
XTERRA World’s on 28 October at Maui
18. October 2018
XTERRA European Tour 2019 – News and facts
9. November 2018The 2018 XERRA World Championship at Maui/Hawaii has been history since 28.10.2018. In the end, Rom Akerson from Costa Rica and Lesley Paterson from Scotland won the World Championship title in the toughest off-road conditions. The decision for the men was pretty close. In the end, however, last year’s winner Bradley Weiss didn’t manage to take the lead from the Costa Rican at the final 10km trail run. With only 35 seconds the South African had to admit defeat. Akerson finally managed best with the track conditions (strong waves, mud on MTB track) and had the best overall package without setting the best time in one discipline. Bradley Weiss lost the World Championship title with a rather weak performance in the swim split, the valuable seconds were missing in the end for his title defence. It was also astonishing that Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), the experienced runner leading up to the split, was intercepted by 3 athletes on the running track and “passed” on 4th place. The New Zealander Osborne also showed until the end that he always has to be reckoned with. With the best swim split and a fast trail run he secured 3rd place.
It was not so close with the women. Lesley Paterson from Scotland delivered a convincing race with the best bike split and the best running split. In the end she crossed the finish line with a lead of more than 10 minutes to Michelle Flipo (MEX). 3rd place went to Liz Orchard from New Zealand. The race was not so optimal for the XTERRA European Champion Brigitta Poor (HUN). She could not and did not want to be satisfied with 5th place. But she says herself that “mud races” are not her favourite races. Unfortunately, like the Austrian Carina Wasle (6th place), she had to struggle with technical problems on her bike. But with a view to 2019, she is a fighter…
More information about XTERRA World Championship can be found here.