Eddie Ryan on the Mountain Magic Behind XTERRA’s New Championship Home

From the red clay of Maui to the alpine waters of Molveno, the XTERRA World Championship has always been more than just a race. It’s a pilgrimage to the heart of off-road triathlon. For nearly three decades, this event has shaped the sport’s identity and defined its most legendary moments. Now, for the first time since its earliest days, the World Championship returns to the continental United States. It’s the beginning of a new era in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

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Perched high in the Sierra Blanca mountains, Ruidoso is a place where elk roam free, pine forests stretch toward the sky, and outdoor adventure is part of everyday life. Athletes will get their first taste of the terrain this August, when XTERRA Ruidoso makes its debut on the World Tour. But the real spotlight comes in 2026, when the village steps onto XTERRA’s biggest stage as the new host of the XTERRA World Championship. The Championship will continue in Ruidoso through 2027 and 2028.

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At the center of it all is Eddie Ryan, the Manager of Events and Strategic Partnerships for the Village of Ruidoso. A lifelong champion for mountain communities and the power of sport to spark growth, Eddie was the one who first saw the potential for something more. What began as a conversation about a regional race quickly evolved into a vision for XTERRA’s future. In this Q&A, Eddie shares what makes Ruidoso so special—and why this “Land of Enchantment” is ready to welcome the world.

To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about your relationship with Ruidoso? What first brought you here, and what made it feel like home?

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“I’ve lived in Ruidoso for two years now. When I first arrived, I couldn’t believe what a hidden gem this place was. It felt like stepping into a Hallmark movie—a vibrant little mountain village at 6,900 feet, surrounded by the Sierra Blanca mountains, which peak at around 12,000 feet. It’s a true alpine community, and it instantly grabbed me.

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I remember looking around and thinking, What is this place?! I fell in love with it almost immediately. There’s something really special about the energy here. It didn’t take long for it to feel like home.”

When you think about Ruidoso’s landscape, altitude, and community, it really does seem tailor-made for endurance sport. Why do you think off-road events like XTERRA are such a natural fit for this place?

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“When I stepped into this role, it was clear right away that Ruidoso had everything it needed to host an XTERRA event. We already had the infrastructure in place—the trails, the terrain, the lake—and people were coming here anyway to ride mountain bikes, run the trails, and swim in Grindstone Lake.

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So, I reached out to Steve Andrus, the XTERRA Americas Tour Manager, and invited him out. Once he got here, he saw exactly what I was talking about. The trails, the community, the feel of the place—it all made sense. It’s the kind of town that already lives and breathes the XTERRA lifestyle.

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The energy, the vibe, the natural beauty—it all fits. XTERRA has never been to New Mexico before, and now we’re bringing the World Championship to the mainland U.S. for the first time. It’s a big step for the sport, and for Ruidoso, it just feels like the perfect match.”

What makes Ruidoso such a unique place to race, and what do you think will define the XTERRA World Championship course here—whether it’s the trails, the terrain, or something else entirely?

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“This is very mountainous terrain. We’re sitting at elevation here in Ruidoso, with everything from steep inclines to dramatic descents. In August, the weather is beautiful—around 75 to 80 degrees—and the trails wind through the tall pine trees that surround this alpine village.

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What’s unique about Ruidoso is that we live within nature. You might see wild horses walking through town, or elk and deer roaming around. There aren’t many places where that happens right in the heart of the community.

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The course will be based around Grindstone Lake, which is our village’s drinking water—clean, clear, and right at the center of everything. All the bike and run trails go around it, and the swim will start with a sandy beach entry. The bike begins with a big climb, then loops around Grindstone Mesa with panoramic views of Sierra Blanca and Lake Mescalero. The run is two laps around the lake, with a fast, fun finish into Wingfield Park.

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It’s a challenging course, especially with the elevation ranging from 7,000 to 8,000 feet. But it’s also scenic, authentic, and completely Ruidoso.”

The XTERRA World Championship has always been about more than racing—it’s about place, people, and spirit. What makes Ruidoso such a natural fit, both as a host and as a community?

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“This is the Land of Enchantment. It’s a special place, and people don’t always realize the history behind it. This was the stomping ground for Billy the Kid and Geronimo. All those stories from the history books happened right here—gunslingers, outlaws, the Wild West. It’s cowboy hats and Americana at its finest, and the spirit of the place is still alive. You can see it, touch it, feel it.

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That same spirit will come alive during race week. It’s going to have a festival atmosphere with the village right at the center of it all. Everything—from the finish line, to the XTERRA race village, to Ruidoso proper with its microbreweries, shops, and local food—comes together to celebrate the culture of New Mexico and the energy of the race.

"It’s cowboy hats and Americana at its finest, and the spirit of the place is still alive. You can see it, touch it, feel it."

This is an outdoor recreation community, and we have some of the most welcoming, warm people you’ll meet anywhere. It’s a vibrant place—so vibrant that we even host Hallmark Christmas movies here. And even though we’re a mountain town of about 8,000 full-time residents, we can see up to 40,000 people on weekends. Between Ruidoso Downs—the home of the Quarter Horse Triple Crown—and all the outdoor adventure, people come here for everything from camping and hiking to trail running, mountain biking, and swimming.

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There’s just something special about the energy of this place. When you’re here, you don’t just visit—you become part of the village.”

For athletes visiting for the first time, do you have any local tips or hidden gems they should check out while they’re in town?

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“Midtown is definitely worth exploring. It’s right in the village and home to a bunch of great microbreweries that are really part of the fabric of Ruidoso. And the food here—especially the Mexican food—is something we’re proud of. You’ll find all kinds of regional styles, and we’re famous for our green chiles. You can get them on anything—green chile cheeseburgers, tacos, you name it.

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There’s a lot of history here too. We’re close to the town of Lincoln, where Billy the Kid became famous, and not far from Fort Stanton, which dates back to the 1800s and still feels like stepping into the past. And then there’s Smokey Bear—most people don’t know he was a real bear cub found after a wildfire nearby in 1950. You can visit the Smokey Bear Museum and learn the story right where it happened, in Capitan.

All these places give you a real feel for the culture, history, and personality of the region. It’s part of what makes Ruidoso such a unique and memorable place.”

Ruidoso was originally set to host a Tour stop, and now it's the next World Championship venue. How did that happen, and what has it meant for the community?

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“It all happened pretty quickly. Ruidoso was added to the XTERRA World Tour for August 2025, but then the conversation shifted to the potential of hosting the World Championship. All the village leaders agreed it would be an incredible opportunity for the community and the region of New Mexico. The village council and mayor gave their full support, and now we’re moving forward with World Championship preparations.

The idea that XTERRA Worlds will turn Ruidoso into a global endurance village for a week has created a real buzz. We’re proud to have the chance to show the world how magical this place really is.

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I believe the XTERRA World Championship will bring a lot of people to town who’ve never experienced this region before. We’d love for visitors from all over the world to be part of the village, learn about our history and culture, and truly take it all in.”

Ruidoso has faced its share of challenges in recent years. How did the community come together, and can events like XTERRA help play a role in the recovery?

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“Ruidoso is a mountain town, and like many mountain towns, we’ve weathered our share of tough seasons. Last year, we experienced both a wildfire and some flooding, but this is a resilient place. Everyone came together to rebuild quickly and keep things moving forward.

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At that point, we were already in talks with XTERRA, and they got to see that resilience firsthand. It really reinforced why this was the right place for an event like this. The spirit of this community matches the energy of XTERRA.

"The spirit of this community matches the energy of XTERRA."

This is a tourist town, and outdoor recreation has always been a big part of who we are. Bringing XTERRA here is a natural progression—not just because of the trails and terrain, but because of the people who live here and how they show up when it counts.”

What will it mean to see XTERRA Worlds unfold in your hometown, and what kind of legacy do you hope it leaves behind?

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“I think it’s going to be a powerful opportunity for Ruidoso to show the world who we are—our landscapes, our history, our people. We’d love for more athletes and visitors from around the globe to come be part of the village, experience the culture, and take it all in.

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And beyond just race weekend, we want this to be a lasting home for the sport. A place where people return year after year to swim, bike, and run on the XTERRA World Championship course. Our hope is that this becomes more than a moment. We want it to leave a legacy of adventure, community, and connection that lives on long after the finish line.”

XTERRA Ruidoso is set to welcome the global off-road community to the trails of New Mexico for the very first time this August 15–17. It will be a landmark moment—not just for Ruidoso, but for XTERRA—as athletes get their first taste of the high-altitude terrain, warm hospitality, and untamed spirit of this mountain town. Then, in 2026, the world will arrive, and a new chapter will begin as Ruidoso steps into its role as the host of the XTERRA World Championship.

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From that first glimpse of Grindstone Lake to the final stretch through Wingfield Park, the off-road community will soon understand why this is more than a venue. It’s a home for adventure.