XTERRA on Reunion Island 26 April

Reunion Island, a French island located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, will host XTERRA for the first time on 26 April, 2015.

The inaugural XTERRA Reunion race will combine a 1,500-meter swim in the pristine waters of the west coast lagoon with a hilly 30km mountain bike course through the savannah and sugar cane fields and a 10km trail run by the coast.

“We guarantee a challenging course, an astonishing landscape, creoles vibes and intense emotions,” said Yannick Desfarges, the technical director and island’s most notable XTERRA enthusiast.  “Come and join this brand new stage of the XTERRA circuit and discover the amazing environment of Reunion Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

The event offers 18 qualifying spots into XTERRA Worlds for the fastest amateurs and roughly $15,000 USD in prize money to the top six elite men and women.

“I went to la Réunion in 1999 and can tell you it’s the perfect place for an XTERRA,” said former XTERRA World Champion Nico Lebrun.  “It’s a tropical island with lots of mountains and all kinds of climate … it’s the French Maui.”

It’s also home to the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active Volcanoes in the world, which erupted just recently (February 4, 2015).

“It’s a great destination for outdoor sports and I would recommend athletes to leverage their trip for the race to experience trekking volcanoes, paragliding above the lagoon, scuba diving on the coral reefs and canyoning in world famous canyons,” said Desfarges.  “Reunion Island also offers good options for laid back family time on the mythical west coast beaches and a great opportunity to discover the Creole culture.”

To learn more visit www.xterrareunion.com, or write to[email protected].