By Rebecca Roozen
Oct. 29, 2006 -- One of just four men who've competed on the XTERRA world champs course -- on the island of Maui, in Hawaii -- since the first race here in 1996, 46-year-old Steve Fisher says you just gotta let yourself fly on Haleakala, the iconic Maui volcano where much of the punishing mountain-bike course is located. "I just bumped into a couple of first-timers and offered up a little advice," Fisher said a few minutes before the swim start. "I told them to lay off the brakes, open it up and let it go. They looked at me like I was crazy."
Still, Fisher's approach seems to offer the best opportunity for riders to conquer the 32-kilometer off-road course on Haleakala. And that's what three-time XTERRA world champ Melanie McQuaid, from Canada, did today as she stormed to her third XTERRA world title at the 2006 Nissan Xterra World Championships -- even as race co-favorite, California's Jamie Whitmore, crashed out of the race.
"The third time is so much sweeter. It's so great," said McQuaid just after her win. "Today was so much harder than last year. The course was brutal. It was so bumpy. So challenging. I had a tough first half. I was riding like a sissy. But by the second half I picked it up."
McQuaid took control of the women's race early on. Sibylle Matter of Switzerland, 2002 XTERRA world champ Candy Angle and Hawaiian native Ingrid Rolles were first out of the water, but McQuaid made up her deficit quickly. Within the first two miles of the bike, she passed Matter and not long after hunted down Angle. Angle kept her push on McQuaid.
"I knew that in the first half she was pretty close," said McQuaid, "but I wasn't quite on my mojo yet. But the second half is where it gets hard, and that's what separates the winning people. I knew that the second half was going to be the difference for today."
Still, McQuaid powered up the dusty lava-rock climbs as Angle faded and evetually crashed out on the demanding and unforgiving course.
2004 world champion Whitmore, who had battled McQuaid for XTERRA supremacy all season long, also crashed out -- paving the way for McQuaid to clinch her third XTERRA world title.
By the Oil Tank climb, McQuaid had over six-and-a-half minutes on Kiwi Jenny Smith, and fellow Canadian Danelle Kabush had cranked her way into third, about eight minutes behind the leader.
"I had some spotters out on the course, and we're really fortunate because we can see two kilometers back," said McQuaid, "so I knew it was all good. And coming into the race, I knew I could run and I knew that if someone was coming that I had what I needed. It was just all systems go, and I wasn't afraid."
After holding steady on the run -- traditionally her weakest discipline -- McQuaid finished in 3:07:53 with Kabush eight minutes behind for second, with a time of 3:15:58. Matter rounded out the podium with 3:19:50.
"There's such a difference between the rest of the year and the world championships," says McQuaid. "You either bring it on today or you don't, and that's why gaps are big -- because this is the race where you have to rise to the occasion. That's what I came here to do. It's really satisfying when you say you're going to do something and put your mind to it and then follow through. I'm happy that we had so many strong people this year. Renata and Carina and Sibylle and Candy. . . . and what good is the win if you're not beating any strong people. I'm proud of that, and it just happens to be my day today, and I'm taking it!"
First-timer Carter makes even bigger name for himself in XTERRA
Kiwi Hamish Carter can cross off another item on the triathlon checklist. Now he's got an XTERRA world champs title to gop with his Olympic gold medal. However, his first race in Maui wasn't a cakewalk.
"This is the hardest, meanest course ever," Carter says. "The rocks don't go away. You get rid of them on the bike and then you get straight back up there for the run. And it's so hot."
Athletes not allowed to pre-ride the XTERRA bike course, sections of which are located on private land, and Carter was up against a group of guys that had already endured its Haleakala initiation in previous years.
Guys like last year's champ, France's Nico LeBrun, plus Canadian Brent McMahon. McMahon was the first out of the water, in 19:41. But Carter was in the mix from the start, coming into T1 only two seconds behind McMahon. A pack, including another Maui first-timer Seth Wealing, Olivier Marceau and brothers Eneko and Hecktor Llanos, followed.
But the second leg of this course is what makes or breaks you.
"I had never been here before, so I was just trying to gather as much information as I could, which is not that easy on a really tough course," said Wealing post-race. "Not being able to pre-ride is kind of dangerous and a little nerve-racking. I just made sure I saw everything, but it was kind of scary."
By 2.5 miles into the ride, which includes a gut-busting climb up steep, loose rock, Marceau and Carter led the field. Near mile 12, Olivier led Carter up the first ascent of Ned's Climb. Wealing, Josiah Middaugh, Ryan Ignatz, Ekeno Llanos, McMahon and Andrew Noble were chasing. However, bad luck plagued Canadian Mike Vine, who was fourth here last year and won the 2006 XTERRA mountain championship in Utah. Vine flatted on the first descent and again later on in the race. "I think it's just that the rocks are so sharp," said Vine of his bad luck with the conditions. Vine DNF'd and finished the remainder of the race as a passenger in one of the media vans.
The back-and-forth between Marceau and Carter continued right up until T2. "With about a minute to go on the bike my legs were very, very tired," Marceau said. "My legs are very stiff, so it was hard for me to run. I tried to go as hard as I could, but coming up Makena Beach, he [Carter] was much tougher than me. I am happy with my medal, and I'll just have try for a better race next year."
Carter was appreciative of his second-place riding partner. "I tried to stay with Olivier, and he pulled me through," says Carter. "I was a lot faster than I would have been on my own, so it was good to have him there."
Carter took the win in 2:42:36. Marceau was only a few seconds behind and finished second in 2:42:55. Wealing beat his expectations and finished third in 2:44:55.
Nissan XTERRA World Championship
Makena, Maui
Oct. 29, 2006
1.5km ocean swim, 32km mountain bike, 10km trail run
Women
1. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 3:07:53
2. Danelle Kabush (CAN) 3:15:58
3. Sibylle Matter (SUI) 3:19:50
4. Jennifer Smith (NZL) 3:20:08
5. Renata Bucher (SUI) 3:22:14
Men
1. Hamish Carter (NZL) 2:42:36
2. Olivier Marceau (FRA) 2:42:55
3. Seth Wealing (USA) 2:44:05
4. Josiah Middaugh (USA) 2:45:51
5. Eneko Llanos (ESP) 2:46:49