maui 2009 press guide - Xterra

“KAHUNA DAVE’S” PRO RACE PREVIEW
Conrad
Ruben
champion Carina Wasle is training in Colorado and looked
good at the USA championship race. Shonny
Vanlandingham has had a great year with wins on the USA
Tour and in Mexico. Living on the Big Island will have her
ready for the Maui heat; she had the fastest bike time last
year and is swimming and running a lot better. Little Lesley
Patterson is ready to get on the podium and we must never,
ever leave out Danelle Kabush who simply shines at Maui
and was 2nd last year and in 2006.
Olivier Marceau is back and looking for that elusive win after
so many 2nds, Mike Vine has led Maui and is a consistent
podium finisher; Josiah Middaugh is healthy and motivated.
Seth Wealing, Sam Gardner, Richard Ussher and Rom
Akerson all won XTERRA National Champ races this year.
Eneko Llanos is back after Ironman, Olympian Brent
McMahon is entered, and both are very fast. Whew – what
a field and how do we pick ‘em?
I’ll go with history and say Julie can’t get her third in a row.
I see a battle with Mel, Renata and Shonny chasing the big
Brit out of the water. Danelle and Lesley making up minutes
on the run.
The wild card? What can we expect from Marie-Helene?
Can she shred the gals on the bike and hold them off on the
run?
Ruben will be strong but he will, once again, have to come
from behind. I see Brent McMahon, Batelier and Olivier in
the lead early with Conrad and Mike Vine catching them
and everyone knowing that Ruben is back there along with
Austrian Michi Weiss. They will not take it easy this year.
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At the end I have to go with Batelier and McQuaid. If
Conrad keeps his equipment together he will be tough to
beat and if Julie stays healthy and rides like she did last
year – she will change history.