Press and Media Center

Inaugural XTERRA Philippines Sunday

XTERRA World Champion Shonny Vanlandingham was spotted in the infiniti pool at the Crimson Beach Resort and Spa on the island of Mactan in the Philippines today.

Joining her for a swim in preparation for Sunday's inaugural XTERRA Philippines Championship race was (from left to right) Sam Gardner and Daz Parker from the United Kingdom, Carina Wasle from Austria, and Caroline Colonna from New Mexico.

While Wasle won XTERRA South Africa to kick off the World Tour last weekend, this will be the 2011 debut for the rest of the group and the start of a mini XTERRA Asia Tour that will continue next weekend in the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan.

Gardner is hoping to add yet another exotic championship race to his trophy case.  The 35-year-old firefighter has won the last two XTERRA Saipan Championships, the 2009 XTERRA Japan Championship, and he has also won XTERRA Guam.

XTERRA managing director Dave Nicholas is in the province of Cebu to take in all the action and brings us this report from the field:

The promised thunder storms are no where to be found.  Instead we have sunny skies and high 80's.  It is typically humid but some great summer days here in the Philippines.  Today, race director Guy Conception took a handful of pro and local riders around the bike and run courses to get their opinions.  The result was an overwhelming "terrific".  The bike is fast and fairly flat with only one very technical section close to the end of each lap.  To offset of the speed, the distance was raised to 35km and I figure with the extra distance we should have a two hour + winning time.

Several of us walked around the area where the race will have the swim, transition and finish.  What a fabulous, happy feeling the local folks give off.  Always smiling and saying hello, children running around singing and happy.  Stop at a small store on the road and get a coke or sprite for less than a quarter!  The food is delicious and the beer is cold.  The host resort is a definite five-star with a 25-meter pool to practice in, a breakfast to die for, a full workout room, nice beach swim area, and a sports bar.  Heaven.

Saturday rego opens all day and the organizers have scheduled three separate shuttles to take riders out to the race site if they don't with to drive there themselves.  Here, labor is inexpensive and hundreds of men are showing up to make transition, final groom the trails and roads, mark the course, set buoys, put up tents and banners throughout the town.  It is a wonder to watch.

The race starts Sunday at 7am to avoid the midday heat and we're all looking forward to one heck of an event.  With the way the bike course is laid out - some single track and a lot of dirt roads through the barrios and small villages - it will be like the Tour de France with literally thousands of spectators lining the course.  Today with a normal work day going on, it was a fun challenge avoiding the ever present tuck-tucks or motorcycles with side seats and trucks and people walking the roads, goats and trucks.  We're having an absolute blast!

Click here to get a look at a bit of the bike course, and learn more about the race at www.xterraphil.com.