Crack international triathletes vying in Xterra race

Three-time Xterra European Tour champion Oliver Marceau of Switzerland heads a crack international cast as the Vaseline Men Xterra Off-Road Triathlon Series goes to Liloan, Cebu, this weekend for the second of three legs.

Fellow Swiss and four-time European Tour winner Renata Bucher will banner the ladies side in the two-day event serving as a qualifier for the October Xterra World Championship in Oahu and Maui, Hawaii.

Other triathletes include 2011 Xterra South Africa champion Carina Wasle of Austria, Brazil winner Ben Allen of Australia and 2008 ITU World Cup champion Matt O’Halloran of Canada.

Three-time National Open champion and 15-time Ironman finisher Arland Macasieb will lead the local challenge.

The Xterra weekend kicks off with a trail run on March 17 featuring races in 21K, 10K and 5K classes. The top age-group finishers in the 21K race will qualify for the Trail Run World Championships.

The Xterra Lite (500m rough water swim-30K mountain bike-5K trail run) and Xterra PH championship (1.5K rough water swim-30K mountain bike-10K trail run) will be disputed the next day.

Aside from cash prizes—the pro category winner will get $15,000 (about P650,000)—the top age-group finishers will vie for 40 slots to the Hawaii Worlds.