2012 Maui pre race

Timothy Carlson Sun Oct 28 2012

The 17th XTERRA World Championship provides a unique clash of the best of the Ironman, Ironman 70.3, Olympic distance and off road specialists on a challenging course of sublime tropical beauty on the island of Maui.

All photos © Timothy Carlson

United Airlines flight landing at Kahului Airport.

Slideshow

Rising stars Ben Allen of Australia and Jacqui Slack of Great Britain formed an alliance of the heart on the XTERRA road and took the men's and women's titles at New Zealand. Portrait at sunset at Honolua Bay.

Three-time XTERRA World Champion Melanie McQuaid is hungry for a 4th after collapsing 100 yards from the finish last year.

Sebastian Kienle of Germany, this year's Ironman 70.3 World Champion, won XTERRA Germany in 2006.

Javier Gomez of Spain comes to his first XTERRA race after a win at Hy-Vee, a silver at the London Olympics, and a won at the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final in Auckland.

Cooling off after finishing one of the Saturday morning XTERRA trail running races.

Running on the beach near the end of the 5k trail run.

Three-time XTERRA World Champion Eneko Llanos of Spain.

Jamie Whitmore, a multiple XTERRA World and National Champion who conquered a devastating form of cancer, is back racing. This weekend, Whitmore is announcing.

Conrad Stoltz of South Africa is seeking his 5th XTERRA Maui world title at age 39.

Just 35 miles away from the XTERRA race site at Kapalua, wind surfers compete on 10 foot waves at an international contest at Hookipa.

Hookipa wave sets maxed out at 14 feet - while Kapalua settled for six foot sets. Overnight a tsunami warning targeted Kahului.

Nicolas Lebrun of France.

One of Maui's numerous tropical waterfalls .

XTERRA competitor practices swim starts on Saturday.

Enjoying a perfect Maui day at the beach.

Coach Lance Watson, in Maui in support of Canadian triathletes Brent McMahon and Magali Tisseyre, stocking up on some Maui surf wear on Saturday morning.