Since 1996, XTERRA has continued to pioneer the sport of off-road triathlon, now featuring nearly 30 prize-paying events worldwide for Elite athletes competing at the forefront of the sport. The Elite category was established for those seeking to race at the highest level, offering an early starting wave at most events, a direct pathway to the XTERRA World Championship, and the opportunity to compete for prize purses.
However, to maintain fairness and ensure a high level of competition, only athletes who meet the specified criteria and are officially registered as XTERRA Elite Athletes are eligible to compete in the Elite category at XTERRA events.
Registered XTERRA Elite athletes are eligible to compete in the Elite category and race for the prize purse at all XTERRA events listed below. The Elite prize purse is distributed equally between male and female athletes, with a full breakdown of the purse allocation available on the Full Distance Triathlon race page for each event.
To become officially registered as an XTERRA Elite athlete, applicants must:
All applications for XTERRA Elite status, as well as any questions regarding Elite racing, must be directed to elite@xterraplanet.com.
ELITE NATIONALITY
In line with World Triathlon, Elite Athletes may only represent one nationality when competing in XTERRA events. The nationality submitted on the athlete agreement will be used when establishing eligibility for regional championships.
Debuting in 2023, the XTERRA World Cup is the premier pro series of off-road triathlon. Designed to see XTERRA’s top talent go head-to-head in a condensed circuit of racing that spans the globe, the World Cup is exclusive to Elite athletes and showcases the very best of XTERRA racing to fans and spectators worldwide.
To be eligible for Elite entry or accommodation benefits, Elite athletes must submit their provisional 2026 World Cup race schedule by February 1, 2026, and ensure they meet the registration deadlines for their chosen races.
All deadlines above are based on UTC-10 time of the indicated day
Note: Athletes who fail to register before the stated deadline will forfeit any eligible entry or accommodation benefits and will be subject to a 100€ penalty deducted from their World Cup prize purse without exception.
To help incentivise top athletes to participate in the World Cup, the following athletes will be eligible to receive free entry to the specified races:
To further incentivize traveling athletes, the top 5 ranked Elite male and female athletes in the WPI ranking coming from outside the host region will be eligible for complimentary entry to XTERRA World Cup events, provided they hold a top 50 WPI ranking.
The reigning 2025 XTERRA World Champions will be eligible for complimentary entry to any XTERRA World Cup events
Note: If the maximum number of complimentary entries has not been filled by World Cup-ranked athletes, additional complimentary entries may be allocated based on WPI rankings.
Reminder: Athletes who fail to register before the stated deadline of the event will forfeit any eligible entry or accommodation benefits and will be subject to a 100€ penalty deducted from their World Cup prize purse without exception.
Incentives will be offered to top-performing athletes in the form of free accommodation at specified races.
The top 5-ranked male and female athletes in the XTERRA World Cup standings are eligible for three nights of complimentary accommodation, provided by the race organiser, as follows:
Roll Downs: If an athlete in the top 5 is not racing at a specified event, their spot will roll down to the next highest-ranked Elite athlete (must hold a top 10 WPI World Ranking) who has confirmed their attendance. If the maximum number of complimentary accommodations is not reached through World Cup-ranked athletes, additional spots may be allocated based on WPI rankings.
Note: XTERRA World Cup race organizers may, at their discretion, offer a cash alternative equivalent to the cost of the provided accommodation on a case-by-case basis.
Reminder: Athletes who fail to register before the stated deadline of the event will forfeit any eligible entry or accommodation benefits and will be subject to a 100€ penalty deducted from their World Cup prize purse without exception.
An individual prize purse will be awarded at each World Cup Full Distance and Short Track race, with an additional €100,000 series bonus distributed to eligible top-performing athletes at the conclusion of the series.
Prize purses and series bonuses are both split evenly between the male and female categories, with all prize purses and bonuses paid in Euros, except for events in Australia and Oak Mountain, USA which are paid in US dollars.
To be eligible for the World Cup bonus prize purse, athletes must start at least two of the three continental championships. This rule ensures that the XTERRA World Cup remains truly global, rewarding athletes committed to competing outside their home region.
An exception may be granted by the XTERRA Elite Committee if an athlete has submitted their race schedule by the agreed deadlines, traveled to an event, and recorded a DNS (Did Not Start) due to an injury sustained prior to the race.
Note: This rule applies only to eligibility for the prize money bonus and does not impact scoring or ranking calculations.
The XTERRA World Cup is a points-based series that awards points to the top 30 finishers in each Full Distance and Short Track race. Rankings are updated after every race, allowing athletes to move up or down the standings throughout the season. Series points are weighted based on race format, and the XTERRA World Cup Champion title is awarded to the male and female athletes with the highest total scores across all World Cup races.
Joker Rule: For 2026, athletes will be permitted 2 jokers per year: 1 Full Distance Joker & 1 Short Track Joker. An athlete's final World Cup score will be calculated using their best 6 Full Distance results and their best 4 Short Track results.
Competition Rules
XTERRA World Cup events will follow World Triathlon Competition Rules where possible. However, events may implement modified rules based on the Local Triathlon Federation. Key modifications will be communicated during the mandatory Athlete Briefing.
Tie-breaks
In the event of a tie for a prize money position at the end of the World Cup season, the tie will be broken using the following criteria, in order:
License Requirements
Athletes must hold a valid membership or race license with a recognized Triathlon Federation.
Mandatory Race Briefing
Athletes are required to attend the mandatory Race Briefing at each World Cup event.
To be eligible to compete at the XTERRA World Championship, Elite athletes must:
Exemptions:
Top-performing athletes as described below will receive discounted entry to the World Championship event, on the condition that they participate in at least one XTERRA World Championship Qualifying Series event from the same year as the World Championship:
Note: Race Number Allocation and Starting Procedures will use rankings from the 2025 XTERRA World Championship, followed by WPI rankings.
* The current season of the XTERRA World Championship starts right after the previous World Championship and ends when registration for the World Championship closes.
The reigning XTERRA World Champions will receive three nights’ free accommodation or the financial equivalent. All other athletes are encouraged to book early to secure the best deals.
At XTERRA World Tour events offering at least 7,500 USD/EUR in prize money, the top 10 ranked men and women in the WPI Rankings will receive free entry if they register at least 30 days prior to the event. Free entries after this date are at the discretion of the race organizer.
Accommodation provision is not required and remains at the discretion of individual race organizers.
The XTERRA World Performance Index (WPI) is a formula-driven system that enables athletes to compare their performances against competitors worldwide. XTERRA World Rankings are determined by averaging an athlete’s best two event scores over the previous 24 months.
For more information, visit the XTERRA World Performance Index page.
XTERRA is a global lifestyle brand that champions the outdoor enthusiast in their pursuit of relentless adventure.
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