Vanlandingham to skip XTERRA Saipan

Next month’s XTERRA Saipan Championship will be missing defending women’s champion Shonny Vanlandingham.

The American pro in a message to Saipan Tribune late last month said she decided to skip the 2012 edition of XTERRA Tour’s Crown Jewel to continue her rehabilitation.

“I have had to make the tough but wise decision to continue my rehab and training through March with no racing. The knee just isn’t quite ready. I will miss you guys this year but plan to be back in 2013,” Vanlandingham said.

The Colorado native tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of her left knee late August last year and underwent surgery. Vanlandingham sustained the injury while on a training run. Because of the injury, she missed the 2011 XTERRA World Championship in Hawaii where she won in 2010 for the first time.

About six months before she snapped her knee last year, Vanlandingham was on Saipan and ended Renata Bucher’s seven-year reign in the annual off-road triathlon race. The U.S. pro timed in at 3:01:09 to become the first woman finisher in last year’s XTERRA Saipan, more than five minutes ahead of runner-up and XTERRA Saipan newcomer Carina Wasle of Austria (3:01:09). Bucher slid to third after clocking in at 3:06:33.

Both Wasle and Bucher are coming back on Saipan this year, according to Wolf Mojica, president of the organizing Taga Inc. The XTERRA Saipan Championship is scheduled for March 24.

Joining the two women’s pro is Jacqui Slack of the United Kingdom. The British triathlete has been in the sport for seven years and has been competing as a pro for three years. She participated in the ITU World Sprint Championships, British Elite Series, Strathclyde European Cup, ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships, and the National Cross Championships.

With the absence of Vanlandingham, Slack, Wasle, Bucher, and home bet Mieko Carey are expected to slug it out for the women’s division title.

In the men’s division, former champion Olivier Marceau is likely to return to challenge fellow pros Denison Freitas of Brazil and Cedric Lassonde, Ben Allen, and Graham Wadsworth of U.K. The four British triathletes were referred by three-time XTERRA Saipan champion Sam Gardner, who will be missing this year’s event to attend to his pregnant wife.