All-American Sweep: Legends and Rising Star Dominate XTERRA Puerto Rico

April 7, 2025

CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO (April 7, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – On April 5-6, the 2025 XTERRA World Tour arrived in the Americas, transforming Cabo Rojo’s Combate Beach into a high-energy arena of heat, grit, and world-class off-road competition.

Elite veterans Suzie Snyder (USA) and Branden Rakita (USA) claimed top honors as returning champions, with Snyder not only taking the women’s crown but posting the fastest Elite time of the day at 2:30:15—outpacing Rakita’s 2:30:47.

Yet it was 18-year-old Lucas Wright (USA), racing in the age group division, who stunned the field with a breakout performance, crossing the line in 2:29:44 to log the fastest overall time in his XTERRA Full Distance debut. Wright is now considered one of the American favorites to win the Junior division this September in Trentino, Italy at the XTERRA Youth World Championship.

Across a weekend packed with triathlons, trail runs, and duathlons, XTERRA Puerto Rico delivered a full-force celebration of Caribbean adventure, supported by a passionate local community and fueled by the heartbeat of island hospitality.

Course Insight with Local Hero

Returning to compete after placing 1st in 2023 and finishing 3rd in his 50–54 age group in both 2024 and again in 2025, local athlete Daniel Leon (PRI) shared his perspective on what made XTERRA Puerto Rico special:

“Puerto Rican culture offers hospitality and a good time. Our Island is an awesome destination for the whole family, from the colorful rainforests to the beautiful beaches. Cabo Rojo offers the opportunity for adventure mountain biking, numerous local trails, close-by beaches, and comfortable water temperature for swimming.”

It was an action-packed XTERRA weekend in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Saturday’s gorgeous weather kicked off the official 21K Trail Half Marathon qualifier for the 2025 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship, followed by a fun 10K Trail Run.

For the Full Distance Triathlon on Sunday, the 1.5K swim was as flat and peaceful as the ocean at Combate Beach can be. The bike course was in excellent condition and it seemed like the overnight rain was just enough to compact the soil for a fast and challenging race. Tough climbs and awesome singletrack were just wide enough for passing slower riders. The 29K bike course this year was a single loop, which made it feel more like an adventure than a race circuit.

The 10K run was changed from last year. It was the same course, but made shorter and more laps. This improved access to hydration and meant you passed by the venue more often to be cheered on by family and friends. We had champions returning to defend their titles (Snyder and Rakita) as well as newbies getting a feel for the XTERRA life. Each year, this event seems to get better. Can’t wait till next year!”

Elite Recap

In the Elite men’s race, Branden Rakita (USA) successfully defended his XTERRA Puerto Rico title, crossing the line in 2:30:47. Rakita stayed within striking distance on the swim (26:03) and surged forward with a strong bike split (1:31:39). He sealed the win with the day’s fastest run of 31:29. Charlie Smoak (USA), racing XTERRA Puerto Rico for the first time, took second place in 2:33:44.

Smoak emphasized the XTERRA spirit: “The XTERRA community was incredibly welcoming and stood for more than just performance.” James Kirschner (USA), third overall in 2:38:25, praised the course: “The swim is awesome. The water temp is perfect, and it is shallow, so it’s not super intimidating. The race vibe here is amazing—you really get the sense that locals are just here to go hard on their favorite backyard trails.”

The women’s race was highlighted by Suzie Snyder (USA), whose dominant performance not only defended her 2024 title but beat every Elite—male and female—with a finishing time of 2:30:15. Despite trailing after the swim (36:51), Snyder set a relentless pace on the bike (1:46:37), taking control before sealing her victory on the run (42:43).

Katja Krenn (AUT) secured second place among the Elite women, finishing in 3:00:48. She led the women out of the swim (26:04) and showed resilience throughout the challenging bike and run legs. Brittany Schroeder (USA) rounded out the women’s podium, finishing third in 3:15:59 after a solid effort across all disciplines, particularly strong on the bike segment (1:51:44).

Full Results Here.

Wright Wins The Weekend

At just 18 years old, Lucas Wright (USA) stunned the XTERRA Puerto Rico field by delivering the fastest overall performance of the weekend, clocking an impressive 2:29:44.

Wright set the tone immediately, coming out of the water first overall with a blistering 21:54 swim. “I’ve always led the swim, and I had no reason to believe this would be different, so I took it out strong and separated myself from the rest,” said Wright.

After dominating the swim, Wright navigated the 29K mountain bike course strategically, finishing strong with a split of 1:44:30. “I headed out for the bike ready to rock and roll, putting down a great time on the final climb and cruised back into transition,” he explained.

Despite his strong start, the tropical heat began to take its toll on Wright during the 10K run. “It was starting to get really hot for me when I took off on the run. I got halfway through the second lap of four and started getting some severe stomach pain. I pushed through to the beginning of the fourth lap before I really started to suffer,” Wright recalled. It was in these difficult moments that Wright experienced the true spirit of XTERRA. “One of my future teammates, who was on a different lap, caught up to me and offered me some water and told me to focus on breathing, which was so kind but only helped so much when I was pulling over every hundred yards. To me, that is the spirit of XTERRA and what it means to be a (future) teammate on every level.”

Reflecting on the accomplishment, he concluded, “In the end it was worth it—I not only won the overall, but I beat every single Elite time as well. I was absolutely stoked, knowing I gave it my all.”

Youth Athletes Shine, Locals Triumph in Trail Run

In the XTERRA Sprint Triathlon, the Youth A division saw standout performances from Daritzamar Estrada (PRI), who took first place with a time of 2:03:52, and Clara Geddes (PRI), who closely followed at 2:04:35. Both athletes secured spots to represent their home countries at the XTERRA Youth World Championship this September in Trentino, Italy.

Saturday’s 21K Trail Half Marathon, marking the 10th stop of the 2025 XTERRA Trail Run World Series, served as a qualifying event for July’s XTERRA Trail Run World Championship in Snowdonia, Wales. Local runners captured both titles, with Kelvin González Ramirez (PRI) winning the men’s race in 1:35:32 and María Medina (PRI) claiming the women’s title in 1:53:03.

From duathlon to aquathlon to the festive atmosphere surrounding the weekend, XTERRA Puerto Rico delivered an action-packed weekend filled with sports adventure, community support, and authentic island culture.