Berg, Grosse dominate XTERRA Portland 2011

By Julie Paynter

An overcast August morning at Henry Hagg Lake served off-road triathletes well as XTERRA Portland cranked up the heat along the trails in Scoggins Valley Park, near Forest Grove, Ore., Saturday. After last year's menacing heat and near 100 degree stiffling temperatures, this year's freakishly mild summer weather and wetsuit-friendly swim were a relief to returning competitors.

Unlike last year, athletes were able to delay any sweat from their eyes long enough to absorb the view of an emerald green lake and to see the cheering fans.

Damian Hill, 28, practically stepped on the tail fin of 38-year-old Matt Berg's wetsuit as the two tightly led the swim out of Hagg Lake. Only 12 seconds behind Hill, was Rich Arvizo, 36. The bike course sent riders blazing through a crowd of friends and family before continuing onto the longer of two loops. By the end of the bike course, Arvizo had dropped out of the top three and eventually placed 6th overall. Eric Atwood, 37, smoked the bike and run courses to take 4th overall and Scott Zavack, 43, placed 5th.

So who won overall? First place went to Matt Berg with a time of 2:02:48; second place went to Damian Hill with 2:06:42; and third place to Mathieu Signoretty with a time of 2:07:37. 

The female top finishers were: Keri Grosse, 44, with a time of 2:24:01;Tara Pollock, 36, with a time of 2:26:43; and Melissa Norland, 37, with a time of 2:28:49. 
 
Keri Grosse, who currently lives and trains in Spokane, Wash., is a 2008 XTERRA Worlds amateur champion and third place finisher from 2009 Worlds. Last year, Grosse's racing momentum was abruptly halted after she was sent home from 2010 XTERRA Worlds hobbling on a broken foot. But obviously, you can't keep Grosse down, because Saturday she showed XTERRA Portland she had no problems stepping in for the win.

Determination is beautiful, isn't it? Another racer, 30-year-old Roger Barr, was peeved when his left bike crank fell apart 10 miles into the ride. But he didn't let that stop him from sweating out his frustrations and finishing what he started. After sprinting six miles in bike shoes, Barr switched to comfy sneakers and headed out for another five miles on the traditional run course.

"I was having too much fun to stop," explains Barr who came to race from Arcata, Calif.  "I was having a great mountain bike leg, picking people off -i'm a slow swimmer so I had lots of people to pass- and felt like I was really hauling ass. So I was just too amped up too stop."

Although Barr left his bike in pieces, he did complete the race with his pride in tact, clocking in at 3:27:33.

XTERRA Portland is a 1,000 meter swim in the calm waters of Henry Hagg Lake. A 25 kilometer mountain bike ride and 5-mile run course fall under the lush canopy of Scoggins Valley forest, about 25 miles southwest of Portland.  The cycling portion of the race has rolling and flat, single and double track lanes, and the extremely technical course has sharp turns requiring quick and reactive decision making. Bursts of speed on short and steep climbs force the rider out of the saddle while several rocky and root filled sections challenge the rider's agility, control and balance.The run course is made up of creek crossings, log hopping and bush whacking through Scoggins Valley trails. XTERRA Portland is always held the second Saturday of August near Forest Grove, Ore.

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