South African Bradley Weiss and Austrian Carina Wasle overcame the punishing terrain and excruciating heat on Sunday to reign as Xterra Danao champions for the second year.
Weiss rallied from third in the opening swim stage to top the mountain bike part, then sustained his charge in the closing run leg to retain the crown in the men’s pro division of the second of three Xterra series slated here.
He timed 2 hours, 16 minutes and 28 seconds—00:19:09 (swim), 1:15:35 (bike) and 00:40:04 (run).
New Zealand’s Sam Osborne, who came in second to Australian Ben Allen in the swim leg, struggled in the bike part, enabling Weiss to seize control as the Kiwi setlled for another runner-up finish in the event billed as the Asia-Pacific Championship.
“It was so hot I just wanted it to be over,” said Weiss after retaining his crown, his third straight counting his 2016 feat in Albay.
Another Kiwi, Kiera McPherson, finished strong in the run leg in 00:38:28 to place third in 2:19:47 as Allen landed fourth in 2:23:48. Frenchman Fabien Combaluzier placed fifth in 2:25:35.
Wasle, who dominated the distaff side by almost 30 minutes last year, retained her crown in 2:49:38 (00:21:43-1:35:40-00:49:53) at the expense of Aussie Penny Slater (02:52:38).