Canadians prevail at the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship
Patrick Smyth and Polina Babkina were crowned champions at the 2013 edition of the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship.
More than 2,000 runners from 12 countries and 36 states participated in the event at Kualoa Ranch, in Hawaii.
Smyth, from Salt Lake City, Utah, took the overall win in the 21 km course in 1:16:38. This was his first appearance at the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship, and two months ago Smyth also nabbed the victory at the XTERRA Trail Run USA National Championship in his home state of Utah.
Men
1 Patrick Smyth 1:16:38 Salt Lake City, UT $2,000
2 Joseph Gray 1:17:26 Lakewood, WA $1,000
3 Max King 1:20:53 Bend, OR $750
4 Nathan Peters 1:23:44 Salt Lake City, UT $500
5 Roberto Mandje 1:26:53 Boulder, CO $300
6 Chris Gomez 1:29:25 Flagstaff, AZ $250
7 Leandro Santillan 1:29:46 Martinez, Argentina $200
Babkina, is originally from Russia but now resides in Honolulu, took the lead halfway through the race and held off Sidney’s Lucy Smith to capture the win 1:37:24. Last year, Babkina led the race until she took a wrong turn and eventually finished third.
“This means a lot to me because of what happened last year,” said Babkina, 25. “I was very cautious this year and I kept looking for the course marks and I think it was marked better this year. I didn’t find myself confused even once this year, so it was a good race.”
Smith, the defending women’s champion, made a strong charge from behind but ran out of real estate to finish seconds behind in 1:37:55.
“I’m more of a second-half runner, so I was trying to make up ground in the last few miles,” Smith said. “I could see (Babkina) toward the end there and it got me going, but she got a little bit too far in front.”
Fellow Canadian Meggan Franks took third in 1:40:24 in her debut at the championships.
“I really enjoyed it, loved the course,” Franks said. “To get third place in my first time racing here, I can’t complain. I look at the fourth-place girl (Rose Wetzel) and I know she’s really fast, so I’m happy.”
Also of note, Canada’s Samantha McGlone, the 2006 Ironman 70.3 World Champion and 2004 Olympian, finished in 1:55:14 to finish sixth in the highly competitive women’s 30-34 age group. McGlone retired from professional triathlon and is currently attending medical school in Arizona.
Women
1 Polina Babkina 1:37:24 Honolulu, HI $2,000
2 Lucy Smith 1:37:55 Sidney, Canada $1,000
3 Meggan Franks 1:40:24 Athabasca, Canada $750
4 Rose Wetzel 1:40:46 Seattle, WA $500
5 Corrine Fitzgerald 1:43:08 Rockaway, NJ $300
6 Jill Thompson 1:46:34 Honolulu, HI $250
7 Lauren Ho 1:46:47 Kailua, HI $200
Here are the Canadians that won their age group at the 2013 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship.
Women 30 – 34
1 Meggan Franks Athabasca, AB 1:40:24
Women 45 – 49
1 Lucy Smith Sidney, BC 1:37:55
Men 60 – 64
1 Mike Heiliger Squamish, BC 2:01:26
Men 65 – 69
1 John Ingram Comox, BC 2:17:36
