Swiss champ back to defend Xterra crown

Renata Bucher of Switzerland will be back to defend her Xterra Off-Road Triathlon crown on Feb. 8 when the series is held in Legazpi City in Albay for the first time.

Bucher, who also topped Xterra Philippines 2012, prevailed last year with a time of three  hours, 24 minutes and 59 seconds, beating Austria’s Carina Wasle (3:25:18) for her 32nd career Xterra championship.

Flora Duffy, the 2014 Xterra world champion from Bermuda, leads the challengers.

Australia’s Ben Allen, the 2012-2013 men’s champion and third placer last year, and last year’s runner-up Bradley Weiss of South Africa  will head the chase for the male pro title after the retirement of 2014 ruler Dan Hugo.

Allen, Hugo and Weiss placed third, fourth and 10th, respectively, in the 2014 Worlds.

Other men’s division  participants are Mauricio Mendez, a 19-year-old Mexican who placed 15th in the 2014 Worlds on his first year as a pro and Guam’s Charlie Epperson.

The 1.5-kilometer swim will start on the shores of Lidong in Mayon Rivera while the 35K bike stage will be a single loop point to point race passing through fire roads, grass lands, and sand and rocky trails.

The finishing 10K run will follow Mayon Volcano’s trail featuring sandy and rocky areas, river bed and grasslands.

Monica Torres and Joseph Miller, a two-time male Elite winner in Xterra Philippines, will carry the fight for the local bets.