August Events: The Build Up to 2 World Championships Begins

For those in the Americas region, August opens with the ultimate grassroots XTERRA experience at XTERRA Portland, where lakeside camping means s'mores by night and singletrack trails all day long. 

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The full distance course is perfect for beginners and experienced racers - it just gets more difficult the faster you go - and those fast enough to claim a World Championship slot will have the choice to line up with the best at either the 2023 or 2024 XTERRA World Championship.

But it may not be the full distance athletes that take the spotlight. XTERRA Portland is the kind of race where the main event is most certainly the kids Splash + Pedal + Dash and the slip-and-slide finish line at the end. Of course, the big kids can play too as all 4 races throughout the single-day event end with a slide across the finish.

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The real victory, however, is spending a rejuvenating weekend at Hagg Lake and breathing in the fresh air of the Pacific Northwest.  

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If you’re looking for inspiration to just go for it and head out on an adventure, watch this. It’s the documentary XTERRA pro and filmmaker Eric Lagerstrom produced on his road trip to PDX last year, and it’s epic.

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View XTERRA Portland event info

XTERRA Americas Tour

Just 100 kilometers west of Rio de Janeiro is a paradisiacal palace called the Portobello Resort & Safari. It’s the basecamp for XTERRA Costa Verde, where hardcore Brazilian XTERRA athletes can battle it out for qualifying spots to both the triathlon and trail XTERRA World Championship races.

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“It’s where the river meets the sea,” explained Andre Jubao. “We’ve been organizing the XTERRA stage in Costa Verde for 10 years now. Suspended trails with stunning views, technical challenges, mountains, and natural vegetation are just some of the obstacles that our athletes face here. The natural beauty of the place is breathtaking.”

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And the races themselves are sure to deliver every inch of challenge and adventure that XTERRA is known for, especially in Brazil. The full distance off-road triathlon, open water swim, Endurance 50K trail marathon, half-marathon and 10K trail run each cover some of the most magnificent terrain in the country.

“The trail runs are known for their exotic mix of terrain with river crossings, technical trails and long ascents in wet and slippery forests. Made for those seeking personal challenges and thirst for experiencing the true essence of trail running,” said Jubao.

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The single-day event never fails to draw the crowds and has consistently provided  slots for the always-vibrant crew of athletes representing Brazil at  the XTERRA World Championship each year.

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View XTERRA Costa Verde event info

XTERRA Americas Tour

Set amidst the breathtaking highlands of the Gifu prefecture, XTERRA Japan Trail Run Nenouekogen offers not only one of the most scenic trails in the country but also the penultimate chance for those in the APAC region to earn their slot to the 2023 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship in Main, USA. 

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The Nenoue Highland is a hidden gem that time has forgotten. About an hour's drive from Nagoya, Nenouekogen offers an escape from modern life, emphasising the importance of conservation instead.

From the ancient Ena Shrine, over a millennium old, to the enchanting post town of Magome-juku, The Nakasendo route leads you through picturesque streets against a backdrop of towering bamboo groves and cedar forests. The courses themselves involve varied terrains comprising hill climbs and rocky descents. 

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Three distances await: 5K, the 25K Half Marathon, and the 50K Trail Marathon. Whether you're a seasoned trail runner or new to the world of XTERRA, this event promises to deliver the perfect mix of culture, community, and adventure. 

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View XTERRA Japan Trail Run Nenouekogen event info

XTERRA Trail Run World Series

XTERRA’s oldest race may just see its biggest year yet as XTERRA Czech gets the second half of the World Cup series underway with a massive bang in Prachatice.

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Prachatice has long been known as an XTERRA Town, with the local community coming out in droves to support the athletes. And this year they’ll be treated to an absolute spectacle as the biggest names in the game head to Czech for the XTERRA World Cup and the Pilousek family, who have run the event since 2002, pull out all the stops to deliver an athlete and spectator experience like no other. 

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Arthur ​​Serrières, the Forissier brothers, Ruben Ruzafa, Josiah Middaugh, Alizée Paties, Sandra Mairhofer, and Solenne Billouin, just to name a few, will lead the hundreds of age groupers in one of the most unique full distance courses on the circuit - featuring old panel roads made for tanks in the 60s, forested sections of the Golden Salt Path, slick singletrack segments and the iconic town square finish - and then be back at it again for the elite-only Short Track race the next day.

The event completely takes over the town square for the 2-day event, with athletes and spectators treated to music festivals on both days, a huge selection of food trucks, large LED screens to watch the racing, and an air show from Red Bull Air race pilot, Martin Sonka. 

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To say that XTERRA Czech is going to be a spectacle would be an understatement. But fortunately for those not in attendance, no less than 25 cameras will be on the Short Track course to capture every twist and turn of the World Cup Stop #4 Short Track race. Watch it live and for free right here on XTERRA Planet.

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View XTERRA Czech event info

XTERRA EMEA Tour

XTERRA World Cup

The next edition of XTERRA’s long distance format heads to Belgium, where 28 World Championship slots will be up for grabs as athletes take on an all 93.5K of endurance and adventure in the waters and peaks of the Ardennes.

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The race begins in the Gileppe Dam, a landmark that dates back to 1857 and is famed for the 13.5m stone lion that sits ominously on the dam wall, gazing to the east. Here, athletes will need to complete the full 1.9K single-loop swim before heading out the water and into one of the longest bike loops on the circuit.

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The long distance format is the only XTERRA race format that allows gravel bikes, with the bike loop at XTERRA Ardennes being exceptionally favourable to the lighter bike type. The bike course may not be very technical, but with over 1,100m elevation it won’t be a walk in the park either - especially with only 2 aid stations over the 74K single loop. 

Athletes will, however, still need to save something for the legs as the final double-loop 18K run includes a further 500m+ of elevation gain. 

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Those fast enough to claim one of the 28 championship slots will have the choice to attend the 2023 or the 2024 XTERRA World Championships. 

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For fans, friends and family keen to join in but not up for the full 93.5K, there is also a Discovery Triathlon and Short distance Triathlon, both of which welcome gravel bikes and E-bikes. 

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View XTERRA Ardennes event info

XTERRA EMEA Tour

A great escape to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park has long been a right of passage for endurance enthusiasts and rock climbers looking to challenge the highest vertical cliffs in Ontario, Canada. But for the XTERRA crowd, it’s a chance to explore the Trowbridge Forest myths and mesa rock formations that were once islands in a massive inland sea a millennia ago.

The Canadians know a thing or two about how to make good mountain bike trails, and the purpose-built single track that flows from Thunder Bay at Kinsmen Park is a testament to that, with gnarly downhills, lots of rocks and smooth, twisting flats.

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With a World Championship qualifier,  a sprint race, a duathlon, and both 5K and 10K trail runs all set for the single-day event, everyone, from amateur to elite, has a chance to experience the gem of the Giant at the head of Lake Superior.

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View XTERRA Sleeping Giant event info

XTERRA Americas Tour

Nestled at the mouth of the formidable Waikato River, the XTERRA Waiuku Forest Trail Run unveils a trail runner’s paradise with its breathtaking backdrop, providing extensive views that span the Tasman Sea, Port Waikato, and the stunning Waikato River.

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With four distances to choose from - 8K, 12K, 19K, and the 23K Trail Half Marathon - trail runners can expect a few rocky sections and river crossings with short and steep climbs. Navigating through dense forest areas, surrounded by towering trees and lush vegetation, there will be fast and flowy sections, allowing you to pick up speed and find your rhythm on certain stretches of the course. 

The scenic Waiuku Forest is not only a trail running adventure but also a race-cation in a destination filled with beauty, challenge, and camaraderie. 

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The 23K Trail Half Marathon is the final qualifying race for the 2023 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship, with 44 races down and 1 very big one to go. 

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View XTERRA Waiuku Forest Trail Run event info

XTERRA Trail Run World Series

Just 6 days after the dust settles in Czech, the XTERRA World Cup heads to another time-tested course where the top male and female elites will lead nearly a thousand age group athletes in the 2023 edition of XTERRA Germany. 

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Just like Czech, XTERRA Germany has perfected the festival spirit and the atmosphere across the 2-day event will be electric. 

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It’s the elites who will get the party started with the XTERRA World Cup Short Track race scheduled the day before the full distance race. It’s the 4th of 5 Short Track races in the series where points will be crucial as  only 2 stops remain in the series after Germany.

The full distance race follows on Sunday and begins with a heart-pumping sand sprint straight into a washing machine of elbows and arms for a 1.5K swim. Out the water and onto the bike, athletes will quickly be met with a gruelling vertical climb as they head into the hills for the 37K bike loop. From there it’s a 10K footrace to back to the top of the hill where the iconic bell awaits to ring in the next set of reigning champions.

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The event offers 58 slots for World Championship hopefuls and a €20,000 elite prize purse. For those not in Zittau, the Short Track race will be livestreamed for free on the Watch Live page on XTERRA Planet.

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View XTERRA Germany event info

XTERRA EMEA Tour

XTERRA World Cup

The penultimate stop in the inaugural XTERRA World Cup heads high up in the Rockies to Beaver Creek Resort in Avon, Colorado for an endurance challenge like no other.

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"The Beast" boasts the highest elevation of any major on the XTERRA World Tour starting with a one-mile swim in Nottingham Lake located at 7,400-feet elevation; followed by a 15-mile mountain bike that climbs 3,500-feet into the thin air of the Rockies topping out at 9,400ft; and finishes with a grueling six-mile trail run through the aspens.

It’s the sixth of seven stops on the sports premiere global circuit built to showcase XTERRA’s fastest off-road triathletes as they go head-to-head for their share of a $340,000+ prize purse. There’s also national titles on the line for age group division winners, and 58 qualifying spots into the 2023 or 2024 XTERRA World Championship.

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It’s a BIG one with a lot on the line, and when it’s all over - an idyllic post-race party by the lake with live music, yard games, and food trucks galore will be waiting for the warriors of the day.

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View XTERRA USA Championship event info

XTERRA Americas Tour

XTERRA World Cup

On the captivating grounds of Domaine de la Cadie is an 80-hectare property that will once again play host to XTERRA Nouvelle Aquitaine, where age groupers and elites will battle it out for the € 7,500 elite prize purse and the 28 XTERRA World Championship slots. 

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XTERRA Nouvelle Aquitaine boasts four races, each limited to 500 athletes. The pinnacle race of the weekend will be the Full Distance Triathlon, but both a Medium Triathlon and a Light Triathlon will be available for speedsters and first-timers, as well as kids races to give the youngsters a taste of the off-road action. 

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The event kicks off on Friday with exciting activities at Lac de la Cadie, including a bike course recon session with XTERRA World Champion, Arthur​​ Serrières, and a pasta party to get prepped for the race and spend time with the XTERRA community.

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, a region in southwestern France, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, offering athletes an unparalleled race experience. From sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast to the lush forests of Dordogne and the majestic Pyrenees mountains, the terrain showcases the natural beauty of this captivating region.

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Expect a mix of dirt trails, vineyard paths, and rolling hills with picturesque vineyards and varied slopes as a sight to behold for athletes testing their mettle on this demanding course.

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View XTERRA Nouvelle Aquitaine event info

XTERRA EMEA Tour

The XTERRA Suzhou Yuyang Night Run is built around the theme of ‘find your light’, blending together music, community, nature and adventure to bring trail runners in the region one of the most vibrant events of the year. 

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Starting out at the XTERRA Yuyang Outdoor Sports Center, the event offers the choice of a 12K or a 21K trail run adventure that heads from the base up into the scenic mountains west of Shanghai just as the sun begins to set. 

Following a trail of headlights like fireflies through the forest, runners will have the opportunity to discover the unbridled natural beauty that lies just outside the city of Suzhuo before heading back for a night festival with DJs, refreshing beers, snacks, and absolutely no shortage of the XTERRA community spirit.

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The XTERRA Suzhou Yuyang Night Run promises to be a celebration of passion, perseverance, and the boundless wonders of nature, and welcomes all levels of runners, from the curious to the accomplished, to be a part of this truly unique event.

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View XTERRA Suzhou Yuyang Night Run event info

XTERRA Bromont returns to the Olympic Equestrian Park in Quebec, home to the 1976 Summer Olympics, for year four of mountain range racing to the summit.

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“Bromont is a charming resort town ideal for an active stay surrounded by nature,” said event organizer Christian Rodrigue. “ It includes hundreds of kilometers of multifunctional trails, several mountain peaks, an aquatic park, spas, hotels, restaurants and shops to enhance a stay.”

With a variety of racing options available, from a World Championship qualifier to kids races to a discovery duathlon, the event creates opportunities for endurance athletes of all ages and skill levels in the beautiful region of the Eastern Townships, just an hour's drive from Montreal and Vermont.

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For the off-road curious there’s even a “MIXTERRA” option, where you can use your choice of a mountain bike, cyclocross (CX), gravel, or fatbike!

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View XTERRA Bromont event info

XTERRA Americas Tour

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