2009

PRESS

GUIDE

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THE SPONSOR TEAMThe XTERRA Trail Running World Championship is presented by Paul Mitchell, Hawaiian Airlines, XTERRA.TV, OutriggerHotels and Resorts, and GU Energy Gel. Sponsors include Kualoa Ranch, Gatorade, Runner’s World Magazine, HawaiiTourism Authority, Zorrel, and the XTERRA Alliance - Gear, Footwear, Fitness, Wetsuits, and Cycling.

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2009 XTERRA TRAIL RUN WORLDSSince October of last year, thousands have takenpart in the worldwide XTERRA Trail Run Seriesand through the trials of these 50 races, spanning15 U.S. states and several countries, some of theworld’s top trail runners have emerged and areheaded to Oahu to race in the XTERRA TrailRunning World Championship.

The main event is an adventurous half-marathon(13.1-mile/21km) that starts at the base ofKaaawa Valley at Kualoa Ranch. While theSeries’ best runners have already proven theirworth in rollicking races around the world,one-and-all are welcome to take them on andrace for the championship as no qualification isnecessary.

In additon to the main event, XTERRA will host5km and 10km trail runs, an adventure walk pastall the old movie sights in the valley, and a freekids sprint. A portion of the proceeds from therace will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes ResearchFoundation, Hawaii Chapter.

The race will be filmed and edited into a segmentfor a 2010 XTERRA Adventures TV show that willbe seen by millions of viewers across the countryvia national syndication starting in May and onthe brand-new XTERRA.TV. You can check outthe promo piece for worlds at www.XTERRA.TV.

Media Information, Venue Overviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Directions to Waikiki Beach Walk, Kualoa Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Schedule of Events and Weekend Activities Description . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7

Course Description and Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9

Race Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

The Contenders Runner Bios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15

XTERRA Trail Running Series Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

XTERRA Trail Run Series Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

XTERRAGear.Com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

TEAM Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

The XTERRA Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

2008 Trail Run Worlds Results, plus first page of 5k/10k . . . . . . .Appendix

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

For further information contact Trey Garman at 808-216-8606 or trey@xterraplanet.com

FEES, REGISTRATION & PACKET PICK-UP

The adventure walk is $25, the 5km is $30, the10km is $35 and the championship is $55 untilDec. 4 (and $5 more on Dec. 5). Runners cansign-up online at xterratrailrun.com or by calling808-792-2611. No race day registration. Packetpick-up is Sat., Dec. 5 from 10am-to-6pm at theWaikiki Beach Walk on Lewers Street, or on racemorning at Kualoa Ranch starting at 7 a.m.

Held just a week before the HonoluluMarathon, the two events combine tocreate one of the “greatest weeks ofrunning on Earth”.

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MEDIA INFORMATIONThe XTERRA Trail Running World Championship Press Guide is designed to provide the media with useful informationabout the 2009 race, the athletes competing in it, and XTERRA in general. Below are additional items of interest:

- Complete race coverage can be found online at xterratrailrun.com- TEAM Unlimited will record and post full race results on the web, and will email results upon request.- During the championship race a media van will escort interested press members to key strategic locations throughout the course to track leaders and course happenings, and get the best possible images. Please arrange a seat on the van in advance.- TEAM Unlimited will not operate a press room; however, we will accommodate any specific requests.- Professional, high-resolution, full-color images from the race will be available to the media after the event.DIRECT MEDIA INQUIRIES AND PHOTO REQUESTS TO:

Trey Garman - 808-216-8606 (cell) or trey@xterraplanet.comTEAM Unlimited - 720 Iwilei Road, Suite 290, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817

FROM THE WAIKIKI BEACH WALK TO KUALOA RANCH

Registration and packet pick-up will take place in the heart of Waikiki at theWaikiki Beach Walk on Lewers Street on Saturday, Dec. 5, and the race site isKualoa Ranch - a sacred place untouched by development.

The Waikiki Beach Walk is the largest development project in Waikiki's history.Nearly eight acres along well traversed Lewers Street has been completely rebuilt-- transformed into a colorful and spirited showcase; the gathering place for thenew Waikiki. Energetic and inviting, eclectic and exciting, Waikiki Beach Walk isan impressive, new leisure destination to play and to stay. Benefiting from theisland's cooling trade winds and year-round excellent weather, an outdoorentertainment plaza, nearly fifty new retailers, sixteen dining establishments, andfive hotels welcome visitors and island residents alike; redefining the Waikikiexperience. Learn more at waikikibeachwalk.com.

Established in 1850, Kualoa Ranch is a family owned and operated 4,000 acreworking cattle ranch, spread from the steep mountain cliffs to the sparkling sea.Located on the northeastern side of Oahu in the Hawaiian countryside, it is lessthan an hour from Honolulu. The ranch terrain varies from dense rainforest tobroad open valleys and from beautiful white sand beaches to awesome verdantcliff faces. It is truly a paradise for outdoor recreation with many places accessibleonly by horseback, on an all terrain vehicle or by hiking. There are two major areasof the ranch: the northern half of the ranch including Ka'a'awa Valley whichcontains most of the movie locations sites, and the southern half that includesHakipu`u Valley, the 800 year-old Moli'i fishpond, and Secret Island. If the ranch'sviews look familiar, that's because Kualoa Ranch has been the site of manytelevision shows and Hollywood films such as Jurassic park, Windtalkers, PearlHarbor, Godzilla, Tears of the Sun and 50 First Dates. TV shows include HawaiiFive-O, Magnun P.I. and most recently the hit show LOST. Learn more atkualoa.com.

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DIRECTIONS TO WAIKIKI BEACH WALK & KUALOA RANCH

Join Hawaii’s premier communityof outdoor adventurers at ...ActiveHawaii.com

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XTERRA KIDS ZONEThe XTERRA Kids Zone providesyoungsters with the chance toparticipate like their parents in apositive and fun environment.Zone activities include the free Kidssprint and a variety of challengestations.Entry is free and all participantsreceive fun prizes and awards!

Saturday, December 5 – at the Waikiki Beach Walk

10am-6pm Registration and packet pick-up1pm XTERRA University, presented by Paul Mitchell

tips on trail running with Cynthia Anderson and Joe Gray

Sunday, December 6 – at Kualoa Ranch

7:00am Shuttle bus departures from Waikiki to Kualoa Ranch7:00am Packet pickup at Kualoa Ranch (sorry, no race day registration)8:00am Expo Open 9:00am XTERRA Trail Running World Championship start

9:05am XTERRA 5km/10km trail runs start9:07am XTERRA Adventure/Movie Sights Walk start 9:15am-2pm XTERRA Kids Zone challenge stations open 9:25am Projected 5km winner expected9:30-2pm Paul Mitchell Cut-A-Thon to benefit Challenged Athletes Foundation 9:50am Projected 10km winner expected10:20am Projected XTR World Championship men’s winner expected10:40am Projected XTR World Championship women’s winner expected11:00am XTERRA Kids Sprint (free) 11:30am XTERRA 5km and 10km Awards ceremony 12:00pm XTERRA Trail Run World Championship race awards ceremony1pm First Bus departs for Waikiki1:30pm Second bus departs for Waikiki2pm Expo Close 6pm XTERRA After Party at Tiki’s Grill & Bar in Waikiki

Drink specials, live music, and video highlights at 7pm.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

XTERRA UNIVERSITYPresented by Paul Mitchell

On Saturday, December 5th, there willbe a short XTERRA University TrailRun Clinic at 1:00pm during packetpick-up led by last year’s women’swinner Cynthia Anderson and two-time USATF Mountain Runner of theYear Joe Gray.

Stop by the Waikiki Beach Walk foryour chance to get some insider tipsabout the course and just somehelpful information about trail runningin general. This event is open toanyone and free of charge.

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XTERRA SPORTS FESTIVALMore than just a race, the XTERRA Trail Running World Championship is filled with festivities for the entire family.

THE XTERRA VILLAGEThe gathering place and headquarters for all theoutdoor action is at the base of Kaaawa Valley. Thereyou'll find big white tents filled with everything from thelatest in XTERRA Gear to Paul Mitchell stylists cuttinghair. It's where athletes ready themselves to run andkids play games. There's music playing, prize give-aways, and good food. The Expo is free to everyone(parking is $5) and open from 8am-to-2pm.

Founded to help physically challenged athletes reach theirathletic goals, the non-profit Challenged Athletes Foundation isthe official charity of the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon at eachXTERRA Championship race. Stylists will cut hair from9:30am-2pm and all proceeds will go to the CAF.

XTERRA 5km/10km TRAIL RUNSAlthough not considered world championship races,both the 5km and 10km runs will head out the sameway as the 21km event (see map) and run past all theclassic movie sets. There’s also a 1.5-mile adventurewalk for those just wanting a taste of the valley or look-ing for a way to support JDRF, as a portion of everyentry will go to the JDRF Hawaii Chapter.

AFTER PARTY @ TIKI’SThe official post-race gatheringplace is Tiki’s Grill and Bar at2570 Kalakaua Ave. in Waikiki.Runners who show their racebib or wear their race shirt getspecially priced drinks, plusXTERRA will show a highlight video and slideshow, anddance the night away starting at 6pm. The Ka’ala Boysare playing from 6-to-8 and “Beach 5” is on at 8:30pm.Tiki’s is located on the second floor of the newlyrenovated ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel withmagnificent views of Waikiki Beach, and has free valetparking for three hours. For more info visit tikisgrill.com.

JDRF HAWAIIA portion of every entry for the5km, 10km, and 21km runs willgo to the Juvenile DiabetesReserach Foundation, HawaiiChapter, to help in their ongoingefforts to find a cure. Read moreabout JDRF at jdrfhawaii.org.

MASSAGE: Steven Frame of the American MassageTherapy Association will be onsite before and after theevent for those interested in a massage.

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THE XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COURSELength 21km/13.1 milesStarting Elevation 50’Lowest point 27’Highest point 741’Total climbing approx 2,900’Trails open dirt road, dual track dirt road,

single track & sometimes no track

Starting from the base of Kaaawa Valley, just around thecorner from the main Kualoa Ranch house, the XTERRATrail Running World Championship will start easy enough -taking runners on hard packed dirt roads uphill into the west-ern side of the valley (the right side if you’re looking mauka).

After the first mile runners descend through a pasture andhead back towards the ocean and just after mile two they’llpop out at an elevation of 200’ just above the Pacific withviews forever. The temptation running along the ledge over-looking the turquoise water will be to jump in and call it aday, but the real fun is just beginning.

Runners quickly drop back down on pasture roads and atmile three come into the petting zoo at the main KualoaRanch area. The next few miles head into heavy rainforestumbrella with green all around and several stream crossings(a few inches to ankle deep depending on recent rainfall)along rolling, twisting double track.

At about mile eight the trail gets narrow and steep on a pathleading straight up the mountain that separates Hakipu’uValley from Kaaawa Valley. Here runners get a rare chanceto be on the very narrow spine of a volcanic peak, again –with incredible views of the valley and ocean beyond. Onceat the top, a very neat trail winds its way sharply down intothe back of Kaaawa Valley. At the bottom runners will findrocky dual track and twisting trails that traverse a few morestream crossings before a hard right turn takes them up to along stretch of single track originally created by wild pigs.

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Passing is possible, but competitors will want to watch theirstep as the trail is narrow and on a slanted slope. Sectionsof rocky, ankle bending chasms formed by the molten lavatens of thousands of years ago will test tired legs, butinspiration is soon to follow. Arising from the cover of greenforested trails runners will find the wide open unusual lightgreen fields of Hawaii. Many will think they’ve got déjà vu,as their memories recall the original Jurassic Park scenewhere the professor and the kids run and hide from thedinosaur stampede – because that’s exactly where they are.

Near the end, the course cuts through the main start/finisharea to the cheers of friends, family and spectators beforeheading out on a final loop in the valley before the sprint tothe finish.

The true adventure of this run lies in the fact that there is nopre-running allowed, so its read and react for everyone.

Above is a rough outline of the course. If you can see thedirectional arrows you’ll notice that runners head into thevalley for the first small loop (3 miles), then around theridgeline and back into the valley from the far side.

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THE CONTENDERSThe second running of the XTERRA Trail Run WorldChampionship half-marathon will host some of the fastestrunners on dirt.

Both the men’s and women’s reigning champs – Max Kingand Cynthia Anderson – are back to defend their crownsbut several new faces are joining the fray with the intent tosteal those titles away.

In the men’s race Max King is clearly, unequivocally theguy to beat. He won his second straight XTERRANationals crown in his hometown of Bend, Oregon inSeptember and since then finished 18th at the New YorkCity Marathon in 2:19:11 and a week later, on six day’srest, won the grueling USATF National Trail MarathonChampionship. His winning time of 1:18:23 at KualoaRanch last year set the standard, and was more than threeminutes faster than runner-up Ben Bruce.

Much of his competition will be familiar with Bruce (secondto King at the last two XTERRA Nationals and this race lastyear) and two-time USATF Mountain Runner of the YearJoe Gray who won a head-to-head battle against King inthe Northwest Mountain Championships last year.

Also of note is the addition of Michael Tobin, the 2000XTERRA off-road triathlon World Champ and XTERRAHall-of-Famer who has built one of the most incredibleadventure racing resumes on the planet.

In the women’s race Anderson’s most formidable opponentmight be 15-time Ironman Champ Heather Fuhr, whodominated the XTERRA SoCal Trail Run Series this yearby winning all three races she entered.

Also in the mix is three-time XTERRA off-road triathlonWorld Champ Melanie McQuaid, long-time XTERRA proJenny Tobin (who consistently had the fastest run splitamong women through the years), and Ady Ngawati fromNew Zealand, a two-time winner of the Auckland Marathonand XTERRA New Zealand 21k champ.

Plus, with registration open until Saturday. Dec. 5, it’sanyone’s guess as to what other ringers will show up onthe start line.

Max King at XTERRA Nationals in Bend, Oregon

Cynthia Anderson winning Worlds last year

PRIZE MONEY AND AWARDSTo the winners go the spoils! The fastest runners will beracing for $10,000 in prize money – awarded to the topfive men and women as follows: $2,000, $1,000, $750,$500, $300, $250, $200. XTERRA will also be crowningworld champs in age groups starting at 9 & under, thenevery five years (ex. 10-14, 15-19, etc�) up to 80+ and aphysically challenged category. Champs in each divisionwin a commemorative long sleeve tech tee shirt.

In addition, the overall men’s and women’s winners getroundtrip airfare from Hawaiian Airlines, and there are aton of great product prizes from Paul Mitchell, GU,XTERRA Footwear, Nathan Packs and Running Belts, R3Gel, Lock Laces, and more.

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MEET THE CONTENDERSMAX KING

Bend, OregonREIGNING XTERRA TRAIL RUNNING NATIONAL AND WORLD CHAMPION

Personal: Born February 24, 1980�chemical engineerLast year Max dominated both the XTERRA Trail Running National and WorldChampionships and returned to Nationals this past September. Also this year, he was thethird fastest American in the World Cross Country Championship and won the American River50-miler just a week after that. Recently he finished 18th overall at the ING New York CityMarathon and set a new course record at the 2009 USA Marathon Trail Championship whichtook place at Ashland, Oregon’s Lithia Loop Trail Marathon just six days later. He is returningto Kualoa Ranch to defend his XTERRA World Championship and his “King of XTERRA” title.

BEN BRUCE

Eugene, OregonXTERRA TRAIL RUNNING NATIONAL AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER-UP

Personal: Born September 10, 1982�professional runnerIt’s hard to believe this high school golfer didn’t start running until he started college at CalPoly San Luis Obispo. Ben was a 2-time NCAA Division 1 All-American in the steeplechase,a 2-time Big West Champion while in school and has continued to rack up the awards eversince. He was the North America, Central America, and Caribbean (NACAC) 2007 areachampion in the 5000m, finished 5th at the 2009 USA Nationals in the steeplechase and hasbeen a member of two USA National Teams. In addition, he finished second behind Max Kingat the 2008 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship and both the 2008 and 2009XTERRA Trail Run Nationals. This year he is returning to Kualoa Ranch to try and capturehis elusive XTERRA Champion title.

JOE GRAY

Lakewood, WashingtonTwo-time USATF Mountain Runner of the Year

Personal: Born January 20, 1984�professional runnerAt only 25 years old, Joe Gray has quite a running resume under his belt. This collegiatesteeplechaser at the University of Oklahoma was a six-time NCAA Championships Qualifierand was a member of the USA Junior Pan American Team 2003 for the 3000m steeplechase.Honors include being named the 2008 USATF Mountain Runner of the Year, the 2008Northwest Mountain Running Champion, and the 2008 Pacific Northwest Regional CrossCountry Champion. This year he was part of the North American and Central AmericanChampionship National Team for the USA, came in 16th at the World Mountain RunningChampionship, and took home the title of 2009 USA Mountain Running Champion.

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MEET THE CONTENDERSMICHAEL TOBIN

Boise, IdahoXTERRA HALL OF FAMER

Personal: Born December 7, 1963�former adventure racing superstarLike his wife Jenny, Michael has been a longtime part of the XTERRA family. He won theXTERRA Off-road Triathlon Series in both 1999 and 2000 and was the XTERRA WorldChampion in 2000. He holds 16 XTERRA victories and was recently inducted into theXTERRA Hall of Fame this past October. In addition to XTERRA, Michael holds the titles of2004 Adventure Racing World Champion, Coors Light Duathlon Series & National Champion,and 2-time Powerman Duathlon Series winner. He also has 14 International PowermanVictories and has been named Triathlete’s “Duathlete of the Year” two times.

JOHN TRIBBIA

Boulder, Colorado

Personal: Born February 9, 1982 John is a member of the La Sportiva Mountain Running Team. Career highlights includeplacing 3rd in the 2006 Vail Hill Climb, placing 7th at both the 2006 and 2007 USATF Trail10K Championships, 6th place at the 2007 Pikes Peak Ascent and rounding out the top 10at this year’s USA Mountain Running Championships. When not running, John is a PhDstudent in sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder campus.

JEFF CAMPBELL

Atlanta, Georgia

Personal: Born August 7, 1971�general manager of Big Peach Running Co. Jeff has been running for 32 years. In that time, he was a two-time NCAA All-American (XC)at the University of South Alabama, was a three time member of the World Cross CountryTeam and a four-time member of the USA World Half Marathon Team. He placed 5th at the2002 USATF Cross Country Championship, 4th at the 2003 USA National Marathon Champsand was part of the 2003 Pan American Games Marathon. He is a two-time U.S. OlympicMarathon Trials Qualifier and was fast enough to earn 8th place in 2000.

MARK MENCH

Kailua, Hawaii

Personal: Born February 15, 1975Mark Mench is a permanent fixture in the Hawaii racing scene. He can usually be found inthe results for any kind of race here on the island, so it’s no surprise that he is racing at the2009 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship. Placing 7th overall at last year’s event,he is returning to Kualoa Ranch to work his way up the winner’s ladder. Mark’s other racingaccomplishments for 2009 include placing 5th overall at the Camp Bennett Freedom Fest,3rd in his age group at the XTERRA Mountainman Triathlon, finishing 15th in his age groupat the XTERRA World Championship off-road triathlon, and a 5th at the Marine CorpsTradewind Triathlon.

Tobin

Mench

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MEET THE CONTENDERSSCOTT DUNLAP

Woodside, California

Personal: Born April 29, 1969 � CEO of NearbyNow, Inc. and trail run blogger extraordinaireScott Dunlap is one of the most trusted names in trail running. His blog, “A Trail Runner’sBlog” has been voted the best health and fitness blog by Forbes Magazine, and he wasnamed the 2004 Runner of the Year by Trail Runner Magazine. Scott’s passion for trailrunning started in 2001. After quitting his New York City job just a few days before, henarrowly escaped the 9/11 tragedy and used running with his dog Rocky as a distraction.From there he was hooked and loves competing in events ranging anywhere from 5k to 100miles. Scott has been racing with XTERRA for 3 years and was crowned a 2009 XTERRATrail Running National Champion this past September in Bend, Oregon.

RICH COCHRANE

Kailua, Hawaii

Personal: Born May 12, 1973...LCDR in the United States NavyRich Cochrane’s racing career has so many accomplishments that we are just going to high-light his 2009 season. He competed in the 2009 USA Cross Country Championship andplaced 6th for the US Navy division. Rich place 3rd overall in the Ford Island Bridge 10kmRun, came in 18th overall out of more than 1000 finishers at the Ironman Hawaii 70.3 – HonuTriathlon, had a 17th place division finish at the XTERRA World Championship, and came infirst at the Camp Bennett Freedom Fest. This will be his first time racing at the XTERRA TrailRunning World Championship.

RICHARD BURGUNDER

Naples, Florida2009 XTERRA NEW ENGLAND TRAIL RUN SERIES REGIONAL CHAMPION

Personal: Born November 14, 1979�sports marketing specialist and endurance coachRichard has been quite an XTERRA all-star this year competing in three different XTERRATrail Run Series, plus he travelled from New York to all three races in the New England Seriesto earn the regional champion title. He has competed in the last two XTERRA Trail RunNationals events, ran in the 2008 XTERRA Trail Run Worlds and is returning in 2009 tochallenge himself along with the rest of the elite field. According to Rich, “The entireXTERRA Series is a huge adrenaline rush and competing on the circuit is an exhilaratingexperience.” Not only is he fast, he also proved he is one tough competitor after racing in theXTERRA Muddy Moose with several broken ribs.

RAYMOND KUDERKA

Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Personal: Born June 19, 1984Raymond Kuderka is certainly on the list of people to watch for this event. He placed third inhis age group at the 2008 Great Aloha Run, came in second overall in the 2009 Race AgainstDomestic Violence, and had a third place division win at the 2008 Jamba Juice Bananamanrun.

Dunlap

Cochrane

Burgunder

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MEET THE CONTENDERSCYNTHIA ANDERSON

Kailua, HawaiiREIGNING XTERRA TRAIL RUNNING WORLD CHAMPION

Personal: Born August 12, 1983�full-time cell and molecular biology PhD student andresearch assistant at the Burns School of Medicine’s Center for cardiovascular research.Cynthia burst onto the XTERRA scene in 2008 with wins in both the XTERRA Trail RunningWorld Championship and the XTERRA Makena Beach Trail Run. The University of RhodeIsland graduate is a transplant from Miller Place, New York and currently lives here in Kailua,Hawaii. She is an avid triathlete placing 2nd overall at this year’s Honolulu Triathlon and 5thoverall at the Hawaii Tinman Triathlon in July. She also came in 2nd overall for the women inthis year’s Great Aloha Run which put her in 35th place in the total field of over 17,000competitors. She is eager to to defend her XTERRA World Champion title this year.

HEATHER FUHR

Encinitas, California

Personal: Born January 19, 1968�professional triathleteTriathlon legend Heather Fuhr is no stranger to winning. She is a 5-time Ironman USAChampion, placed first at the 1997 Ironman World Championship, and was the winner of theXTERRA World Championship Double Award clocking the fastest combined times for boththe XTERRA World Championship and Ironman World Championship in both 2003 and 2004.More recently, Heather dominated the 2009 XTERRA SoCal Trail Run Series winning all threeraces she entered. This will be her first time racing at the XTERRA Trail Run Worlds, and shewill certainly be one of the front runners to watch.

MELANIE MCQUAID

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada3-TIME XTERRA WORLD CHAMP

Personal: Born May 17, 1973�professional triathleteMelanie is one of the greats in XTERRA racing and is the first person ever to win theXTERRA World Championship three times. In 2009, she won five XTERRA Cup Series off-road triathlon events and came in second at two others. Winning the XTERRA USA Champsfor the second year in a row secured her title of 2009 XTERRA U.S. Pro Series Championand she came in third at this year’s XTERRA World Championship. She was also named lastyear’s Triathlete Magazine Off-road Triathlete of the Year and Triathlon Canada’s Female Off-road Triathlete of the Year. New to the XTERRA Trail Run Series, this is Melanie’s chance tosee how she does trail running without the lead-up of the swim and bike.

JENNY TOBIN

Boise, Idaho

Personal: Born October 31, 1968�professional triathleteJenny has been racing with XTERRA for 10 years. Highlights include being a 3-time top 5finisher at the XTERRA World Championship, placing third at the 2001 XTERRA USAChampionship, and placing 4th at this year’s XTERRA Northwest Cup. She is also a formerIronman Utah Champ and a Powerman Colorado Champ.

Anderson

McQuaid

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AMY ECK

Kailua, Hawaii2009 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE WINNER

Personal: Born March 5, 1978�Pearl Harbor port engineer and personal trainerThis former Marine is one tough girl. She is a certified personal trailer at her very own CampBennett and will always be remembered for competing in the 2007 XTERRA WorldChampionship off-road triathlon with a full arm cast. She is an elite athlete competing ineverything from triathlons to long roughwater swims. In 2009, Amy placed fourth in her agegroup at the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship, won the Jamba Juice XTERRAMountainman off-road triathlon, and was the winner of the Hawaiian Airlines Double awardwhich crowns the athlete with the fastest combined times of the Ironman WorldChampionship and the XTERRA World Championship just two weeks later.

ADY NGAWATI

Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand

Personal: Born March 11, 1977This New Zealand multisport star is the two-time winner of the Auckland Marathon. Ady alsowon the 2009 Arthur Lydiard Legend Marathon and was the 2008 XTERRA New Zealand TrailRunning National Champion. This year she was runner-up at the XTERRA event, but she hasbeen training hard for the XTERRA Trail Run Worlds and says off-road runs are “more her.”While in Hawaii, Ady plans to take full advantage of her racing schedule and will be runningin the Honolulu Marathon just a week after Worlds.

ANGEL KING

Naples, Florida

Personal: Born December 31, 1982�professional triathlete/modelIn 2009, Angel won her age group at the Publix FFW Key Largo Sprint Triathlon, took 4thoverall female at the FGCU Sprint Triathlon, and placed 2nd in her age group at theXTERRA Caloosahatchee Triathlon. She also finished as the 2nd overall female at theTradewinds Reverse Triathlon and was one of the top athletes in the Miami Half Ironmanwhich forced competitors to not only battle each other but also the 30+ mph hurricane windstrying to stop them. Angel will have an excellent shot at placing in the top 7 at this year’sXTERRA Trail Run Worlds.

JESSICA TRANCHINA

Honolulu, Hawaii

Personal: Born February 16, 1977�physical therapistAs one of Oahu’s fastest athletes, Jessica can be seen all over the racing circuit. In 2009,she was the 7th overall woman in the Great Aloha Run, she placed as the 5th woman in theIronman 70.3 Hawaii – Honu, won her age group at the Lanikai Triathlon and was the firstwoman overall at this year’s Honolulu Triathlon. Jessica placed 5th at last year’s XTERRATrail Running World Championship, and this year she is aiming even higher.

MEET THE CONTENDERS

Eck

Tranchina

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At the heart of XTERRA is the fundamental idea of puttingon great races in epic places with friendly faces. Prettysimple, really, but it’s a formula that has proven successfulover the years and that same philosophy is being used togrow the XTERRA Trail Run Series.

Now in its fifth year as a stand-alone set of races outsideof the off-road triathlon circuit, the XTERRA Trail Run Seriesboasts 50 runs in 16 states and 8 countries, giving runnersthe opportunity to race their way around the world�literally.

The focus of the series is the off-road half-marathondistance. When asked about the paradigm shift (XTERRATrail Runs used to be mostly 5k and 10k runs) Tom Kiely,CEO of XTERRA, explained that “after 12 years of produc-ing trail runs alongside our XTERRA off-road triathlons welearned that our audience wanted a bigger challenge than a10k. What the market told us was to create a series of half-marathons that have a physical challenge parallel to that ofa road marathon, but with Mother Nature along for the ride.”

Two big-time races, in truly stunning adventure destina-tions, highlight the line up with the XTERRA Trail Running

National Championship in Bend, Oregon and the

XTERRA Trail Running World Championship on the

Hawaiian Island of Oahu on December 6.

Not long ago Bend was named “America’s Best TrailRunning Town” by Outside Magazine, and with its widevariety of terrain, mild fall climate, endless miles of pristinetrails and a local community full of enthusiasm and supportfor the race, runners are emersed in a one-of-a-kindexperience at Nationals.

“The U.S. Trail Run Series is the fastest-growing segmentof XTERRA and the National Championship race is turninginto a really big deal,” said Kiely. “We think Bend is anamazing place to visit and explore, and an ideal venue forthe last race in the U.S. series.”

There are several regional series in the U.S. - Georgia,New England, Tennessee, Philadelphia, SouthernCalifornia, Northern California, South Carolina, and Virginia– and each hosts between 3 and 7 races through the courseof the year. The winner of each age group in each seriesearns free entry into the XTERRA Trail Running NationalChampionship race.

In Bend the championship event is a 21k/13.1 mile race,but the day-long running celebration will also feature racesof 10k and 5k distances, a festival/expo center for partici-pants and spectators, K9 Challenge, and Paul Mitchell cut-a-thon. While the race field will include competitors whohave qualified for Nationals at other events, participation isstill open to the general public.

Following Nationals, say Aloha! Held the weekend priorto the Honolulu Marathon, the XTERRA Trail Running WorldChampionship kicks off the “greatest week of running onEarth” for athletes from around the globe. For competitiverunners, $10,000 in prize money will be awarded to the topmale and female finishers and racers from XTERRA eventsin Brazil, New Zealand, Italy, France, Austria, and Japancome join in the adventure.The site at Kualoa Ranch on the northeastern side of Oahu

is nothing short of magical. Arguably the most stunninglandscape in Hawaii, the 4,000 acre working cattle ranchhas been the setting for major motion productions such asJurassic Park, Godzilla and LOST. From the steep mountaincliffs to the sparkling sea, the terrain varies from denserainforest to broad open valleys and from beautiful whitesand beaches to awesome verdant cliff faces.

This gathering of international trail runners is highlightedby the 21k race but is accompanied by numerous eventsranging from shorter distance trail runs and kids’ races to awalk-a-thon for charity and family entertainment.

“XTERRA is thrilled with the growth of its Trail RunningSeries” said Janet Clark, President of TEAMUnlimited/XTERRA. “XTERRA Trail Runs give runners anopportunity to explore some wildly natural environmentsand challenge Mother Nature’s diverse and unique offeringsfrom roots to rocks, to stream crossings and unexpectedscenic vistas.”

For more details visit www.xterratrailrun.com.

XTERRA TRAIL RUNNING OVERVIEW

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Date Race Location Distances - Series Descriptor12/6 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, HI 5km/10km/21km Xduro12/13 XTERRA Crystal Cove Trail Run Newport Coast, CA 5/15km – SoCal Series #3 20101/9/10 XTERRA Boney Mountain Xduro Trail Run Newbury Park, CA 6/21km – SoCal Series #42/7/10 XTERRA Mission Gorge Trail Run San Diego, CA 5/15km – SoCal Series #52/27/10 XTERRA Thrill in the Hills Xduro Trail Run Winder, GA 21/42km – Georgia Series #53/7/10 XTERRA Stillwell Trail Run Syosset, NY 8km – Long Island Series #13/14/10 XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Run Pelham, AL 10km – Alabama Series #33/14/10 XTERRA Black Mountain Trail Run San Diego, CA 5/15km – SoCal Series #63/27/10 XTERRA Chanoko Xduro Trail Run Granite Bay, CA 21km – NorCal Series #23/27/10 XTERRA Bethpage Trail Run Bethpage, NY 5km – Long Island Series #24/10/10 XTERRA Stony Brook Trail Run Stony Brook, NY 5km – Long Island Series #34/18/10 XTERRA Redwood Peak Trail Run Oakland, CA 5/15km – NorCal Series #34/24/10 XTERRA Vulture’s Knob Trail Run Wooster, OH TBA – Ohio Series #15/5/10 XTERRA Warwick Park Revenge Trail Run Pottstown, PA 5km – Philly Series #15/8/10 XTERRA Malibu Creek Xduro Trail Run Malibu, CA 6/22km – SoCal Series #75/19/10 XTERRA Hibernia Park Blast Trail Run Coatesville, PA 5km – Philly Series #25/22/10 XTERRA Deer Creek Trail Run Mt. Sterling, OH TBA – Ohio Series #25/29/10 XTERRA Oak Mountain Xduro Pelham, AL 5/10/21km – Alabama Series #45/29/10 XTERRA Paris Mountain 15km Trail Run Greenville, SC 15km – South Carolina #26/2/10 XTERRA Warwick Park Ruckus Trail Run Pottstown, PA 5km – Philly Series #36/5/10 XTERRA Deep South Trail Run Jackson, GA 15km – Georgia Series #66/5/10 XTERRA Waco Trail Run Waco, TX TBA – Texas Series #16/12/10 XTERRA Marin Headlands Xduro Trail Run San Francisco, CA 6/21km – NorCal Series #46/16/10 XTERRA Hibernia Park Challenge Trail Run Coatesville, PA 8km – Philly Series #46/19/10 XTERRA Richmond Xduro Richmond, VA 21km6/26/10 XTERRA Chapin Forest Trail Run Kirtland, OH TBA – Ohio Series #37/17/10 XTERRA Tyler Trail Run Tyler, TX TBA – Texas Series #27/18/10 XTERRA Bear Creek Xduro Trail Run Macungie, PA 10/21km – Philly Series #57/24/10 XTERRA A.W. Marion State Park Trail Run Circleville, OH TBA – Ohio Series #48/14/10 XTERRA STOAKED Trail Run Hanover, NH 16km 8/14/10 XTERRA Paris Mountain 7km Trail Run Greenville, SC 7km – South Carolina #38/21/10 XTERRA Lake Placid Trail Run Lake Placid, NY 5/10km 8/21/10 XTERRA Oak Hill Trail Run Boston Township, OH TBA – Ohio Series #58/21/10 XTERRA Emma Xduro Trail Run Austin, TX 5/18km – Texas Series #39/19/10 XTERRA Cheaha State Park Trail Run Delta, AL 10km – Alabama Series #1-20119/19/10 XTERRA Trail Running National Championship Bend, OR 5/10/21km9/25/10 XTERRA Wheeler Canyon Xduro Ogden, UT 21km10/2/10 XTERRA Fall Fitness Trail Run Buford, GA 5km – Georgia Series #1-201110/9/10 XTERRA Marathon of Trail Races Colorado Springs, CO 5/21/42km – CO Series #1 201110/23/10 XTERRA Makena Beach Trail Run Makena, Maui, HI 5/10km 10/24/10 XTERRA Monte Sano Trail Run Huntsville, AL 15km – Alabama Series #2-201111/6/10 XTERRA Paris Mountain 11km Trail Run Greenville, SC 11km – SC Series #1 – 201111/6/10 XTERRA Battle at Big Creek Trail Run Roswell, GA 7/15km – Georgia Series #2 - 201111/20/10 XTERRA Harbins Park Trail Run Dacula, GA TBA – Georgia Series #3 – 201112/5/10 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship Oahu, HI 5/10/21km

In Development for 2010:XTERRA North Carolina Trail Run Series (3 races) – includes Ashville and Charlotte.XTERRA Colorado Trail Run Series (3 races including 10/9/10 shown above) – adding Denver and Boulder areas.XTERRA Regional Championship Trail Runs (2 races – East and West U.S.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN-UP FOR THE XTERRA TRAIL MIX NEWSLETTER VISIT …XTERRATRAILRUN.COM

2009-2010Schedule

18

Lightweight XTERRA Shoes Designed to Help Athletes

Stalk Their On-Course Prey

TJ Gray and Ashley Brown — designers of XTERRA’s new

line of footwear and apparel — stood at the finish line of the

XTERRA World Championship in Maui in October 2008.

While many of the competitors lay in bed the night before

counting sheep in anticipation of the race, that afternoon

Gray and Brown were counting shoes.

Road shoe, road shoe, road shoe. As athletes poured

down from the lower slopes of Mount Haleakala from their

nearly seven-mile trail run over roots, rocks and ravines,

Gray and Brown couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Maybe one in 100 was a trail runner,” said Brown, who

along with partner Gray have also developed shoes for

Nike, adidas and Salomon. “They were all sacrificing sta-

bility for less weight.”

They returned to the drawing board, determined to make

XTERRA the lightest — but still, most stable — trail running

shoe on the market. With four months until the launch of the

shoes at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City,

designs were tweaked, materials tested — including a

unique combination of lighter blown rubber in the forefoot

and a heavier high-abrasion carbon rubber in the heel.

But their biggest scientific sport discovery was yet to come.

After much trial and error in their New Hampshire lab, a

molding model never before seen in the category was

created. Gone was a traditional glued-together midsole,

replaced by a dual-injected, dual-density EVA made of two

layers — the top soft, the bottom harder — giving comfort

and stability while taking away weight.

The result: an eco-friendly design that’s one of the lightest

trail runners ever, weighing in at less than 10.5 ounces for

men, 9.5 for women.

With the weight issue solved, multi-sport competitors Gray

and Brown began to research every movement taken on a

trail — the footplant and lateral pushoff around a 90-degree

directional path change, the flexed-footed jump over water,

the balanced gripped-toe run across a log.

As they were going for a timed run in the woods near their

studios — furiously passing each other, taking turns as the

lead — the big-picture design inspiration for XTERRA’s new

footwear line came: a big-cat predator’s paw.

“Chasing its prey, a big cat grips into the earth — digging

into loose gravel, dirt, gaining time and distance on every

step, every leap,” said Gray, a former collegiate decathlete

at Syracuse.

“The outer part of their foot acts like a traction pad,” he

continued. “It’s from there that we came up with XTERRA’s

unique outsole lug concept.”

The concept’s name: WILDTred. According to Gray and

Brown, its carved claw-like perimeter lug design forms

independent touch pads from forefoot to heel with deep flex

zones for controlled, wrap-around grip. They also noted the

lugs are higher than the shoe bottom’s concave center,

helping it act as its front and rear suspension while creating

a larger surface area.

“With the cat’s paw, we liked the symbolism of man’s

co-existence with all things found in the environment, said

Brown. “We adapt to our surroundings, whether it be

animal, plant or any of nature’s elements.

Continued Brown: “The thought behind XTERRA’s new line

is that the outdoors are no longer to be conquered; they’re

to be connected with.”

XTERRA’s footwear launch includes five styles: trail

runner, trail trainer, ultra trainer, performance sandal, and

performance slide.

For more information on the product — or what retailers

are carrying XTERRA — multisport athletes can go to

www.xterrafootwear.com

XTERRAGEAR.COM NEWS

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XTERRA BEGINNINGSIT REALLY STARTED in the late '80's. That's when Tom

Kiely (CEO of TEAM Unlimited - owners and producers of

XTERRA) was tasked with creating more publicity for the

Waikiki Oahu Visitors Association. His idea was sports TV.

"First, sports is part of our life blood in Hawaii, and second,

what looks good on TV? The beaches and the ocean,"

explained Kiely.

The concept was pretty simple. TV sports and

entertainment is one of the biggest industries in the world.

The travel industry is THE BIGGEST industry in the world.

Bring those two together in programming, and you've got

something big.

So he came up with the idea for the Hawaiian International

Ocean Challenge - a lifeguard skills competition that

attracted water safety specialists from Australia, New

Zealand, California, and of course, Hawaii.

Then, he forged a relationship with ESPN - the worldwide

leader in sports.

In 1990 the Ocean Challenge was broadcast on ESPN,

and millions of viewers were exposed to the beauty of

Waikiki - the sun, sand, and crystal clear blue water of the

Pacific Ocean. Subsequently, this is where David "Kahuna"

Nicholas enters the picture - as "race director."

"So we get into producing the Ocean Challenge," says

Kiely. "And now I'm thinking I've got all these athletes and

TV crews and if it costs me this much to produce one show,

it'll cost less for another, and even less for a third."

ESPN approves two more shows (Waikiki King's Race and

Diamond Head Wahine Windsurfing Classic) and in 1991

TEAM Unlimited produces three events and three TV

shows. The concept is working, and Hawaii is reaping the

benefits of the outdoor exposure the shows are generating.

"So the next year (1992) we produced seven Hawaiian

Sports Adventure Shows�multiple segments, different

stories, great scenics, and 30-minutes of entertaining, good

fun stuff," said Kiely.

Those seven shows were in addition to the Ocean

Challenge and a few others televised events, including the

inaugural Tour O' Hawaii.

"Now that was a great event," said Nicholas - now the

managing director of the XTERRA Global Tour. "The Tour

O' Hawaii happened before professional cyclists were

allowed to compete in the Olympics so the top riders from

every country kept their amateur status so they could race

in the Olympics. We just missed Lance because he signed

with Motorola, but we had George Hincapie, Jan Ulrich,

Tyler Hamilton, and dozens of others. Looking back, the

field was a who's who of international cycling."

A few years later the Olympics allowed pros to compete,

road cycling in the U.S. was on the decline, and the Tour O'

Hawaii was no more. At the same time, however, mountain

biking was taking off. So in 1995, in addition to 12 other TV

shows and several events, TEAM Unlimited produced the

Hawaiian Mountain Tour.

In doing so Nicholas and mountain bike Hall-of-Famer

Dean Crandall established the rules and held the first-ever

mountain bike stage race. This is also where many of the

XTERRA greats first appeared. The likes of Ned Overend,

Shari Kain, Melanie McQuaid, Steve Larsen, Mike Kloser,

Leslie Tomlinson, and host of others were taking part in the

Hawaiian Mountain Tour. Now these races took place at

Kualoa Ranch on Oahu, where the Koolau mountain range

meets the ocean, and the story goes that after their races

the mountain bikers would ride down to the beach and jump

in the water. It sparked a thought�why not have a

mountain bike triathlon?

By 1996 TEAM Unlimited had produced more than 50

shows and sporting events, and while the idea of an off-road

triathlon was enticing - who'd pay for it?

Almost simultaneously, the Aston Hotel in Maui (now the

Wailea Marriott Resort) was shopping for a good idea for

their grand opening and the Maui Visitors Bureau was

looking for a new event that could tell a different story about

Maui's south shore because all the exposure up to that point

was golf. Well, what better way to show off the hotel and

south shore than 1) starting the race at this beautiful beach

in front of the sponsor hotel, 2) follow a race that covers 21

miles of terrain with two dozen camera's, and 3) put it on TV

for the whole world to see?

Add a phone call to Kiely from a friendly competitor in the

marketplace (to remain unnamed) inquiring on the very

subject of producing an off-road triathlon and you have all

the main ingredients for XTERRA's birth.

Kiely likes to define luck as the "intersection of opportuni-

ty and activity." He recalls bringing Nicholas and VP of

Marketing Janet Clark into his office.

"Look, I said, so-and-so called me and said that they were

thinking about doing an off-road tri and if they do, then we're

forever second, so we have to be the first ones to do it. I

immediately called Aston and the MVB and said O.K., I've

got the idea, here's the thing, bing, bang, boom," said Kiely.

"And that's what got us started in XTERRA."

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THE XTERRA PLANETAt the finish line of the very first XTERRA race in 1996 it was clear thatXTERRA was going to be more than just a one-off event. There waspassion in the eyes of the competitors and an unwavering feeling thatXTERRA was destined to become a lifestyle�a movement.

And look at what XTERRA has become�

- The first piece of expansion started with more races, a lot more. Fromone to 100+ in 17 countries in an 11-year span including a 60-stop America Tour for amateurs and a full-blownEuropean Tour. XTERRA races can now be found on nearly every continent in the World.

- We initiated a series of XTERRA Camps across the U.S. to help prepare athletes to race and get them startedtowards an active lifestyle. To that end, we offer up half-distance races for newcomers at our major events, plus thechance to race as part of a relay team. We also offer free XTERRA University clinics taught by our top pros.

- We dish out a half-million dollars in prize money to attract some of the world's leading multisport athletes and garnerthe attention of national and international media.

- We make champions. In the U.S. off-road triathlon series alone we recognize 184 amateur regional champions and22 amateur national champions, plus relay team and collegiate national champs, XTERRA Trail Run Series, Nationaland World Champs, and now XTERRA Winter World Champions.

- We get kids involved wherever we go with the XTERRA Kids Zone. It's a free schedule of events with running andbike races, obstacle courses, and other fun games. The notion is to get kids outdoors and active.

- We put the lifestyle on display for millions to see with XTERRA TV. A dozen shows reaching into homes all over theworld with inspiring images of fun activities in great places. We also launched our very own 24/7 web TV network,www.xterra.tv, where viewers can watch our shows on demand for free.

- We became consumer friendly. First with XTERRA Gear - equipment designed for rugged competition. Then, withraces in more than a dozen countries and nearly every state in the U.S., we knew traveling was part of the game sowe selected Travelocity to power XTERRA Travel on our website.

- With the introduction of the XTERRA Foundation - we gave XTERRA heart. The XTERRA Foundation is a non-profitspecifically designed to provide educational opportunities for at-risk kids.

- We've opened the doors for runners, not just multisport athletes, with the XTERRA Trail Running Series. This yearthere were more than 50 5k, 10k, and 21k runs reaching into 15 U.S. States and seven countries - providing morechances to participate in the healthy, active, outdoors lifestyle. We’ll host the XTERRA Trail Running WorldChampionship - a 21k - on Dec. 6, 2009 on the island of Oahu.

- We created a platform for our dog lovers with the XTERRA K9 Challenge.

- We launched the XTERRA Eco Team to protect and preserve the areas we race in, and give back to thecommunities that host us.

- And XTERRA is only getting better...

21

TEAM UNLIMITEDTEAM Unlimited is a Hawaii-based television events and marketing company,founded in 1988. It owns and produces XTERRA, and in 2009 there will be more than100 off-road triathlon events held in 13 countries. It all started with 123 competitorsone afternoon in Maui, and has since evolved into the most prestigious off-roadmultisport race in the world. There are 30,000+ competitors, ages 13-71, from all 50states and more than 40 countries competing in XTERRA events. TEAM Unlimitedalso produces a 50-race worldwide Trail Running Series with National and WorldChampionship races, the XTERRA Winter World Championship, and more than adozen TV shows each year are produced by TEAM TV.

XTERRA THROUGH TIME

1996: Jimmy Riccitello and Michellie Jones win inaugural event in Wailea, Maui.1997: XTERRA adds two events in California, and one in Louisiana in addition to World Championship.1998: The XTERRA tour goes to Michigan, Colorado, Oregon, and back to Louisiana.1999: 11 races spanning from California to New Jersey. First year of Pro Points Series.2000: XTERRA goes global with its first international races in England, Japan, and Canada.2001: The first year of the XTERRA USA Championship Series, Australia and the Netherlands. 2002: The inaugural XTERRA Saipan Championship, and races in Germany and the Czech Republic.

The XTERRA USA Championship Series expands to 31 races. 2003: The seventh consecutive year of expansion provides more than 50 events to compete in.2004: Forty-five events in the U.S., plus 33 international races and a full-fledged XTERRA European Tour2005: First year of the stand-alone XTERRA Trail Running Series and Nevada Passage Adventure Competition.2009: More than 100 XTERRA off-road triathlon races and 50+ XTERRA Trail Runs

TEAM TV

Since 1990 TEAM TVhas produced nearly300 television shows

resulting in threeregional Emmy’s and39 Telly Awards for

production excellence.