Josiah Middaugh of Vail, Colorado and reigning XTERRA World Champion Lesley Paterson of Scotland and San Diego, California won the 2012 XTERRA USA National Championship today at Snowbasin Resort in Utah.
The Men
Middaugh finished in 2:26:58 on the tough, hilly course with a 1:48 margin over runner-up Australian Ben Allen and a 2:05 margin on 3rd-place finisher and defending champion Nicolas Lebrun of France. Multiple XTERRA World Champion and USA National Champion Conrad Stoltz of the Republic of South Africa took 4th place, 2:49 back of the winner and Branden Rakita of Colorado was 5th in 2:34:01.
Allen, who dominated the early season XTERRA races in the South Pacific, had his best showing ever in the USA Championship.
Middaugh’s victory was his first at the XTERRA USA Championship after several close calls in recent years. Middaugh had been the top-ranked American man in the XTERRA series in seven of the last eight years but had never placed higher than third in this race.
“Finally,” said Middaugh, “more relief than anything.”
Middaugh, one of the fastest runners in the XTERRA elite series, grabbed the lead earlier than usual, midway through the bike leg, but stayed on the defensive throughout the rest of the precipitous declivities and tight, rocky terrain on the steep mountainside course.
"I caught the leaders early, about mile 6 or 7," he told XTERRA media. “That first downhill Conrad (Stoltz) got back ahead of me, and it wasn't until about mile 9 that I passed him again for the second time. But I was so tentative on the downhill, I was just so worried about flatting or having something ruining a good performance. I knew my fitness was good, I just had to be careful everywhere. I was a little bit too nervous, but it worked out."
Once free to utilize his superior run, Middaugh controlled the race and had enough time in hand by the finish chute to grab his two young children and soak in the cheers of the crowd at the scenic Snowbasin resort.
The Women
Paterson dominated the day over the long climbs at high altitude of the Snowbasin course, finishing in 2:49:09 with a 3:34 margin over runner-up Suzie Snyder of the United States and 3:47 over 3rd-place finisher Danelle Kabush of Canada.
Defending women’s champion Melanie McQuaid was 4th, 5:49 back of the winner, and Renata Bucher of Switzerland was 5th, 1:12 back of McQuaid.
Paterson’s win continued her hot streak in major off road triathlon championships which began with a victory at the XTERRA World Championship in Maui last October and continued with her win at the 2012 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship.
"It was awesome," Paterson, 31, told XTERRA media. "I came out 10 days early to prepare. It's the first time in an XTERRA race that I went into the lead on the bike and held it. So I went into the run actually in the lead, which is very unusual for me.”
Paterson placed 3rd at this championship in 2009 and was runner-up the last two years.
Considered the fastest runner in XTERRA, when Paterson hit T2 in the lead, short of an injury or illness, her victory was assured.
Snyder’s runner-up was a breakthrough. She had won an age group national championship at the XTERRA USA Championship, but as a professional her previous best at this championship was a 9th place finish.
Amateurs
California teenagers took the overall amateur titles. Neilsen Powless was top male in 2:43:32 and Hannah Rae Finchamp, 17, of Altadena, was the first female amateur. Her time of 3:03:59 was the 7th fastest overall women’s time including the professionals.
Related image gallery: XTERRA USA 2012 - Ogden, Utah
2012 XTERRA USA Championship
Snowbasin Resort – Ogden Utah
September 22, 2012
S 1.5k / MTB 28k /Trail Run 10k
Results
Pro Men
1. Josiah Middaugh (USA) 2:26:58
2. Ben Allen (AUS) 2:28:46
3. Nicolas Lebrun (FRA) 2:29:03
4. Conrad Stoltz (RSA) 2:30:47
5. Branden Rakita (USA) 2:34:02
6. David Henestrosa (ESP) 2:35:25
7. Will Kelsay (USA) 2:36:30
8. Ryan Ignatz (USA) 2:36:45
9. Cody Waite (USA) 2:36:49
10. Sam Gardner (GBR) 2:40:06
Pro Women
1. Lesley Paterson (GBR) 2:49:09
2. Suzie Snyder (USA) 2:52:43
3. Danelle Kabush (CAN) 2:52:56
4. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 2:54:58
5. Renata Bucher (SUI) 2:56:10
6. Christine Jeffrey (CAN) 3:01:03
7. Simone Calamai (ITA) 3:08:24
8. Carina Wasle (AUT) 3:09:33
9. Kim Baugh (USA) 3:09:55
10. Tamara Donelson (USA) 3:11:08.
