Todd Fuqua
Ruidoso News
tfuqua@elritomedia.com
Ruidoso is set to welcome more than 500 world-class athletes and 3,000-4,000 people to watch them compete this weekend in XTERRA Ruidoso, a three day off-road triathlon event offering thousands of dollars in prize money plus berths in the 2025 XTERRA World Championships in Trentino, Italy, or next year in Ruidoso when the championships begin a three-year run in this mountain village.
As a worldwide leader in extreme triathlon and off-road racing, XTERRA is bringing an elite triathlon – swimming, biking, and running – while creating a critical mass of excitement and celebration as Ruidoso is introduced to the world.
Registrations to participate are being accepted through Friday before races get underway on Saturday, so the total number of athletes competing could climb even higher than the 500-plus already expected. Organizers predicted a field of 350 competitors when plans for the event were announced in March.
Wingfield Park, located at the corner of Wingfield Drive and Center Sreet, will be the focal point of the action. All four races – full and sprint triathlons on Saturday and 10K and kids sprint runs on Sunday – finish at the park, where concerts and other events are planned throughout the weekend.
The full distance triathlon, the centerpiece competition of the weekend, is set to start at 8 a.m. Saturday at Grindstone Lake with a 1.5 kilometer swim. A 23.7K bike run through the Grindstone Recreation Area trail system follows, with contestants completing the full race on foot with a 10K run leading to the finish at Wingfield Park.
The race, billed as the XTERRA Gold Level event, offers not only 58 qualifying opportunities for the World Championships but $15,000 in prize money the elite division.
Sunday’s competition features a short sprint triathlon that serves as a Youth World Championship Qualifier for athletes in the Youth A (ages 14-15), Youth B (16-17) and Junior (18-19) categories. The Aug. 17 schedule features a 10K trail run and 1K kids sprint, open to athletes of all levels.
Prepping the village
The week’s events are already underway, having started with an appreciation dinner on Wednesday at Wingfield Park to honor the more than 100 volunteers from the Ruidoso area that are giving their time and effort to make sure this is a smoothly run event.
XTERRA contractors spent the week preparing the park for all these events, transforming the park into a world-class stage for a Gold Level event.
Jonathan Croy, one of the contractors working on Tuesday, came to Ruidoso from Alabama with a great deal of experience organizing and preparing events, including this year’s North American Championships in Pelham, Alabama.
“Being Southerners, we are about the home sweet home attitude, and everyone here is just so warm and welcoming,” Croy said. “I’ve seen national parks around the country and this is like a livable national park.”
Contractors have also been busy marking off the racecourses in the village’s trail and recreation systems and through neighborhoods surrounding Wingfield Park.
As flooding has been a constant concern through the monsoon season, event organizers and Ruidoso officials have created several contingency plans to keep competitors and spectators safe. The course is not in any floodplains, but rain can still make the paths treacherous.
“XTERRA is a trail-based event, so the trail can change, it’s alive,” Croy said. “Safety is always number one, and I know a lot of preparation has gone into this, with plans A through Z if the weather turns.”
Economic boost
According to Eddie Ryan, manager of events and strategic partnerships for the Village of Ruidoso, more than 500 racers have signed up, with more likely to enter as the Friday deadline approaches. He and other village officials expect between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees to view the races as well, staying in hotels and cabins, eating in the village’s restaurants, and shopping in its stores.
According to Steve Andrus, XTERRA Americas tour manager, the economic impact to the area is estimated at $2 million.
“Everybody is excited to support Ruidoso, and they’re ready for the world championships being here next year,” said Steve Andrus, EXTERRA Americas tour manager. “This isn’t just for the athletes, this is for the community, and everything we’re doing is geared for the locals. We want them to be involved. The party on Saturday is really a chance to celebrate the world championships coming here next year.”
Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford expressed his enthusiasm for this weekend and what it means to the village’s future.
“This is a tremendous honor for our mountain community and a testament to the natural beauty and challenging terrain that makes our area so special,” Crawford said. “We look forward to welcoming elite athletes and outdoor enthusiasts from around the globe to experience our trails, our hospitality, and the unique spirit of Ruidoso.”
“Their multi-year commitment will not only showcase our incredible outdoor recreation opportunities but will also bring significant economic benefits to our local businesses and residents,” he added. “We’re ready to put Ruidoso on the world stage as a premier destination for outdoor adventure sports.”
World-class athletes
Among the elite entrants in the full triathlon are some who are ranked as among the best triathletes in the world. That includes Suzie Snyder of Avon, Colorado. She is ranked ninth in the women’s world standings, the reigning North America Continental champion and the winner of the XTERRA Puerto Rico triathlon in April.
Snyder, nicknamed “The Soul Crusher” because of her work training tactical law enforcement officers, has been a professional racer since 2010, and has won five U.S. championships, two Pan American titles and reached the podium in several other races.
Also registered to compete is 20th-ranked Josiah Middaugh of Vail, Colorado, who has raced and coached for 20 years with XTERRA. He won the XTERRA Costa Rica triathlon and 10K trail run a year ago, and finished fifth in last season’s world championships in Trentino, Italy.
He’s also renowned as a strength and conditioning coach for elite athletes.
“I have been coaching athletes for longer than I have been racing as an elite,” Middaugh said on his biography page at the XTERRA website. “Although coaching elite athletes is very stimulating for me, it is equally rewarding to introduce new athletes to the sport and guide athletes of all abilities towards their fitness and racing goals.”
Figures provided by Emily McIlvaine, Americas event director for EXTERRA, show that more than 150 New Mexicans have registered for this weekend’s races, but the event will also feature competitors from Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Argentina, Spain and France.
Among some local athletes that will take part in Sunday’s 10K run are members of the Ruidoso High School cross country team. Coach Rich Moore – who has been a cheerleader for XTERRA coming to Ruidoso since it first emerged as a possibility in February – said the opportunity to run against world class athletes will improve his squad immensely.
“We usually run in 5K races, so a 10K race is twice as difficult for us,” Moore said. “They’ve had to put in the extra time and training to prepare for this, and this will just make our team better.”
Moore helped to put together a welcoming party for XTERRA officials when they first arrived in Ruidoso to scout the area for possible races. He made sure the team and member of the RHS band were at Grindstone Lake to greet them.
“This is really great, that we’re getting these big races coming in here,” Moore said. “This will bring more people, dollars and tourism, and show what we have to offer here. There are a lot of people who still don’t realize what we have here, and this is a great way to promote Ruidoso and our village.”
Todd Fuqua is Editor for the Ruidoso News and can be reached on Instagram at @toadfox1.
