About XTERRA
XTERRA is the world’s premier off-road multisport event. An extreme competition, the XTERRA format combines swimming with mountain biking and trail running. It has been described as one part triathlon, one part mountain bike race, and one part “survival of the fittest”.
The typical distances are a 1.5k swim, 30k mountain bike, and 10k trail run. Courses are designed to have top pros finish in roughly two-and-a-half hours. Generally the swim comprises 10% of the total time it takes to finish the race, the mountain bike 65%, and the run 25%.
TEAM Unlimited, a Hawaii-based television events and marketing company, created the sport back in 1996. It started in Maui with a single race and evolved into the XTERRA Global Tour with more than 100 races in 16 countries this year.
In 2007 there are 20 XTERRA Championship events, including five in Europe, that qualify the top performers in each age group to compete at the XTERRA World Championship in Maui on October 28. There is also a stand-alone XTERRA European Tour (started in 2004) that will recognize the top performers in the Series.
While it is true that some of the world’s best triathletes, mountain bikers, runners, and adventure racers compete in XTERRA, the sport is focused on much more than just elite racing. Beyond the competition, XTERRA is about community, camaraderie, adventure, and promoting the healthy, active, outdoors lifestyle among people of all ages. As a result, at most of our events you’ll find stand-alone trail runs, bike races, kids races, swims, and relay team competitions in addition to the XTERRA.
The XTERRA motto is “Live More”, and we encourage athletes to get out and go off, travel and explore, meet new people, and stay active with sport.
Additional XTERRA products and properties include XTERRA Gear (XTERRA branded apparel, tech wear, accessories), XTERRA Trail Run Series (30+ markets in U.S. and international expansion has begun), XTERRA Winter World Championship (annual winter lifestyle and multisport festival), the Nevada Passage adventure competition (XTERRA-type adventure), and XTERRA TV (15 XTERRA and adventure shows annually).