Previous Story
Guam looks to Saipan for teammates
|
Posted on Mar 07 2006
Little more than three weeks remain before the multi-sport minions mass at Micro Beach in search of the ultimate off-road challenge, but some of the CNMI’s neighbors are looking locally to form the ultimate team in next month’s XTERRA Saipan Championship.
With its 1.5-kilometer swim in choppy waters, 30-km mountain bike trek that twice takes riders up to Mount Tapochau, and 12-km jungle trail that passes through bamboo forests, caves, and ravines, the hometown event billed as the “Crown Jewel” of XTERRA is one of the most challenging races on the planet.
While the race has lured in more participants every year since it landed on Saipan, and while triathletes from Guam have come to the CNMI every year in search of a berth in the XTERRA World Championship in Maui, not all extreme racers are looking to take on the entire event at once.
While bikers are always needed, the majority of Guamanian singles are looking for swimmers and runners to complete their teams. Those interested in joining forces with some of Guam’s finest can start the pairing process by emailing Jude Bake of the Guam Triathlon Federation at jude@tanota.com.
This time around, the XTERRA Saipan Championship will play host to all of the past champions as a number of professional triathletes from around the world throw down their gauntlets on the Garapan shores on April 1.
Applications for the event are available at the Marianas Visitors Authority, the Saipan Tribune, and Saipan Bike Pro on Beach Road, and while the deadline for mail-in applications is Friday, March 24, on-site entries will be limited to the availability of slots.
The XTERRA Saipan Championship is not the only big happening on the local multi-sport scene, as a week later endurance aficionados will push their limits with a 2-km swim behind the Pacific Islands Club, a 60-km bike ride from San Antonio to Bird Island Lookout to Garapan, and a grueling 15-km run along the Beach Pathway and through the American Memorial Park in the 17th Tagaman Triathlon.
For more information about this year’s Tagaman, contact Frank Tudela at the MVA by calling 664-3210.
