XTERRA Event Previews: 2023 Season Openers

January 20-21 sees the long awaited return to the Western Cape and the Elgin Valley for XTERRA South Africa. The opening round of the XTERRA EMEA Tour sees the legendary “Caveman” Conrad Stoltz invite the off-road community to visit and race on the very trails that made him an XTERRA World Champion. 

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It's currently summer in the southern hemisphere, so this early season race presents a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy a heavy dose of vitamin D as they navigate their way through the rocky and technical terrain of the XTERRA South Africa course.

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The weekend of racing opens with 21km, 12km and 6km XTERRA trail runs almost exclusively on singletrack before Sunday continues the fun with XTERRA Full & Sprint distance events before a kids event rounds off an excellent weekend of adventure. 

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See event details here.

For more than a decade McDowell Mountain has been treating the XTERRA trail running community to some of the most fun and fast tracks in the country.

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In early February, the weather is just about perfect for racing with temps in the mid-60’s accompanied by bright sunshine to light up the lower Verde River basin.

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There are 6K, 10K, and 24K races but the star of the show is the epic, single-loop, 43K trail marathon that climbs more than 2,000-feet as it circles the mountain, revealing an inspiring view at every turn.

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It’s the penultimate event in the six-stop Arizona collection and is also part of the XTERRA Trail Run World Series that awards qualifying spots into the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships to top performers.

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See event details here.

When you get named to Triathlete Magazine’s 2023 list of “Best Tris for a Good Time” … you know you’re doing something right!

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Indeed, XTERRA Iceman is a fun and adventurous way to kickstart the XTERRA Americas off-road triathlon racing season, starting amidst soaring saguaro cactus and the stunning desert scenery at Lake Pleasant Regional Park just outside Phoenix, Arizona.

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It’s a wide-open course, perfect for newcomers and gravel bikes are allowed to open the doors to all-comers. There’s even an SUP/Kayak division and a 5K fun run so everyone can jump in the action. 

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For many, a road-trip to Arizona is a great way to beat the winter chill and do some warm weather training and racing. It’s an epic spot for the family too, with exploration opportunities galore including three national parks in Saguaro, the Petrified Forest, and Grand Canyon.

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See event details.

On the very same day that the Americas Tour gets started in Arizona, the APAC Tour also officially gets underway in coastal New Zealand, setting the pace for the season ahead with a full festival of off-road fun designed to reunite the community after a year off and kickstart the season with a bang.

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Set in the historical Queen Elizabeth Park, just a 30-minute drive from Wellington, the single-day event is jam-packed with off-road races for triathletes, duathletes, trail runners, and MTB riders. 

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The day begins with the full-distance triathlon, where home and travelling athletes will look to make their mark on the APAC Tour before making way for the sprint triathlon, duathlon, MTB race, and a 6K, 14K, and 21K trail run through the trails of the Kāpiti district. 

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The entire event is driven by an unmistakable community feel and is probably best described by the event organisers themselves: “No glitz nor glamour, just honest New Zealand terrain, spectacular views and proper homegrown hospitality.”

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See event details here.