XTERRA Spain asked Dave Nicholas, CEO XTERRA Hawaii, to send some advice on racing XTERRA Maui.
Here is the advice from the Big Boss himself:
“For those of you who are making your first trip to the XTERRA World Championship - hang on, it is an exciting experience.
First and foremost, Hawaii is visually stunning. The blue ocean, the high, green mountains and the friendly people are all of what make Hawaii a paradise. Maui is among the most beautiful islands of the State.
As you leave the airport you will drive through a typical American business area with shopping malls full of stores of every kind. Soon you will leave the city and find yourselves crossing the island and rolling along the steep, brown hills of West Maui. Maui's windmill farm with giant windmills comes next. We generate about 10% of the Island's electricity by wind power.
The Maui Aquarium is next with some shops and restaurants. When you go past them, you are just over half way to Kapalua. The ride from here is spectacular - keep your eyes on the road if you can - the island of Lanai is only a few miles across the bright blue ocean.
Entry to this race is about 800 athletes. They come from 30 nations around the world and almost all the States in America. You will hear every language you know and many you have never heard. One thing is certain; everyone is like you! The competition will be fierce as all will want to be the World Champion, but your closest competitor will always help you, always smile. It is the XTERRA lifestyle.
The course itself will be open on the Wednesday before the race and we strongly recommend you pre ride the bike course to become familiar with it. The heat in Maui is always a problem for Europeans - you can expect temperatures to be about 30 C or more. The course is very tight and technical in some places and very open and fast in others. On practice day you may want to bring a small camera as the sights high on the volcano are spectacular. Look for pineapples growing in some of the fields! We also recommend you practice at the swim beach. This side of Maui is famous for surf and you can expect there to be waves on race morning. It is only smart to practice swimming in these conditions and becoming accustomed to the waves. Water temperature will be very warm - about 26 C or 80 F so no wetsuits are allowed. The water is warm, clean and salty.
The run is tough but enjoyable. You will climb and climb for the first part (which is also the first 3 miles of the bike) and then come back down the last 3 miles. Through young forests, through old forests, around a lake once used to irrigate the golf course and back down even taking you through an old Hawaiian gulch with huge rocks.
There are two spectacular dinners at the Ritz hotel, free clinic from the professionals on swimming, biking, running and the Art of XTERRA. These are on Friday and Saturday and you should come and learn from the best. Saturday we have our Champions forum with many XTERRA World Champions on the panel. Greg Welch and Dave Nicholas are the moderators and the action does get funny. Saturday after the forum is the race briefing and then the "Night of Champions" dinner. Fabulous food and entertainment.
The final finale is the awards dinner Sunday eve followed by the most outrageous Halloween party on earth. Some say this is the best triathlon party of the year and we won't argue. Everyone is in costume - who can you recognize? Is it Conrad Stoltz or an age grouper from Spain?
We welcome you to the XTERRA World Championship and look forward to hosting you to one of the best experiences of your life.”
XTERRA SPAIN IS VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THE ATHLETES FROM SPAIN
GIVE THE RACE YOUR BEST, BUT REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
GIVE THE RACE YOUR BEST, BUT REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
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