International couple looking forward to XTERRA multisport event
1 April 2013
On Saturday 13 April over 2000 people will converge on Rotorua's Blue Lake for the 11th annual Paymark XTERRA Rotorua Festival.
Among them will be entrants from seven countries including triathlon defending champions Ben Alan (Australia) and his girlfriend Jacqui Slack (Great Britain).
After a very successful starts to 2013 Alan says the pair's goal remains simple.
Perform to the best of our abilities at every race, live life to the fullest, and win XTERRA World Championship in October.
The best of their abilities so far this season has seen Alan win three XTERRA World Series events from his three starts, and Slack two wins from three starts.
Alan says he is looking forward to coming back to Rotorua.
XTERRA Rotorua is one of my favourite stops on the XTERRA World Championship Tour. New Zealand, and Rotorua especially, have some of the best mountain biking in the world. I love riding my bike through the Redwood forest and stopping by the local dairy for some hokey pokey ice cream."
Both Alan and Slack will have tough fields to compete against. In the women's field both 2nd and 3rd place getters from last year's event (Annika Smail & Elizabeth Orchard) are returning to contend for the number one spot. Slack said she is excited about lining up against the old rivals again.
"I'm super excited to come back to XTERRA Rotorua and compete again. The setting around The Blue Lake is absolutely stunning and the mountain biking is out of this world. XTERRA Rotorua is one of my favourite races on the XTERRA world tour calendar."
The Paymark XTERRA Rotorua Festival is one of the single biggest multisport events in the world and is part of the XTERRA Global Tour which host events in 17 different countries.
It offers not only an individual and team Triathlon but a 5.5km, 11km or 21km run or walk, as well as a 26km mountain bike event.
While the professionals are out there battling themselves and each other for the title, there will be thousands of others taking part.
More information is available from www.xterra.co.nz