Ruidoso got a chance to meet some of the world’s best triathletes in town for this year’s XTERRA World Championship Wednesday afternoon at the Horton Complex, as each one talked about the race to come and their impressions of this quaint mountain town.
Every one of the triathlon stars will compete for their share of the $100,000 purse in the full triathlon final starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at Grindstone Lake. The races finish at XTERRA Village in Wingfield Park.
Sullivan Middaugh, winner of last year’s XTERRA Ruidoso race, is back and ready to take on the new and improved course.
“I’ve been here before and I kind of view it as home,” Middaugh said. “I’m prepared to do well, and I won’t even be disappointed if I don’t win. This is a terrific group of athletes to compete against.”
Also back from last year is Suzie Snyder, who was in Ruidoso for last year’s race but didn’t compete due to a wrist injury. She’s hoping to keep things together for Saturday.
“Honestly, the only athlete I’m worried about in the race is myself,” Snyder said. “It’s been a wild ride over the last 25 years, seeing this sport grow.”
The athlete to really watch on the men’s side is Jens Emil Sloth Neilsen on Denmark, currently ranked second in the world by XTERRA. He acknowledged swimming is his weak spot, but is hoping to make it all up with a stellar run on the mountain bike leg.
“I’m likely going to be at a deficit coming out of the water,” Neilsen said. “This course is challenging enough for me to close the gap. I hope to be explosive on the bikes and see what I can do there.”
Nielsen had moved away from XTERRA in recent years, having run only one triathlon on the circuit since finishing second in last year’s World Championship. He took second at XTERRA Czech Republic in August to qualify for this year’s finals.
“It’s been fun for me to explore the world with XTERRA and visit a place like Ruidoso,” Neilsen said. “I feel the XTERRA family will always keep me going inmy pro career.”
When it comes to being in Ruidoso, Hannah Lee Young is charmed with the small-town feel so far from her native Australia. She’s new to XTERRA and triathlons, but she’s already making a name for herself.
“XTERRA gives me a community and a chance to be myself,” Young said. “I also love it here. The warmth is here, everyone loves my accent, and everyone says hello when I walk down the street. It’s a real small-town feel that I grew up with.”
