Staff photo.
The XTERRA World Tour trail series returns to Oak Mountain May 18-21.
The XTERRA World Cup trail running series will return to Oak Mountain State Park for the 16th season this month.
One of the most-anticipated stops on the XTERRA circuit, the 2023 edition will include several off-road triathlons as part of the XTERRA World Tour from Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21.
The second stop in North America on the 2023 XTERRA schedule, the main event combines a one-mile swim in Double Oak Lake, followed by a 20-mile mountain bike ride, and ends with a ten-kilometer run through the trails of Oak Mountain State Park.
Elite off-road athletes from around the world will compete for a share of the $15,000 prize purse alongside amateurs as they attempt to qualify for the 2023 World Championships in Italy.
The weekend also includes the XTERRA Americas Trail Run Marathon and Half Marathon, with more than $5,000 in prize money and qualification to the XTERRA Trail Run World Championships in Maine on October 1, 2023, up for grabs.
"This is probably our biggest race that we've had at Oak Mountain because we have our Americas Trail Running Championship and we are also adding an event called ‘short track,’” said Emily McIlvaine, the XTERRA Americas event coordinator.
For elite athletes by invitation only, the short-track race is a new experiment making its American debut at Oak Mountain. Scheduled on May 21, the short-track race will feature approximately 50 of the best male and female off-road athletes competing on a tighter course, which has been well received in the XTERRA circuit in Europe.
McIlvaine said the short-track circuit will also provide a chance for spectators to see more of the athletes in action than on a typical off-road course. "It's a shorter track and it has more loops, so you're getting more interaction with the spectators and it's faster. It's not hours and hours. You're getting to see more of the live action," McIlvaine said. "We're excited that Oak Mountain is going to be the stage for the first one in America."
Volunteers and staff from Shelby County, Oak Mountain State Park and the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers (B.U.M.P.) have spent more than 100,000 hours designing and building trails over the years and are excited to show off Oak Mountain to the off-road community. During its 16-year history, Oak Mountain State Park has earned a glowing reputation throughout the off-road racing community.
“We've been hard at work maintaining and building new trails that are both fun and worthy of world-class racing, and we love seeing top-tier athletes from around the world test themselves here," said BUMP Race Director Jacob Tubbs.
“Oak Mountain is the absolute perfect spot for XTERRA, with miles and miles of world-class trails, amazing facilities and incredible support from the park, county, state and trail communities,” said XTERRA U.S. Tour Manager Steve Andrus. “We’re excited to put this one on the schedule early and get to work on hosting a first-class get-together for local families and adventure enthusiasts from around the world.”
The XTERRA schedule includes stops in many exotic locales such as the island of Gozo, Malta; Paita, New Caledonia; and Kenting National Park, Taiwan. However, many people involved in the races say Oak Mountain State Park stands as one of the top locations due to the diverse nature of its trails.
"Some people really want technical, some people want fast, some people want it rocky and rooty, but Oak Mountain has a little bit of everything, and I think that is what is so attractive to the athletes," McIlvaine said. "We've had many athletes tell us that this is their favorite course to ride and their favorite course to run."
"This has always been my favorite race in the U.S. because of the hidden gem that is Oak Mountain State Park," added Lesley Paterson, a three-time XTERRA World Champion and native of Scotland. "The single track is phenomenal and the conditions are always unknown, which makes the technical aspect of the course so much more of a factor in the outcome of the race. And don’t forget the locals; they are so nice, the Southern hospitality vibe is really unmatched."
The 2023 XTERRA Oak Mountain gets underway on May 18 with the Ales and Trails Bike Fest, a free night of biking and beer from local breweries from 4 to 8 p.m. Competition begins on Friday, May 19, with the XTERRA Super Sprint Triathlon beginning at 6 p.m.
On Saturday morning, the XTERRA Sprint Course Triathlon begins at 8 a.m., followed by the start of the XTERRA Full Course Triathlon at 8:30 a.m. On Saturday evening, the XTERRA Kids Bike Race begins at 5 p.m. followed by a concert by musician Brendan Young beginning at 7 p.m.
Sunday features the XTERRA Americas Marathon Championship starting at 7 a.m., XTERRA Oak Mountain 10K Trail Run beginning at 8 a.m., and the XTERRA Women's Short Track Race and XTERRA Men's Short Track Race beginning at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
The complete schedule and event registration can be found online at xterraplanet.com/event/xterra-oak-mountain#Schedule.
