Honolulu – Pace Bend Park, on the shores of Lake Travis just outside of Austin, Texas, is the venue for Texas' first XTERRA off-road triathlon race, and the second stop of the XTERRA America Tour, presented by Nissan Xterra. The Tour is a series of ten Outdoor Recreation, Sports & Music Festivals, wrapped around the XTERRA off-road triathlon regional race series, and is scheduled for May 22-23.
The Austin weekend is packed with activities for the outdoor enthusiast. There will be Asics Running Clinics, an extensive expo filled with the latest in outdoor recreation gear and apparel, great food, an adventure climbing wall, performances of Hawaiian music and dance, the Paul Mitchell Cut-a-thon, where a great haircut is given in exchange for a donation to charity, special children's activities, live music and prizes. Admission is free, and $5 per vehicle will be charged for parking.
At the Nissan Xterra Pavilion, Tour-goers may enter to win a two-year lease on a Nissan Xterra, or a trip for two to Maui for the 1999 XTERRA Championship. Entry forms and complete contest rules are available at the Pavilion. Also at the Pavilion is a sneak preview of the new Nissan Xterra sport utility vehicle, which will be rolling out to dealerships across the country this June. A "tough place for stuff," the Xterra is designed and built for the active, outdoor enthusiast.
The XTERRA America Tour stop in Austin also features the second appearance of "OtherStarPeople," featured artists of the XTERRA Spotlight Tour Concert, scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, May 22. The "Other Star People" lineup includes former L7 member, Jennifer "Precious" Finch. Also in the lineup are Todd Phillips, an alum of Juliana Hatfield's band, and Xander Smith from Chalk Circle, who joins Finch on vocals, and bassist Junko Ito. Producer Roy Thomas Baker of Cars, Queen and Devo fame produced the album. OSP's sound is described as a mixture of California lifestyle with international mystique, and has been dubbed "Caliphonic Sound" by their fans.
The highlight of Austin's festival weekend is the XTERRA race. XTERRA is an innovative off-road, multi-sport event, attracting both triathletes and mountain bikers. The race format includes a 1.5-kilometer swim, 30-kilometer mountain bike, and 10-kilometer trail run. The race starts at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 23, and has attracted 19 of the world's best off-road multi-sport pros, including 1998 reigning XTERRA champion, Sue Latshaw, and Championship runner-up, Wes Hobson. Two-time world champion duathlete and three-time '98 XTERRA regional race winner, Michael Tobin, will compete, along with '96 XTERRA Champion Jimmy Riccitello.
Latshaw, and fellow XTERRA pro athletes Scott Schumaker, Pat Brown and Kerstin Weule will conduct "XTERRA University" clinics on Saturday, May 22 at 9 a.m. These clinics will give tips on swimming, mountain biking, trail running, transitions and mental imaging. XTERRA U is free to registered XT and XTERRA athletes, and $25 to nonregistrants.
XTERRA competition is open to amateur athletes racing as either individuals or 2-3 person teams. First place age groupers are guaranteed a slot at the 1999 XTERRA Championship, which has a limited field of 400 racers. For beginners, XT, a half-distance XTERRA, will also be offered at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 23. There's even "XTERRA Jr.," a fun and fast mini triathlon for kids, where every competitor wins.
Pro athletes vie for a share of the $5,000 cash purse at XTERRA Austin, and points towards the $50,000 Nissan Points Series Purse. The total pro purse for the 1999 XTERRA America Tour is $132,000.
The XTERRA America Tour is presented nationally by the new Nissan Xterra. Other national sponsors include Paul Mitchell, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, American Express Travel, Asics, K2, Speedo, Bolle, Clif Bar, Outside Magazine, Inside Triathlon and the Interscope, Geffen, A&M Records group. The Tour is televised for ESPN.
| The 1999 festival schedule is: | |
| May 14-16 | Ruston, LA @ Lincoln Parish Park |
| May 22-23 | Austin, TX @ Pace Bend Park |
| June 19-20 | Los Angeles, CA @ Bonelli Park, San Dimas |
| July 16-17 | Richmond, VA @ Tredegar Ironworks |
| July 23-25 | Athens, GA |
| August 6-8 | Keystone, CO @ Keystone Resort |
| August 13-15 | Hood River, OR @ Hood River Marina |
| August 20-22 | Half Moon Bay, CA @ Pillar Point Marina |
| September 3-5 | Mountain Creek, NJ @ Keystone Resort |
| September 17-19 | Ann Arbor, MI @ Brighton Recreation Area |
| October 31 | XTERRA Championship, Wailea, Maui, HI |
Hawaii-based sports marketing and television production company, TEAM Unlimited, produces the XTERRA America Tour in conjunction with MultiSport Productions in Austin.
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