Ben Allen and Carina Wasle capture the 11th annual XTERRA Guam Championship race

Ben Allen from Australia and Carina Wasle from Austria captured the 11th annual XTERRA Guam Championship race on a soggy, muddy, adventurous day in the Marianas.

In the men’s race Allen posted the fastest swim, bike, and run splits to take the tape in 2:26:28, a full 10-minutes ahead of runner-up Bradley Weiss from South Africa.

“Ben exited the water with 45 seconds on Weiss and used the bike and run to ensure he claimed the 2015 XTERRA Guam title,” explained our field reporter Charlie Epperson, who was 5th overall on the day.

“Due to some weather disturbances in the Western Pacific the race director went to an alternate bike course to allow for a more friendly experience to the racers. Allen wasn’t able to pre-ride the course and attacked it blind. He said he’s looking forward to returning to Australia and pumped to race the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship near his hometown of Wollongong next week. Takahiro Ogasawara finished with a strong run to claim the final podium spot.”

In the women’s elite race Wasle passed Slack in the later stages of the run to win her first XTERRA Guam Championship title after many tries.

“Carina was in a close race with Jacqui Slack,” said Epperson. “The two battled throughout the bike and run legs with Wasle taking the lead out of the last river section and held on to win by 30 seconds. Wasle noted that she lost one of her shoes and was forced to dig in the mud before chasing Slack down.”

Local favorite Mieko Carey took the third spot, followed by Daz Parker, Renata Bucher, and Belinda Haddden.

“The weather was no match for the adventure spirit of XTERRA racers,” said Epperson.

Pro Women

With the win Allen takes a slim, two-point lead in the XTERRA Asian Tour standings, while Jacqui Slack extended her stay at the top spot.

The five majors on the Asian Tour are XTERRA Philippines, XTERRA Saipan, XTERRA Guam, the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship on April 18 in New South Wales, Australia, and XTERRA Malaysia – which will double as the XTERRA Asian Tour Championship race – on May 2 in Langkawi. (Note: The XTERRA Japan Championship in Hokkaido on August 29 will serve as the first race of the 2016 XTERRA Asian Tour.)

The top 15 amateur, Asian-elite, and professional racers at each event earn points, with double points being offered at the finale in Malaysia. Racers count their best three scores to determine champions in each division.

The XTERRA Asian Tour will award a prize bonus of $10,000 USD to the top five pro men and women in the final standings ($2,000 for 1st, $1,500-2nd, $800-3rd, $400-4th, $300-5th).

In all, more than $100,000 in prize money for pros will be awarded on the XTERRA Asian Tour. There are $15,000 USD payouts at the Philippines, Saipan, Guam, and Malaysia races, and $50,000 AUD awarded at the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Australia, plus the 10K bonus to the series’ top performers.

For further details on the 2015 XTERRA Asian Tour visit www.xterraasia.com, and for more on the XTERRA Asian Tour Championship in Malaysia visit www.xterramy.com, supported by Malaysia Major Event.

2015 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

XTERRA Guam was the eighth of 40 events where the fastest amateur athletes from around the globe could qualify to race at the 20th annual XTERRA World Championship at Kapalua, Maui on Nov. 1, 2015.

DATE WORLD TOUR EVENT (Pro Winners)
8-Feb XTERRA Philippines Championship (Brad Weiss / Flora Duffy)
22-Feb XTERRA South Africa Championship (Stuart Marais / Flora Duffy)
7-Mar XTERRA Motatapu (Dougal Allan / Jess Simson & Simone Maier)
28-Mar XTERRA Saipan Championship (Ben Allen / Jacqui Slack)
29-Mar XTERRA Malta (Nicolas Fernandez / Brigitta Poor)
29-Mar XTERRA Costa Rica (Rom Akerson / Lesley Paterson)
11-Apr XTERRA Guam Championship (Ben Allen / Carina Wasle)
11-Apr XTERRA New Zealand Championship (Braden Currie / Suzie Snyder)
18-Apr XTERRA Australia / XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship, Jervis Bay, NSW, Australia+ XTERRA Australia Championship
25-Apr XTERRA West Championship, Lake Las Vegas, NV, USA#
25-Apr XTERRA Tahiti, Mataiea
26-Apr XTERRA Reunion, Saint Gilles les bains
2-May XTERRA Malaysia / XTERRA Asian Tour Championship, Langkawi+
10-May XTERRA Brazil, Ilhabela, SP
16-May XTERRA Southeast Championship, Pelham, AL, USA#
USAT Cross Triathlon National Championship
16-May XTERRA Portugal, Golega*
7-Jun XTERRA Spain Championship, Plasencia, Extremadura*
14-Jun XTERRA East Championship, Richmond, VA, USA#
20-Jun XTERRA Greece, Lake Plastira*
27-Jun XTERRA Switzerland Championship, Vallee de Joux*
27-Jun XTERRA Mine over Matter “Canadian Cross Tri Championships, Ontario, Milton, Canada!
4-Jul XTERRA Freedom Fest, Oahu, HI, USA =
5-Jul XTERRA Victoria, B.C., Canada!
5-Jul XTERRA France Championship, Xonrupt, Gerardmer*
11-Jul XTERRA Sweden, Hellasgaarden, Stockholm*
18-Jul XTERRA Mountain Championship, Beaver Creek, CO, USA#
25-Jul XTERRA Parry Sound, McDougall, Ontario, Canada!
26-Jul XTERRA Italy Championship, Abruzzo, Italy*
8-Aug XTERRA Mexico, Tapalpa
8-Aug XTERRA Czech Championship, Prachatice*
15-Aug XTERRA Germany Championship, Zittau*
16-Aug XTERRA Canmore, Alberta, Canada!
22-Aug XTERRA Adventure Fest Maui, Kapalua, HI, USA =
23-Aug XTERRA Quebec “Quebec City, Quebec, Canada!
29-Aug XTERRA Sleeping Giant, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada!
29-Aug XTERRA Denmark, Tilsvilde*
29-Aug XTERRA Japan, Hokkaido+ (start 2016 Asian Tour)
30-Aug XTERRA England / European Championship, Vachery Estate, Surrey*
13-Sep XTERRA Woolastook, Upper Kingsclear, New Brunswick, Canada
19-Sep XTERRA USA Championship, Ogden/Snowbasin, Utah, USA#
1-Nov XTERRA World Championship, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii

* European Tour / + Asian Tour / # America Tour / ! Canada Series / = Hawaii qualifiers