My targeted races seem to be going south for various reasons and so I am looking for a race in North America. I checked the website and the only races that are confirmed so far are the championship races, is this par for the course? If so when do they normally get confirmed? 1st Jan?
So if I fail to get into Alcatraz what’s a good Xterra to go to that has an interesting bike and good hard run that I could continue on to Vancouver from?
Suggestions please. Oh yeah and it’s got to be hot, I can’t so cold!
Your best bet, i feel would have to be Xterra Richmond. Far and way the most fun of all the Championship races here in the states. The swim, bike, and run are all very unique. They are all so in a downtown setting making thing super fun and easy. Last season The Mtn Dew Sports tour used the the same venue that same weekend. Bmx, Stake, great music. Your also only 90-120 min drive to Washington D.C.
ya, richmond is da bomb yo! well, cept for when I had the dizzy spell and almost passed out on the bridge with the finish in sight and then when I crashed into my buddies back wheel on the “moab section” and cracked my helmet, or when I tried to pass my pro female friend and she gave me “the line” and I launched over the bars snapping the straps on my shoe, or when I crashed and managed to hang on to that tree with the bike dangling by a cleat, or…
oh, yeah, it’s a super cool race:) Town is awesome, course is awesome (but pretty narrow and techy, well lotsa off camber turns), food was awesome, I’ll be there this year!
I actually don’t remember where we flew in… I think right to Richmond airport, sorry, hopefully someone else can chime in here…
Area is an urban setting, but it’s not a huge city, most streets are 2 lane, 4 lane at most, older buildings (well old for the USA) and the race sight is in a park right on the edge of the town. The race hotel is “downtown” and is about a 2min walk from the race site… Pricing was midrange, not super cheap but considering my lack of a budget (ie, I’m pretty cheap) we got a really nice hotel and were only a block farther away than the host. Food here is top notch, I mean amazing amazing food and very mellow pricing. Lots of historic older buildings to sightsee as well. The course is really really fun although the swim is a bit of a let down if you are a big time swimmer (I LOVED IT:). Swim is short and shallow, well it changes every year. The bike is a tight trail fun fest and also mixes in a few short fire road sections and even some urban assault sections. You’ve got some blisteringly fast and twisty sections and then sections where you’re braking and accelerating every other second. Circular stair cases, a few bridges, log piles, twisty upon twisty switchbacks, many of which are off camber and fun little carved into the side of hills narrow singletrack. It’s not the easiest to pass on, especially the begininning section but it’s an awesome course. Oh, NO BAR ENDS btw, or you’re going down on a tree hard! The run is fun, starting with an urban run on the roads, along this tall narrow concrete wall along the river, then some gravel trails, sidewalks, BIG ROCK STEPS BIG BIG STEPS, then down onto gravel paths bridging into jumping rocks down the river, a small ladder climb and then some more now twisty trails and finally a suspension bridge back over to the finish. Crazy fun course:)
The bike is a tight trail fun fest and also mixes in a few short fire road sections and even some urban assault sections. You’ve got some blisteringly fast and twisty sections and then sections where you’re braking and accelerating every other second. Circular stair cases, a few bridges, log piles, twisty upon twisty switchbacks, many of which are off camber and fun little carved into the side of hills narrow singletrack. It’s not the easiest to pass on, especially the begininning section but it’s an awesome course. Oh, NO BAR ENDS btw, or you’re going down on a tree hard! The run is fun, starting with an urban run on the roads, along this tall narrow concrete wall along the river, then some gravel trails, sidewalks, BIG ROCK STEPS BIG BIG STEPS, then down onto gravel paths bridging into jumping rocks down the river, a small ladder climb and then some more now twisty trails and finally a suspension bridge back over to the finish. Crazy fun course:)
Oh man, you are selling this REALLY well, it’s got all the things I enjoy riding and running on (although am still not in danger of pushing at the FOP). Does one have to qualify for it, as it is a regional champ? Looks like Expedia is my next stop!
no qualifications i believe. I can see them capping this race at a certain number due to the tight course but i haven’t ever heard anything official bout this. It is a great course, frustrating if you don’t have some of the skills (like the off-camber narrow cornering stuff which I didn’t) but tons of fun anyways. I pre-rode the course the year I did it with Brent M and holy sh*t he rides some of those bumpy twisty sections fast!!!
Maybe I’ll see you up there. I’m 99% sure going to Temecula (got a NICE free place to stay and it’s close) and now just have to fit Richmond in there somewhere.
If you are going to Vancouver B.C. here is a Xterra race on the way. It won’t be REALLY hot but it could be warmish! http://www.buduracing.com/index.php
The xterra race is the Vashon Island race. Close to Seattle which is close to VANCOUVER.
Fly to SFO and do the race in Frisco, Fly to Seattle and rent a car and you are there.
Dusty
I’ve looked at Vashon, Dusty and it’s on my shortlist. I doesn’t tie in with Alcatraz (unless I can get 6 weeks off work!) and would require me to travel with both my road bike and my mtb which is not logistically sound. Also, it would cost about $400 more to fly straight to Vashon and then to Van after or the other way around, it does give me the opportunity to see tour de delta, tdGas town and white rock, so it’s a serious consideration.
The positive about Richmond is the course and that I can get to Richmond race and then go to Van for about $50 more than it would cost to go direct to Van from Heathrow! Which makes it the frontrunner right now.
Excellent news! Thanks Tai. I checked Expedia and I can fly to Richmond with one change at Chicago and then on to Van after the race before returning home for about $100 more than direct to Vancouver! So things are looking good.
I totally agree with everything Tai said about Richmond. Last year I raced Temecula, Richmond, Tahoe (full course), Maui, and a a couple point series races. Richmond was hands down the most fun I had while racing. The course has it all and the trails are super fun. I will be back this year for sure… hopefully it won’t be as hot and humid!
I grew up in Virginia Beach, VA (1.5 hours from Richmond) so if you need to know anything about the area let me know. If you are looking for cheap flights you may also want to check some of the other airports. Williamsburg usually has some cheap flights and is about 45 minutes from downtown Richmond and then there is Norfolk which is 1.5 hours away.
Hey JW, hot and humid sure sounds good to me right now! At the moment it looks like June will find me Virginia bound. It looks like the most convenient and cost effective route for me will be Heathrow-Chicago-Richmond/Richmond-Vancouver-Heathrow. Any tips for accomodation would be gratefully received, reasonably priced and emphasis on friendly works best for me. Good bed, shower and quiet work best. How far is the airport from the race? A taxi drive?
Feel free to pm if you can help out, any help gratefully appreciated. A couple of beers in return on race weekend would be enjoyable.