GOOD NEWS FROM THE JAMIE WHITMORE CAMP
Last Friday, March 28, XTERRA’s all-time winningest athlete Jamie Whitmore pulled off her biggest victory to date – a successful surgery to remove a baseball size tumor near her pelvic area.

According to Jamie’s husband Courtney Cardenas, “The doctors were able to get all of the tumor out and they say Jamie can get back to a normal life soon.”

To celebrate and help raise funds to cover the expense of treatment, Jamie’s friends, family and supporters are getting together for some mountain bike riding on the trails of Mammoth Bar Park in Auburn, CA this Saturday, April 5, at 9 a.m.

They’re giving away great raffle prizes including a 2009 Cannondale Rize 4. For more details on the ride, and updates on Jamie visit her website at jamiewhitmore.com.

UP NEXT, XTERRA DOWN UNDER . . .
This Saturday the XTERRA Global Tour stops in Daylesford, Victoria for the XTERRA Australia Championship. Highlighting the men’s field is a pair of XTERRA’s most prominent Aussies – Andrew Noble and Jason Chalker.

“Chalks”, from Canberra, has won five-of-eight previous XTERRA races in Australia including the 2002 Championship race. Noble, from the Gold Coast, is coming off three consecutive wins at XTERRA Saipan, the Tagaman Triathlon in Saipan, and XTERRA Guam last weekend. They’ll both be out to prove their off-road worth against local road triathlon greats Luke Bell, Josh Rix, and recently crowned Australian long course champ Leon Griffin.

The event also marks the return of Raeleigh “Rae Rae” Rogers (also from Canberra) – a staple of the XTERRA America Tour from ‘99-2003 and the 2002 XTERRA Australia Champ. Rogers was the runner-up at the 2001 and 2002 XTERRA USA Championship.

Just 60 miles from Melbourne, Daylesford Lake is a wonderful tourist destination and the course heads through Hepburn Regional Park and the Wombat State Forest on single track trails, over bridge and creek crossings, up hills and past waterfall and natural springs.

David Hansen – the race organizer of the Sydney Olympic Games Triathlon in 2000 (the first time triathlon was contested at the Olympic Games) and his team at SuperSprint are producing the race, which is giving out $10,000 in prize money to pros and 34 spots into the XTERRA World Championship for age groupers.

One week later on April 12 is XTERRA New Zealand in Rotorua.

PATERSON, GLAVIN GET REAL!
First-time XTERRA racer Lesley Paterson (raised in Scotland, now living in San Diego) trounced the women’s field in the XTERRA REAL off-road triathlon in Granite Bay, CA on Sunday, finishing nearly 11 minutes ahead of reigning XTERRA USA amateur champ Emma Garrard (and placing ninth overall). Paterson posted the second fastest 4-mile run time, even better than men’s winner Trevor Glavin, who romped to a nearly five-minute victory over runner-up Nick Wierzba.

“I wasn’t expecting such a tricky bike course,” said Paterson, silver medalist in the 2000 Duathlon Junior World Championships and former Scotland national triathlon champion. “It was very winding and mostly single track, so you often couldn’t see what was 20 yards around the corner. I realized very quickly you can’t fight the course – you have to trust your instincts.”

Last year’s men’s winner Phil Glenn placed third, and a number of XTERRA standouts competed in the race including 6-time XTERRA USA and World Champ Tom Lyons (5th), the voice of XTERRA Whit Raymond (3rd in 45-49 division), 2007 XTERRA 45-49 World Champ Meiling Yee (5th woman), and current XTERRA USA Champs Scott Zavack (7th) and Tom Monica (29th).

A pair of young-guns put on quite a show as well with 15 year-old Jeroen Keukenkamp placing 14th overall and 14-year-old Shayna Powless finishing as the 4th woman (out of more than 40). Nearly 200 competitors competed in the event, which featured some serious mud crossings (see picture on right). For complete results click here.

BOLT, GIBLIN WIN FIRST OREGON TRAIL RUN
Portland locals Richard Bolt, 37, and Mandy Giblin, 33, triumphed over the trails at Sunday’s XTERRA Dirt Dash 8k Trail Run at Hagg Lake.

Bolt, crossing the finish line in 43:02, came in almost three minutes ahead of runner-up Mike Tyler of Salem, Oregon. For the women, Giblin won with her time of 53:42, only two minutes ahead of fellow Portland resident Patty Sturdevant.

Despite the 35-degree temperatures, over 100 runners, ranging in age from 16-59, took their places at the starting line of Sunday’s race. The weather, alternating between snow, rain, and hail, created hazardous conditions as the dedicated group of athletes crossed the root-lined, hill-climbing terrain.

Sabina Havkins, 53, woke up at 5am and drove down from Seattle, Washington in order to compete. Even wearing an XTERRA jersey, she claimed how much she “loves XTERRA and is really excited about the XTERRA Oregon Series.” She had a great time and claims the event was well worth her drive.

The Dirt Dash was the first race in the XTERRA Oregon Trail Run Series. Athletes finishing on top in the series earn free entry to the XTERRA National Trail Running Championship in Bend, OR on September 27. Next up in the northwest is the XTERRA Havoc at the Hideout Trail Run in North Plains on May 17.