July Events: Challenge and Adventure Across the Globe

The month of July begins with a massive bang as the first of the big European showdowns heads to Xonrupt.  XTERRA France is often described best as the race everyone XTERRA athlete has to do at least once. 

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With Standard & Sprint Triathlons, Swim-Run, Kids racing and of course the first round of XTERRA Short Track season all happening in the same weekend, the atmosphere in the iconic venue is going to be electric! 

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There is a new bike course for 2022, but athletes can expect plenty of climbing and some technical trails all packed into the scenic Vosges region of France. 

And for those not in attendance, you can still catch all the action of the adrenaline-fuelled Short Track race live and direct via livestream.

Less than an hour’s drive from Auckland lies the Hunua Ranges Regional Park, the city’s largest area of native forest and the host of another epic day of trail running in the Auckland XTERRA series. 

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The inclusive series offers a little something for everybody with 4 distances to choose from that range from a gentle 5.8-kilometer run or walk along dirt trail and open gravel roads to an unashamedly challenging 23.6-kilometer run that will put runners to the test through steep climbs and technical sections with with some mud and roots thrown in for good measure.

Quebec was named one of four international destinations that would be perfect for a Race-Cation this year by the editors of Triathlete Magazine, and for good reason! 

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Organizer Christian Rodrigue and his team of tireless co-workers have created an endurance sports dream week comprising a dozen different challenges around one of the most stunning natural environments in the world.

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Night Runs, Night SwimRuns, Kids Camps, Kids Triathlons, Duathlons, MixTerra for gravel racers, and sprint, super-sprint, and XTERRA World Championship qualifying off-road triathlons. It’s an 8-day program from July 4-10 with MixTerra on July 16.  

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Simultaneously, the city turns up the volume with an 11-day music extravaganza, the Quebec City Summer Festival, that jams from July 7-17.

On most days at Durrance Lake you’ll find Canada’s finest fly-fisherman angling for cutthroat trout and smallmouth bass. On July 10, however, the cool clear waters will belong to professional and amateur XTERRA triathletes in search of qualifying spots into XTERRA Worlds and their share of $3,000 in prize money.

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XTERRA Victoria in beautiful British Columbia has been an XTERRA family favorite for years thanks to its “dream dirt” and the world-class mountain bike trails in Mt. Work Park. Locally (and affectionately) known as “The Dump,” the course follows single and double-track with plenty of climbs and fast, flowy descents. It’s just as sweet for trail runners, and those are on offer as well.

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Before the race, immerse yourself in the Uptown Multicultural Festival in nearby Saanich, where Indigenous peoples celebrate the cultural diversity and inclusive community of Saanich with multicultural cuisine, exhibits, and traditional entertainment.

The last of three XTERRA Texas shoot-outs takes place in the old Wild West boomtown of Navasota, where the Great Northern Railway first rolled into town in 1859.

To this day, the downtown area is still a hoot to visit, and it sits just 70 miles northwest of the United Airlines hub in Houston. There are art galleries and museums, massive murals honoring blues musician Mance Lipscomb, and a beautiful bronze statue of the famous lawman, Frank Hamer, who brought Bonnie and Clyde to justice and peace to the town back in the 1930s.

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The event itself is staged at a secluded private ranch just outside town that boasts miles and miles of single track trails that weave through pine trees and past 150-year-old magnolias.

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The rustic ranch opens to racers only on Friday for pre-riding and running. On Saturday, there’s sprint and super-sprint off-road triathlons perfect for first-times plus a duathlon, and on Sunday runners can revel in 6K, 11K, or 21K trail runs. It’s a perfect three-day XTERRA getaway.

With camping, a Jack Nicklaus golf course, awesome beaches, and plenty of trails, EX2 offers up a perfect family vacation spot - with an XTERRA on the side!

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Coinciding with summer break, XTERRA EX2 is the perfect place to escape the city and play in the wilderness of Rocky Gap State Park.

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No kids? No problem! Flintstone, Maryland is within easy distance of Baltimore and Washington DC, and the ideal destination for a romantic weekend getaway. Visit the on-side lodge and casino and stay in one of Cumberland’s cozy bed and breakfasts near the park. 

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When the gun goes off on Saturday morning, get to work on the .75-mile lake swim, beginner-friendly 13-mile mountain bike, and five-mile run. Or skip the swim and do the Du! This course is super fun and has challenged thousands of newbies and seasoned vets over the years, try it for yourself!

The 4th round of the XTERRA Trail Marathon series takes place in Snowdonian national park in the north of Wales. It's been a while since XTERRA visited the United Kingdom, but it's back and the event promises to be a fantastic celebration of classic British Trail running. 

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Unpredictable weather and technical steep trails will be the order of the day with competitors completing a range of distances from 10km through to a 57km Ultra-marathon across some of the most difficult terrain in the country.

For the first-time ever, XTERRA is hosting its national championship in the Colorado Rockies!

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There will be $25,000 in prize money awarded equally to the top 10 elite men and women, plus XTERRA USA Championship crowns to age group division winners along with 51 qualifying spots into the 2022 XTERRA World Championship to be held in Trentino, Italy on October 1.

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But you don’t need to be in-it-to-win-it to enjoy this one because it features a beginner-friendly mountain bike course, plus sprint and relay team options. 

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There’s also free kid’s SUP, run, and bike races, a mechanical bull, really good food trucks, a Sierra Nevada Beer garden, and FREE concert featuring Colorado’s own, Trout Steak Revival, at the marvelous open-air Nottingham Park Pavilion in the heart of Avon.

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Need more reasons to give it a try, check out our top 10 reasons to race in the rockies.

The 2nd of four Italian races in 2022, XTERRA Lake Scanno takes place in the picture-perfect Abruzzo region of Italy. 

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This race has built up a reputation for being one of the hardest off-road challenges in the world. Forget racing your peers, your biggest challenge will be against the course. A swim in the heart-shaped lake, before a bike course that climbs through the historical village of Scanno and into the mountains above, before weaving through fields and woodlands surrounding the lake for a final sprint (or stumble) to the finish line. 

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If you’re visiting, make sure to take a walk through the town's narrow streets and visit quaint restaurants and cafes for the most authentic Italian dining you’ll ever have.

Held in the beloved Potato Creek State Park, this is the closest XTERRA to Chicago. It has the added benefit of being ideal for beginners while the fast and flowy trails enable experienced off-roaders to test their skills under speed. 

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The 15-mile mountain bike ride will be preceded by a fun half-mile lake swim and followed by a 7K trail run with two challenging hills. And if swimming isn’t your thing, they’ve got a kayak division!

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This is a great place for glamping too, with cabins that sleep eight for less than $100 a night. Or, South Bend, home of Notre Dame, is just 10 minutes away and has ample lodging options.

The most important and distinguishing feature about XTERRA Conquer the Crater is that 100% of all proceeds support the Northern Cancer Foundation's Miles Against Cancer Fund, dedicated to improving the survival rate and quality of life of children and their families impacted by pediatric cancer in Northeastern Ontario. 

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To date, over $175,000 has been raised to support children and their families living with, and beyond, children's cancer.

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New this year, on the day after the XTERRA Worlds qualifier off-road triathlon, organizers will host the inaugural XTERRA Conquer the Crater Ultra Marathon, a 63-kilometer challenge (check out the custom medals they’re making in image above!).    

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The weekend celebration will be held at Kivi Park, showcasing the region’s famous rock, pine forests, lakes, and wildlife.

For a second time in July, New Zealand will once again be flexing its trail running credentials with the 4th edition of the Auckland XTERRa series.

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This time barely a stone’s throw from the city, trail runners and adventure lovers will be heading to the hidden gem that is Totara Park, where the series organisers have put together 4 smile-inducing trails for runners and walkers of all levels. 

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The 4 distances on offer range from 7 kilometres to 21.5 kilometres, and speedsters will be sure to have a grin from ear to ear on the hard-packed single trails that twist their way through the green rolling hills of this stunning park.

The Massif central region of France hosts the first XTERRA Long Distance event of the year. The first of four longer races in 2022, these events focus more on the experience of adventure rather than outright elbows-out racing. 

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That said, there are still XTERRA World Championship slots available for the fastest finishers across the 2000m swim, 70km mountain bike and 20km run. 

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Unique to long-distance events, gravel bikes are permitted - however we’re assured by the organisers that you’ll be better off using a mountain bike to cover the 1800m+ of climbing on the mountainous trails. 

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If going long isn’t your thing, the event also offers an XTERRA sprint distance triathlon and trail running events.