October 28/03 11:34 am - Okinawa Team, McQuaid Wins Xterra

Posted by Editor on 10/28/03
 

Tour of Okinawa - Japan

The Canadian Cycling Association has announced the make up of the Canadian squad for the one day Tour of Okinawa on November 9th. For the men it will be Chris Issac, Cory Jay, Cory Lange and Mark Walters. Amy Moore and Manon Jutras will represent Canada in the women's race, and national champion Raphael Tremblay and Brandon Crichton will participate in the Junior men's race.


McQuaid Wins XTerra Title

Victoria's Melanie McQuaid won the Xterra World Championships in Maui, Hawaii on Sunday, October 26th. McQuaid, a PacificSport cyclist and triathlete who has competed on the Xterra Series for a few years and who took silver at the World Championships two years ago, beat out the Xterra Series winner Jamie Whitmore and defending title holder Candy Angle, who finished second and third respectively. The Xterra is an off-road triathlon, with swimming, mountain biking and running as the three sports. McQuaid was fourth out of the water and came off the bike with a five minutes lead on the rest of the field.

Melanie sent this report:

I guess the inspiration from Peter and Lori, our Canadian Ironman World Champions, was what it took!

Happy news today from Maui, Hawaii, as I have won the Xterra World Championships and damn, it feels good!

In 2hours 57 minutes I ruined the party for Xterra Series winner Jamie Whitmore, who took second and last years World Championships winner, Candy Angle took third.

The race was magic, and it is a testament to some awesome coaching by Houshang Amiri, of the Pacificsport National Cycling Center, as for the first time I got my peak right and just stomped a mudhole today.

I'll go through the play by play . . . the good part of the day started when I found a quarter, which is 25 times as much good luck as a penny, and it helped when I was all over the place on the bike course. But lets start with the swim.

Started on the right hand side for the first time. Very wise idea. I had lots of space, got on some decent feet, and swam fairly well. The second loop was not so good because I was slow getting out of the water, lost the front group and was swimming alone, but no worries. Fourth out of the water, and a lightning fast transition meant I was third onto the bike.

Then on the bike I just went crazy. I was planning to win the race on that segment and I believe that is how I did it. The course was brutally hot, dusty and loose, and luckily I had good legs and just kept telling myself that it is hard for everyone. At the top of the course I was feeling really crappy but it didn't really matter. I went as well as I could down the descent and heard that I had 5 minutes into transition! I rode Stan's no tubes in my tires, thanks to my best bud and training partner Chrissy Redden, and I think that made all the difference. My K2 rocketship was under 22 pounds this year, so my climbing was ALLGOOD!

I needed the time, because I felt so bad on the run it was crazy. Last year in Richmond I felt the same and passed out, and this time I knew I was in trouble. There was really not much to do though, it was brutally hot with 77% humidity, and I just hoped I made it across the finish line before the inevitable keel over occured. I counted steps, did whatever I could to stay lucid, and prayed that all the girls behind me were feeling kinda crappy as well. Well I made it across the line, apparently, not that I would remember. I had been drinking solid, taking electrolytes, water on the head, everything, but I guess it doesn't matter when it is just that hot.

I spent the next hour in the medic tent with a temperature of 104, and four IV bags later I felt much better. I had the pleasure of going from the med tent to drug testing, and then I got to enjoy the awards and collect my big check. That is literal, it is one of those huge cardboard checks and I am going to take this one home I think.

So, race of my career I think, and given that my goal was to get this race this season, it is so satisfying to achieve that goal.

Thanks to my coach, Houshang Amiri, and to Cliff English at Competitive Edge Training in Victoria for taking me into his group to help me prepare for this race. Also thanks to Monica and Kevin in San Diego, because with the torrential rainpour in Victoria, without my San Diego overtraining the result could have been much different. And lastly thanks to Ross, whose prerace advice served me well and kept me super calm throughout the race.

Thanks to Saucony USA, to K2 Bikes, to Ford Motor Company, to Sundog Eyewear, to Powerbar, to Xterra Wetsuits, Giro, Arq Hair Salon and Rider's Cycles. Thanks for being with me to share in the best race of my career.

The race is televised on Jan 31st, superbowl Saturday at 5pm EST. I will remind y'all closer!

Now I am on holidays.... I think some surfing is in order!!

Ciao, Melanie