Since its Hawaiian debut in 1996, XTERRA has emerged as a worldwide adventure sport with races in diverse places like Saipan, New Zealand and Switzerland.

This off-road triathlon that combines mountain biking, trail running and swimming is a magnet for exotic locales. So how does Cameron Park fit in?

Quite perfectly, race organizers and competitors say.

Seven-time U.S. Pro Series champion Conrad Stoltz and Shonny Vanlandingham will be among the featured racers in the XTERRA off-road triathlon Sunday at Cameron Park.
Jerry Larson/Waco Tribune-Herald

With its combination of tough, twisting biking and running trails that sit next to the Brazos River, Cameron Park fits the XTERRA blueprint. It’s such an ideal course that XTERRA will hold its South Central championship at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the park.

“I had been thinking about bringing a championship race here since 2008,” said Dave Nicholas, the managing director of the XTERRA World Tour. “When I came out here last December and saw the trails, it was a wonderful surprise. The trails here are fabulous. Since the Brazos River is right here, we won’t have to set up at two different places.”

Along with pro athletes who travel to XTERRA events across the globe, many of Sunday’s expected 250 competitors will be from Texas and surrounding states who compete in regional off-road triathlons.

The XTERRA South Central championship will feature a one-mile swim, a 15-mile mountain bike ride and a six-mile trail run. Additionally, a half-distance race featuring a 750-meter swim, a 7.5-mile bike ride and a three-mile trail run will begin at 8 a.m.

Nobody is happier to land an XTERRA championship race in Waco than Kim Jennings, a Cameron Park ranger who has competed in off-road triathlons for nine years. She helped organize the event after meeting with Mike Carter, a long-time XTERRA organizer and athlete based in Austin.

“Mike is always looking for new places to race,” Jennings said. “He came up here and rode the trails and we began brainstorming ideas for a race. One of the great things about having the race this year is that we’re celebrating the Cameron Park centennial, and we’ve just built some new facilities.”

Sunday’s race will feature the top-ranked XTERRA triathletes in the U.S. Pro Series. Grand Prairie native Shonny Vanlandingham leads the women’s series, and South Africa native Conrad Stoltz leads the men’s series.

Vanlandingham is familiar with the Cameron Park trails since she competed in the 2004 National Off-Road Bicycle Association race. After mountain biking for many years, Vanlandingham has been racing in XTERRA events for five years, and is glad to get a chance to compete in her native state.

“A lot of people don’t know about this course, but it’s one of the best in Texas,” Vanlandingham said. “The trails are good and well-maintained, and it’s definitely a gem. It’s good to have ridden this course before, even though it was a few years ago.”

Nearing her 41st birthday, Vanlandingham is one of the older racers on the XTERRA pro circuit. But she finds the sport challenging because it’s so physically demanding and every course is different.

“I switched from mountain biking to XTERRA because I wanted a different challenge and something I could stay passionate about,” Vanlandingham said. “A good thing about endurance sports is that athletes often peak in their 30s. I realize I’m pushing the limits, but I hope I can be an inspiration to people that’s it’s never too late to be an athlete.”

Stoltz had been a traditional triathlete before attempting his first XTERRA race nine years ago. One of the highlights of his athletic career was competing in the triathlon in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics for South Africa.

“One of my favorite memories was in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney when there were 350,000 people on the streets watching us race,” Stoltz said. “But after 2000, I was kind of burned out. My coach told me I could do anything I wanted, so I tried XTERRA in 2001. I found that I really liked the technical aspect of XTERRA because every course is different, and you have to adjust your bike for each one.”

Nicknamed the Caveman, the 36-year-old Stoltz has won the U.S. Pro Series seven times while capturing three world championships. Stoltz said XTERRA has revitalized his passion for racing.

“If I were still road racing, I wouldn’t be as excited as I am now,” Stoltz said. “I could probably make more at a real job. But I’m getting to see a lot of places I’ve never seen. I also enjoy being around the people in XTERRA because they’re friendly and laid back.”

Besides the tough Cameron Park trails, Stoltz has an extra incentive for racing in Waco.

“My dad’s a cattle rancher in South Africa,” Stoltz said. “I’m looking forward to the barbecue.”

NOTES: Late entrants for today’s 8 a.m. trail runs can sign up at the Redwood Shelter headquarters at Cameron Park from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. with fees ranging from $22 to $40. Late entries for Sunday’s XTERRA race will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Fees are $95 for the main event and $65 for the half-distance race.

jwerner@wacotrib.com

757-5716

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