Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham will play host to the 2024 Xterra World Cup North America Championship and top athletes from around the globe.
The event is May 18-19 at the rugged, public park south of Birmingham. The second day’s events will be streamed live, as Xterra has enhanced its coverage this season. Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest, at 11,632 acres, atop Double Oak Mountain. It offers a variety of activities, with more than 100 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, runners and equestrian use.
Pelham is part of the seven-event Xterra World Cup off-road triathlon series. It hosted a championship trail running event in 2023. It begins its second season in March in Taiwan before moving to Greece, and then to Alabama. Greece is one of two new cities, joining Quebec, on the schedule. Changes this year include larger Short Track fields with a cap of 30 entries. Xterra adjusted points for the Full Distance and Short Track events; the former are worth 100 points and the latter 75. All race scores are counted to athletes’ totals.
Course descriptions from Xterra:
— Taiwan, APAC Championship course featuring intense climbs and technical descents.
— Greece, a fast, scenic route starting in the Aegean Sea and traversing Varkiza and Vouliagmeni’s mountain trails.
— Oak Mountain, known for its pristine lake and epic bike loop, offers a strategic double-feature event with the first livestreamed Short Track race of the 2024 season.
— Belgium, river swims and cobblestone climbs will emphasize endurance under the Citadel’s watchful eye.
— Quebec, debuts Canada’s entry with its top-tier Full Distance Triathlon and high-speed action on the Short Track making it a final chance to earn points in North America.
— Prachatice, a historic Czech town, plays host to the Xterra European Championship. It is renowned for its point-to-point bike segment and purpose-built permanent Short Track course.
— Trentino, Italy, historically a widely-viewed event, includes the spectator-friendly Short Track and a challenging Full Distance race through Lake Molveno and the Brenta Dolomites, culminating the series and awarding the title of XTERRA World Cup Champion.
Stop #1: Taiwan
March 23: Full Distance (Live)
Stop #2: Greece
April 27: Full Distance
Stop #3: Oak Mountain
May 18: Full Distance
May 19: Short Track (Live)
Stop #4: Belgium
June 8: Full Distance
Stop #5: Quebec
July 12: Short Track
July 14: Full Distance
Stop #6: Czech
August 10: Full Distance
August 11: Short Track (Live)
Stop #7: Trentino
September 26: Short Track (Live)
September 28: Full Distance (Live)
