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16 complete Triple Crown
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Posted on Mar 26 2012
By Roselyn Monroyo
Reporter
Reporter
The 2012 XTERRA Saipan was the last top of XTERRA Tour Asia Pacific’s Triple Crown and 16 triathletes were recognized in last Saturday’s awards presentation for completing the trio of off-road races.
Leading the list of XTERRA Triple Crown participants were three-peat champions Ben Allen of Australia and Renata Bucher of Switzerland. Joining them are Switzerland’s Olivier Marceau, France’s Cedric Lassonde, United Kingdom’s Graham Wadsworth and Jacqui Slack , the U.S.’ Branden Rakita and Will Kelsay, Japan’s Takahiro Ogasawara and Yoshimi Yasui, Austria’s Carina Wasle, (JPN), Canada’s Chuck Fortier, and Guam’s Gabe Lombard, Mark Cruz, Tobias Theisen, and Rick Leone.
Trey Garman of Team Unlimited, which owns and produces XTERRA, presented the 16 triathletes with medals and was assisted by Taga, Inc. president and awards host Wolf Mojica, and former president Bill Sakovich.
“On behalf of XTERRA, we would like to thank all the athletes for supporting the Triple Crown. We hope to see you again next year, as we look for bigger and tougher races in Guam, the Philippines, and Saipan,” Garman said.
XTERRA Guam was held on March 10 and it was the first time that the race was considered as a championship where XTERRA World slots were given. The Philippines had its second championship, while Saipan had the richest history among the three with the staging of the 11th edition of XTERRA’s Crown Jewel.
Mojica during the awards ceremony announced that they are now coordinating with Team Unlimited for next year’s race and encouraged first timers in last Saturday’s race to invite their fellow athletes and return for the 2013 XTERRA Saipan.
At this early, Bucher and Allen had already committed to defend their titles next year.
“As long as I can race, I will come back on Saipan,” Bucher said.
“I’d love to return next year and defend my title. This is an amazing race,” Allen said.
Over 100 athletes joined last weekend’s XTERRA Saipan and except for the strong current during the swim leg, majority of the participants agreed they raced in an almost perfect condition.
