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Saipan gets love from Maui
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Posted on Oct 21 2006
While the most extreme triathletes on the planet prepare for the ultimate challenge of the season, organizers of the Nissan XTERRA World Championship are going to make sure they hear all about the signature race on Saipan.
Maui-based Team Unlimited created the XTERRA series and last year hosted more than 800 competitors for off-road triathlon’s biggest day. This year’s event takes place in a week and a half when professionals like Olivier Marceau, Eneko Llanos, Renata Bucher, and Jamie Whitmore tackle “heartbreak hill” and “the plunge” on Oct. 29.
Since they started the series eight years ago, TU has produced over 250 television shows and 200 events worldwide as well as developing the XTERRA Global Tour. Their efforts in the production studio has been rewarded as well with 30 Telly Awards—two for Saipan’s race—and three Emmy Awards for TV production and excellence.
Their quality videos have helped the XTERRA Saipan Championship grow every year since the off-road competition reach the CNMI shores in 2001. Japanese participation alone has increased 10 times, and since its inception, the race has drawn athletes and spectators from around the world, including as far as the Netherlands.
MVA managing director Perry Tenorio was one of the people who initiated talks with TU and he is happy that the race officials continue to promote the local event during the highlight of their schedule.
“We are thrilled to have exposure for the Saipan event in Maui. Any time we can get advance exposure outside of the CNMI it increases our chances of having more athletes and spectators at our event” says Tenorio.
The Nissan XTERRA World Championship marks the end of the season and the professional triathletes and age-groupers who compete on Maui will be invited to kick off the 2007 season on Saipan on March 17, 2007 as well as the Tagaman Triathlon a week later on March 24, 2007.
For more information about the XTERRA Saipan Championship, call the MVA at 664-3200 or by visiting the www.xterraplanet.com.
