Thousands of people including athletes, volunteers, spectators and others converged on Snowbasin today for a the XTERRA USA Championships. The magnificent array of colors painting the mountainside around the world-class Snowbasin Resort today was nothing but breathtaking. Perhaps the only thing more explosive was watching world-class athletes compete for the Pro Series titles and $80,000 in prize money.
Hear ye’, hear ye! The great people of Ogden, world-class facilities at Snowbasin Resort and majestic Wasatch Range combined to do what no other venue in the history of XTERRA has done before.
First, they rallied the community into hosting an off-road triathlon. Then, they turned that race from a local grassroots affair into a major regional event on the XTERRA Tour. And now, they’re hosting the XTERRA USA Championship, the biggest race on the XTERRA America Tour. Indeed, the culminating event in the 60-race U.S. series.
Come September 26, some 50 pros – Olympians, Adventure Racing World Champs, Mountain Biking Legends alike – will be in town to race for $80,000 in prize money. Dozens of cameraman will position themselves around Wheeler Canyon to capture all the action for a nationally syndicated one-hour sports special. Amateur athletes from nearly every state in the union will travel here to chase their dreams and race for the XTERRA National Championship crown.
And the XTERRA Utah off-road triathlon, featuring a 750m swim, 19km mountain bike, and 5km trail run, will take place on the same day, at the same time (well, 20 minutes later), and on the same course.
Utah is where it’s at, and we want you to join us and make this thing the most rockin’ off-road tri festival ever. In addition to the off-road tris we’re putting on the XTERRA Wheeler Canyon 21k that runs from Pineview Reservoir to Snowbasin Resort, the XTERRA K9 Challenge owner-and-dog races, the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, Kids Zone, Pro Clinics, Expo, party under the stars in downtown Ogden with highlight videos, great food, live music, and good vibes. It’s all part of the annual Mountain 2 Metro games which are running simultaneously with a host of activities and events for the whole family.
Snowbasin is proud to host the XTERRA National Championships this September 25th & 26th. The best off-road triathletes in the country compete in a 1-mile swim in Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Valley, a 20-mile mountain bike ride that climbs more than 3,000 feet up to the majestic Snowbasin Resort, followed by a 6-mile trail run at Snowbasin.
For the past three years Snowbasin has hosted the XTERRA Mountain Championship, one of four key regional US events in the 60-race XTERRA American Tour, and also hosted the XTERRA Winter World Championship held in March, 2008.
The XTERRA USA Championship race annually attracts amateur and professional athletes from nearly every State in the Union and a dozen countries. As the grand finale and last race in the XTERRA America Tour there is more than $100,000 in prize money for the pros. With the three years of experience behind them, Snowbasin has developed a tremendous reputation for both great racing and a warm welcome to the racing and spectator community.
