Stop Nine of 11 on the XTERRA European Tour goes down tomorrow in Stockholm.

XTERRA World Tour managing director “Kahuna Dave” Nicholas is there to take in all the action and gives us this insight on the eve of XTERRA Sweden…

From an historic city in Poland to an equally or more historic city in Sweden, the XTERRA European Tour heads into its final races.

As the Kahuna once taught his followers, “the only thing that never changes is that everything changes”.  And it has come to Sweden.  While the event is still in the same wonderful setting of Hellasgarden everything has changed.  A new swim, a new bike, a new run and a new transition and finish area.

“We wanted to be more central to the park,” said organizer Pål Török.  “This will be more visible to all the people who come to enjoy the day and find XTERRA here.”

Thursday was spent discovering the new trails and marking them.  Assisting trail manager Mika was XTERRA Technical director Nico Lebrun and Denmark race director Andreas Jeppeson.  “It was not easy because there are so many nice single track in the forest we had to go slow to make the right connections,” said Lebrun.

Last year’s men’s winner Sam Osborne is caught in the forest fires of France and has not been able to get out to Sweden.  He is expected to arrive tonight.

Last week’s winner Yeray Luxem is looking to make it two in a row.

“XTERRA Sweden is a race you want to do again even before you’ve started or finished,” said Luxem to the media team.  “It provides an open atmosphere and has that Volvo Swedish quality.  The first year I raced here I was totally exhausted due to two previous races, but found energy in the forests around Stockholm to get me through it.”

(Find more athlete profiles at https://www.facebook.com/xterrasweden)

I saw Carina Wasle here yesterday and she is hoping she is 100% recovered from her injuries.  Carina may be tiny – but she is a powerful and focused woman.

Helena Erbenova, winner of four events on the European Tour this year, is here with her entire Thule Adventure team who are all racing XTERRA this weekend.

Mauricio Mendez has had his bike fixed and will be a tough person to beat on his own equipment.  His electronic shifter broke in Poland and he rode a borrowed bike and still finished 2nd.

Kris Coddens is hoping to give his Belgian countryman a run for his money, and Jan Pyott has returned to the battle.

As is usual, the weather never stays the same for more than 20 minutes so we cannot say for sure what race day will be like.  “I took my jacket off and on at least 20 times yesterday,” grinned Lebrun.  Today the buildup is finished and more riders will be out investigating the new trails.

Elite Start Lists for XTERRA Sweden

As of 8.8.16

MEN

XTERRA European Tour Rank, Name, Nationality

2 – Kris Coddens, BEL
3 – Yeray Luxem, BEL
4 – Sam Osborne, NZL
12 – Mauricio Mendez, MEX
17 – Arthur Serrieres, FRA
19 – Sebastian Norberg, GER
24 – Fabrizio Bartoli, ITA
29 – Dominik Wychera, AUT
43 – Theo Blignaut, RSA
NR – Simone Calamai, ITA
NR – Samuel Clark, NZL
NR – Norbert Durauer, AUT
NR – Thomas Kerner, GER
NR – Jari Palonen, SWE
NR – Robert Skillman, AUS

WOMEN

XTERRA European Tour Rank, Name, Nationality

2 – Helena Erbenová, CZE
5 – Carina Wasle, AUT
NR – Mayalen Noriega, ESP
NR – Sandra Santanyes, ESP

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