Snowbasin ski area to inaugurate XTerra Winter World Championship

SNOWBASIN — Following the phenomenal growth and success of the summer XTerra offroad sports series, Snowbasin Ski Resort will play host to the inaugural XTerra Winter World Championship this weekend as some of the best multi-sport athletes from around the globe descend on the Ogden Valley to battle it out for the winner's share of a $10,000 purse.

"The XTerra Winter World Championship will be just that much more than the usual winter triathlon," said XTerra director Dave Nicholas. "The XTerra Winter World Championship has four disciplines rather than the usual three of winter tri. We'll do alpine touring or ski mountaineering rather than cross country skiing, and we'll put in a snowshoe leg that will truly be deep-snow running and we'll also do trail running and mountain biking on packed trails. Every discipline will come back to the same transition area so there will be nonstop action for spectators."

The signature event begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with a 10K mountain bike race through the snow, followed by a 5K snowshoe run. The athletes won't be done after that, however. A 5K trail run on snowy paths will be followed by a challenging 8K ski mountaineering race up and down the mountain at Snowbasin.

Many of the world's top summer offroad triathletes will be on hand to try out the new format.

Nicolas LeBrun, a 34-year-old triathlete from France, is one of the favorites this weekend. A two-time winter triathlon world champion, LeBrun is comfortable running in the snow but will be challenged in ways he's not used to with the mountaineering and snowshoe legs of the race.

"As a first-time event in a never-been-done-before format, it's hard to predict who might come out on top," XTerra organizers said in a press release. "It does appear, however, with two running disciplines and 2,300 feet of climbing on the ski mountaineering portion, that the course is suited for strong runners and climbers."

Josiah Middaugh and Mike Kloser, both from Vail, Colo.,, have each won a U.S. winter tri title and figure to challenge LeBrun for first.

Keri Nelson (Gunnison Colo.), Jari Kirkland (Crested Butte, Colo.) and Jenny Tobin (Boise) will have to beat Salt Lake City's Rachel Cieslewicz for the women's title.

"It will also be interesting to see just how important equipment selection will be — but having the right shoes, snowshoes, bike, bike tires and randonee ski rigs is certain to payoff," XTerra officials said. "Then comes strategy as the pack leader on the snowshoe stage will be breaking trail and expending more energy. So, is it better to hang back and attack on the later stages? Guess that all depends on your race strength."