Cup, the competition, and the trails that stand between them and the top spot of the leaderboard in a race that could be won by any one of them.

36 hours and counting...

Friday, April 14

It was a very different picture this year at the XTERRA Taiwan elite presser with a full panel of the fastest athletes from every corner of the globe up on stage.

Local legend Chang Chi Wen was joined on stage by Sandra Mairhofer (ITA), Solenne Billouin (FRA), Loanne Duvoisin (CHE), Alizee Paties (FRA), Marta Menditto (ITA), Carina Wasle (AUT) and Suzie Snyder (USA). For the men's panel, current XTERRA Champion Chiang Yen Ching was joined by Arthur Serrieres (FRA), Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), Arthur Forissier (FRA), Felix Forissier (FRA), Sebastien Carabin (BEL), Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen (DNK) and Maxim Chane (FRA)

Nobody seemed willing to make a podium prediction or comment on where they hope to place as there are still too many variables at play. First there is the off-season factor. While everybody remained active, it's yet to be seen who stayed at the same level and who levelled up. That will only be known after tomorrow's race. Then there is the trail. The consensus across the board is that both the bike and the run are one of the most challenging on the circuit and that tomorrow will be a big day out. Felix and Arthur Forissier seemed confident that they'd had sufficient time to get the bike course dialled in, as did Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen. Jens will be on a hardtail after mistakenly thinking the course would be mostly gravel, but he spent years riding a hardtail as a junior and there's a chance that having less weight on the bike could play to his advantage.

“It’s a lot of climbing here that will decide who takes the tape.”
Jen Emil Sloth Nielsen

Ruben Ruzafa may also have a slight edge on the ride as he pointed out that the trails and hot and humid conditions are quite similar to his hometown of Aizarnazabal, Spain. The Spaniard has long been behind the idea of an XTERRA World Cup and hopes to finish the series on the podium.

Both current champions seem unfazed by the pressure of starting the series as the name to beat. But that's the kind of confidence that often comes with the title.

And while direct questions of who will win were largely unanswered tonight, tomorrow we find out. 12 hours to go.

Race Day

Forissier and Paties Take the Series Opener

In a showdown for the ages that was full of surprises, mechanicals, and epic early season performances, it was the French who took the tape but perhaps not the French you expected.

Arthur Forissier passed seven-time world champion Ruben Ruzafa at the top of the grueling climb on the run to secure the top place on the men’s leaderboard, while Alizee Paties outran the XTERRA World Champion, Solenne Billouin, to claim her biggest XTERRA win yet and put her name at the top of the pile after stop #1. Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen had a brilliant day out to complete the men’s podium and Loanne Duvoisin came in close behind Billouin to complete the top three women.


Full results below and more details to come as we find out more from the athletes who are still recovering from a battle that will not soon be forgotten.

Men's Results (Top 10)
#
Athlete
Time
Swim
Bike
Run
Prize Money
Points
Total
Rank
1
Arthur Forissier
Times:
02:36:39
Swim:
00:20:08
Bike:
01:30:47
Run:
00:42:18
$3,000
Points:
110
Total:
110
Rank:
1
2
Ruben Ruzafa
Times:
02:37:45
Swim:
00:21:19
Bike:
01:29:03
Run:
00:44:06
$2,300
Points:
99
Total:
99
Rank:
2
3
Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen
Times:
02:41:11
Swim:
00:21:23
Bike:
01:30:27
Run:
00:45:34
$1,700
Points:
90
Total:
90
Rank:
3
4
Kieran Mcpherson
Times:
02:41:29
Swim:
00:21:12
Bike:
01:34:14
Run:
00:42:44
$1,400
Points:
83
Total:
83
Rank:
4
5
Sebastien Carabin
Times:
02:42:18
Swim:
00:25:12
Bike:
01:28:38
Run:
00:44:05
$1,100
Points:
76
Total:
76
Rank:
5
6
Michele Bonacina
Times:
02:44:04
Swim:
00:19:55
Bike:
01:35:22
Run:
00:45:44
$900
Points:
69
Total:
69
Rank:
6
7
Arthur Serrieres
Times:
02:46:13
Swim:
00:20:03
Bike:
01:33:00
Run:
00:49:20
$750
Points:
64
Total:
64
Rank:
7
8
Lukas Kocar
Times:
02:46:52
Swim:
00:20:01
Bike:
01:37:32
Run:
00:45:51
$600
Points:
58
Total:
58
Rank:
8
9
Felix Forissier
Times:
02:48:41
Swim:
00:19:57
Bike:
01:43:33
Run:
00:42:06
$450
Points:
54
Total:
54
Rank:
9
10
Maxim Chane
Times:
02:53:33
Swim:
00:20:06
Bike:
01:42:40
Run:
00:46:54
$300
Points:
50
Total:
50
Rank:
10
Women's Results (Top 10)
#
Athlete
Time
Swim
Bike
Run
Prize Money
Points
Total
Rank
1
Alizee Paties
Times:
03:06:30
Swim:
00:23:05
Bike:
01:47:43
Run:
00:52:01
$3,000
Points:
110
Total:
110
Rank:
1
2
Solenne Billouin
Times:
03:08:42
Swim:
00:23:05
Bike:
01:47:17
Run:
00:54:28
$2,300
Points:
99
Total:
99
Rank:
2
3
Loanne Duvoisin
Times:
03:09:04
Swim:
00:23:06
Bike:
01:48:50
Run:
00:52:37
$1,700
Points:
90
Total:
90
Rank:
3
4
Sandra Mairhofer
Times:
03:15:35
Swim:
00:23:03
Bike:
01:52:31
Run:
00:55:27
$1,400
Points:
83
Total:
83
Rank:
4
5
Maeve Kennedy
Times:
03:18:02
Swim:
00:23:02
Bike:
01:57:03
Run:
00:54:29
$1,100
Points:
76
Total:
76
Rank:
5
6
Suzie Snyder
Times:
03:22:32
Swim:
00:23:04
Bike:
01:56:25
Run:
00:58:51
$900
Points:
69
Total:
69
Rank:
6
7
Marta Menditto
Times:
03:25:27
Swim:
00:23:57
Bike:
01:58:04
Run:
00:59:28
$750
Points:
64
Total:
64
Rank:
7
8
Carina Wasle
Times:
03:28:31
Swim:
00:25:30
Bike:
02:01:38
Run:
00:56:30
$600
Points:
58
Total:
58
Rank:
8
9
Georgia Grobler
Times:
03:36:10
Swim:
00:24:26
Bike:
02:10:11
Run:
00:56:37
$450
Points:
54
Total:
54
Rank:
9
10
Elizabeth Orchard
Times:
03:38:00
Swim:
00:24:29
Bike:
02:03:09
Run:
01:05:24
$300
Points:
50
Total:
50
Rank:
10

Talking Points

There’s a lot to dissect from what we just saw, so let’s start in the water where nobody deserves more mention than local hero Chang Chi Wen. This is Chang’s first year of XTERRA elite racing and just yesterday she was on stage speaking of what an honour it was to race against some of the best names in the sport, but today she exited the water a full 1 minute and 17 seconds ahead of the reigning world champ. And while she went on to DNF, she certainly gave the home fans plenty to scream about in the opening section of the race.

Michele Bonacina was the fastest man in the water, as he so often is, but there really wasn’t much in it with Felix Forissier, Lukas Kocar, Arthur Serrieres, Maxim Chane, and Arthur Forissier all right behind. But the takeaway here, and this will give the male field a lot to think about, is the presence of Arthur Serrieres. This was the first time the current champion finished the swim in the lead pack. He’s already lethal on the run, his biking is lightning fast, and now it looks like his swim is following suit.

Ruben Ruzafa was not pleased with his swim performance but there was never any doubt that he would make up for it on the bike, and he did so in just 10K.

“When Ruben arrived we all had to go two times faster because he’s the King. It was the hardest moment of the race because the sun was rising, the track was hard, and Ruben was flying.”
Arthur Forrisier

But the drama we all anticipated on the bike course came in the worst possible way when Felix Forissier and Maxim Chane, who were playing cat and mouse with Ruzafa at the front of the race, both burst a tire on the same rock. Both will no doubt be livid as a strong argument could be made that either of them could have gone on to take the win. But the fact that they continued to ride 10K of one of the toughest bike courses out there, with a flat tire, shows just how committed they are and just how much results and points mean in this series.

Solenne Billouin posted the fastest bike split for the women, but it may have been Alizee Paties’ hydration strategy that made the final difference. Paties tailed Billouin for most of the bike section and used the time to stay fully hydrated in the crushingly hot and humid conditions.


“This is a really tough course, and even harder in the hot weather. I used my Camelback on the bike and drank a lot of water, a full two litres.”
Alizee Paties

And while much was made of the bike course in the build up to the race, it seemed to be the run that caused more destruction than any other section. This is where Ruzafa lost the lead to Forissier, where Billouin was passed by Paties, and where the lack of sleep and acclimation finally caught up with the champion Arthur Serrieres.


“I had a great winter, I worked really hard, but this was my worst race ever.”
Arthur Serrieres

Special mention has to go out to Kieran McPherson (NZL) and Maeve Kennedy (AUS) who, apart from claiming the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Champion elite title as the top pros from the region, both had an absolutely stormer of a race. McPherson, ranked 19th, missed a place on the podium by less than 20 seconds in a result that did not come as a surprise to him.


“I think I might have surprised some people, considering the top 8 ranked guys in the World were on the start line, but my team and I worked really hard for this so it wasn’t surprising to us.”
Kieran McPherson

For Kennedy, also ranked 19th, this only strengthens the incredible start to the season she’s having after already picking up two wins in New Zealand, and further raising the bar for the APAC elite field.


It was truly a day of upsets and surprises, but nobody could have asked for a better start to the XTERRA World Cup. Read the full race report here, or watch the full video replay.


Series Stops
Stop #1 Reads
Race Report
Apr 21, 2023
Forissier and Paties Win XTERRA Stop #1 in Taiwan
Arthur Forissier and Alizee Paties from France captured the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship race, the first of seven stops on the XTERRA World Cup, at Kenting National Park in Taiwan on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Story
April 5, 2023
Solenne Billouin: A Champion Rising
All eyes will be on current XTERRA World Champion Solenne Billouin as the XTERRA World Cup makes its debut in Taiwan. The race has brought out the top five world-ranked women and Billouin will no doubt be a key player. The young French athlete rose quickly through the ranks of XTERRA and, although she has reached the pinnacle of the sport, her limited experience makes her a unique World Champion. She is excited for new opportunities on the World Cup circuit, hungry for stronger competition, and looking to open her season with a victory.
Story
April 3, 2023
Arthur Serrieres: "I'm Ready for Everything"
The off season is over and the XTERRA World Cup is officially on. It’s a huge step in the progression of off-road tri and guaranteed to deliver some of the most competitive elite racing the sport has ever seen. Taiwan is the first stop on the 7-stop, 12-race circuit and already the start list reads like that of a World Championship race. But there is one name to beat in Taiwan, a name that was almost unbeatable in 2022. That name is the reigning XTERRA World Champion, Arthur Serrieres.
Race Preview
April 3, 2023
XTERRA World Cup Stop #1: Let The Games Begin
The time for talk is over. On April 15 the most anticipated series this year will make its debut in Kenting, Taiwan. Both reigning XTERRA champions will be on the start line, along with the deepest elite field to ever race in Asia. The course is a brutal one, the stakes have never been higher, and who will take the top spot on the leaderboard is almost anybody’s guess.
Series Hype
April 3, 2023
XTERRA World Cup: Elevating Elite Racing to the Next Level
The countdown is on to the most anticipated series of the season as the deepest elite field to ever go head to head in Asia make their way to the debut race in Taiwan.

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Elizabeth Orchard
GBR
Sixteen time World Champion and seven time spelling bee winner, Jack Johnson is the most respected XTERRA athlete of all time.
Position
#3
Points
84
Age
37
Height
178cm
Weight
63kg
Strength
MTB