Young and Fearless: The Youth World Champs Debut

When the XTERRA World Championship returns to the storied Brenta Dolomites of northern Italy on September 28-29, it will bring with it the dawn of a new era as the highly anticipated Youth World Championship makes its long-awaited debut. It’s the culmination of the first full season of the Youth World Tour, where determined cross-triathletes aged 14-19 have taken to the water and trails at 40 qualifying events across 21 countries worldwide to earn their place on off-road triathlon’s biggest stage. 

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Now, with well over a thousand of the world’s top cross-triathletes set to descend on the mountain village of Molveno to battle it out at the 28th edition of the XTERRA World Championship, amongst them for the first time will be 200+ youth athletes looking to lay claim to the inaugural Youth World Championship titles. The event marks another historic milestone in the evolution of XTERRA, with the stars of tomorrow now sharing the trails with the icons of today. The next generation has arrived, and the world will be watching.

First announced in January of 2024, the XTERRA Youth Tour was designed to fill a crucial gap in the world of off-road triathlon, creating a platform for athletes aged 14-19 to develop their skills and compete within a structured series. Launched as a natural stepping stone to XTERRA’s Full Distance races, the Youth Tour mirrors the format of the well-established World Tour by offering standardised and connected Sprint and Super Sprint Triathlon races that challenge young triathletes on the same rugged terrains that have defined XTERRA racing for nearly three decades.

Spanning Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific regions, the Youth Tour allows young athletes to compete locally and internationally, ultimately aiming to secure a coveted slot at the qualification-only Youth World Championship. In less than a year since the first race kicked off in Grabouw, South Africa, the Youth Tour has already established itself as a premier proving ground for those eager to leave their mark on off-road triathlon. Italy will see the first-ever class of Youth World Champions, setting the stage for many more to follow as young athletes become an integral part of XTERRA’s pinnacle event.

With the XTERRA Youth Tour featuring three distinct age divisions—each tailored to challenge young athletes at different stages of their development while also aligning with international triathlon standards, the Youth World Champs will see one male and one female champion crowned in each of the three divisions. 

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Youth A (ages 14-15) will be the first to take to the trails, with the youngest of the three divisions competing across the Super Sprint distance, featuring a 400m swim, 8K bike, and 2K run.

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Youth B (ages 16-17) and Junior (Ages 18-19) will be contested over the Sprint Distance, with both divisions starting and racing together across the 750m swim, 15K bike, and 5K run.

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In line with the starting format of all XTERRA World Tour races, male and female athletes will start separately, with males beginning 3 minutes ahead of females in the Youth A race and 15 minutes ahead in the Youth B and Junior races. The first male and female in each division to cross the finish line will earn the 2024 World Champion title, setting the benchmark for 2025 and beyond.

The first Youth World Championship promises to be a truly international event, with over 200 athletes from 20+ countries arriving at Lake Molveno for this historic debut, which will be livestreamed to a global audience.

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France, long dominant in XTERRA rankings, will be well-represented with nearly a quarter of the youth field coming from the nation. Italy, as the host country, boasts the second-largest group, while Germany, Belgium, and Czech follow closely. South Africa stands as the most represented nation outside of Europe, followed by the USA, UK, and New Zealand. Other countries set to see their colours represented include Portugal, Switzerland, Slovakia, Canada, Hong Kong, Namibia, Hungary, Norway, Colombia, Romania, Estonia, and Greece.

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Though the world will be watching from afar, it may be the support on the ground that has the greatest impact. Taking place the day after the World Championship race, youth athletes will be cheered on by legends of the sport and many freshly crowned elite and age division World Champions, as they look to join the 2024 class of champions themselves.

The debut of the XTERRA Youth World Championship represents more than just a new race—it’s a glimpse into the future of off-road triathlon. These young athletes are not only here to compete but to forge a path for the next generation of XTERRA superstars. As the inaugural Youth World Champs set the bar for what’s to come, they also light the torch that will carry the sport to new heights. The future is bright, the future is fearless, and it belongs to the trailblazers who will make their mark this Sunday on the now legendary shores of Lake Molveno. Just as the sport was born on the sands of Maui in 1996, a new era is about to begin in Italy, destined to redefine off-road triathlon for generations to come.

Both the Super Sprint and Sprint races will be streamed live and for free on the XTERRA YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe and click the bell to get notified when the races begin. Aso be sure to follow XTERRA on Instagram for additional coverage and content from the entire week of the 2024 XTERRA World Championship.

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2024 XTERRA Youth World Championship (Youth A)

Date: September 29

Time: 09:20 (GMT +2)

Watch LIVE

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2024 XTERRA Youth World Championship (Youth B & Junior)

Date: September 29

Time: 11:20 (GMT +2)

Watch LIVE