Final Short Track Race of the XTERRA World Cup LIVE this Thursday

September 20, 2023

/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The 5th and final Short Track race of the series is the last opportunity for XTERRA’s strongest and fastest to score crucial points ahead of the series finale when the XTERRA World Championship will decide the winner of the first ever XTERRA World Cup beneath the Brenta Dolomites in Trentino, Italy.

XTERRA’s Fastest Format

For those new to XTERRA, Short Track is the most intense, thrilling, fan-friendly race format to be added to the XTERRA circuit. Designed to deliver pure action for racers and spectators, the made-for-TV format brings all the thrills and spills of the XTERRA off-road triathlon directly into the race venue, condensing the action of the swim, bike, and run sections into one fast-paced, full-gas sprint directly in front of a live crowd. Over in under 40 minutes, every section is crucial, every corner counts, and the win is decided by a fraction of a second.

Participants at the XTERRA Trentino Short Track Off-Road Triathlon will engage in a lightning-fast 2x200m swim, navigate a 8K MTB section filled with challenging features, and conclude with a 3K foot race to the finish.

The Short Track format is exclusive to XTERRA’s Elite division, with an invite-only start list.

In 2022 the shortened format stood as a stand-alone series, but for 2023 it has been absorbed into the newly launched XTERRA World Cup to make up 5 of the 12 races in the series where XTERRA’s elite athletes compete for points in a condensed circuit. Six of the seven World Cup stops are now in the books, with Stop #7 set to play out in Trentino with the Short Track on Thursday and the Full Distance on Saturday.

Who’s on the Starting Line in Trentino?

The final Short Track race of the series will feature 30 of the best male and 30 of the best female Off-Road Elite athletes, including series leaders Arthur Serrières and Alizée Paties. Selection is based on the top 20 in the World Cup standings, with 10 wild cards thrown into the mix to spice up the competition.

Men’s Short Track Start List

World Cup Ranking / Name / Nationality

1 – Arthur Serrières (FRA)
2 – Felix Forissier (FRA)
3 – Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen (DNK)
4 – Ruben Ruzafa Cueto (ESP)
5 – Kieran McPherson (NZL)
6 – Sebastién Carabin (BEL)
7 – Michele Bonacina (ITA)
8 – Lukáš Kočař (CZE)
10 – Sullivan Middaugh (USA)
13 – Xavier Dafflon (CHE)
14 – Sam Osborne (NZL)
15 – Sebastian Neef (DEU)
16 – Josiah Middaugh (USA)
17 – Jules Dumas (FRA)
18 – Tom Fisher (AUS)
19 – Francisco Serrano (MEX)
20 – Edmond Roy (CAN)
21 – Theo Dupras (FRA)
21 – Keller Norland (USA)
25 – Dominik Wychera (AUT)

Wild Cards

23 – Sam Teller (USA)
24 – Jens Roth (DEU)
29 – Branden Rakita (USA)
30 – Francois Vie (PRT)
NR – Jack Moody (NZL)
NR – Bradley Weiss (ZAF)
34 – Scott Anderson (DEU)
28 – Gaetan Vivien (FRA)
44 – Federico Spinazze (ITA)
39 – Lucas Van Deynze (BEL)

Women’s Short Track Start List

World Cup Ranking / Name / Nationality

1 – Alizée Paties (FRA)
2 – Loanne Duvoisin(CHE)
3 – Solenne Billouin (FRA)
4 – Marta Menditto (ITA)
5 – Suzie Snyder (USA)
6 – Sandra Mairhofer (ITA)
7 – Helena Karásková Erbenová (CZE)
8 – Samantha Kingsford (NZL)
9 – Elizabeth Orchard (NZL)
10 – Carina Wasle (AUT)
11 – Ségolène Léberon (FRA)
12 – Štěpánka Bisová (CZE)
13 – Emma Ducreux (FRA)
14 – Maria Doring (DEU)
17 – Georgia Grobler (ZAF)
19 – Lorena Erl (DEU)
20 – Katie Button (CAN)
21 – Beatriz Ferreira (PRT)
22 – Lesley Paterson (GBR)
24 – Carolyne Guay (CAN)

Wild Cards

26 – Maeve Kennedy (AUS)
26 – Kerri Ann Upham (GBR)
32 – Pauline Vie (PRT)
33 – Camille Jobard (FRA)
34 – Carole Perrot (CHE)
NR – Diede Diederiks (NLD)
NR – Matilde Bolzan (ITA)
39 – Solene Marnoni (FRA)
30 – Jana Dobcová (CZE)
NR – Anna Zehnder (CHE)

Spectator Experience

Designed with fans in mind, the Short Track courses allow spectators to get up close and personal with a front row seat to the action. Whether you’re watching live at the venue or tuning in from home, unfiltered, and absolutely free, exclusively on xterraplanet.com via the XTERRA Live page on Thursday, you’ll witness the world’s fastest professional athletes tackle various challenges, from navigating wooden berms and jumps to outpacing their competitors.

World Cup Points & Prize Purse

The XTERRA Trentino Short Track is not just about the thrill; there’s a €5,000 purse up for grabs, split between the top 5 male and female finishers. But perhaps even more valuable are the World Cup points as athletes look to get as high into the top 10 as possible to claim their share of the €100,000 series bonus. Multiple positions within the top 10 are currently separated by as little as a single point, meaning the Short Track race could significantly change the leaderboard ahead of the final race. With the top finisher receiving 20 points and the 25th place securing 2 points, every position matters. See here for the full breakdown of points and prize purse.

Tactical Decisions For Serrières & Paties

This race, the 11th of the World Cup, adds another layer of intrigue as the importance of this result cannot be overstated, especially for leaders Arthur Serrières and Alizée Paties. Both have already secured the best possible Short Track score by winning 3 Short Track races in the series so far, and therefore cannot add any further points to their overall lead in this upcoming Short Track race.

Their strategy for the Short Track race will be keenly watched: will Serrières and Paties conserve energy for Saturday’s Full Distance or go all out to deny points to their competitors? You will have to Watch Live or stay in the loop with real-time updates available on XTERRA IG.

Tune In Live

The Short Track Race will be broadcasted live, unfiltered, and free of charge, exclusively on xterraplanet.com via the XTERRA Live page. Set your reminders for 2pm local time (GMT +2, Paris: 2pm, Tokyo: 9pm, New York: 8am). The women’s race kicks off at 2:10 pm, with the men’s race following at 3:10 pm.

Join us this Thursday for an adrenaline-packed race that promises to be a highlight of the XTERRA World Cup as the series comes down to the wire at the final stop in Trentino.