McQuaid wins XTERRA European Championship

Victoria’s Melanie McQuaid picked up her first win of the year today at the XTERRA European Championships in Sardinia, Italy.

The three-time XTERRA World Champion, took the win today (also winning here in 2005) backed by a strong 1.5 km swim (21:19), the top 32 km bike split (1:39:56), and a 10 km run (42:48) run that was able to preserve the lead she amassed by the end of the bike ride. Her final clocking of 2:45:10 gave her a 2:09 margin of victory over Switzerland’s Renata Bucher, a woman who beat her last week at the XTERRA South Central Championships in Waco, Texas.

Like McQuaid, France’s Franky Batelier used his bike leg to create an insurmountable lead. Albeit a closer margin of victory, his 18:57 swim, 1:26:59 bike, and 37:16 run was just enough to take the win (2:24:10), 15 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Olivier Marceau (2:24:24). Batelier has now won six races in a row (2 in 2010, and 4 in 2009).

Top 10 Women

1. Melanie McQuaid (CAN)  2:45:10

2. Renata Bucher (SUI)  2:47:19

3. Sibylle Matter (SUI)  2:49:07

4. Carina Wasle (AUT)  2:52:27

5. Marion Lorblanchet (FRA)  2:57:09

6. Jacqui Slack (GBR)  2:58:10

7. Maud Golsteyn (NED)  2:59:22

8. Emma Ruth Smith (GBR)  3:04:38

9. Myriam Guillot (FRA)  3:05:21

10. Claudia Hossmann (SUI)  3:09:38

Top 10 Men

1. Franky Batelier (FRA)  2:24:10

2. Olivier Marceau (SUI)  2:24:24

3. Felix Schumann (GER)  2:25:29

4. Nico Lebrun (FRA)  2:27:15

5. Ronny Dietz (GER)  2:29:03

6. Nico Pfitzenmaier (GER)  2:29:51

7. Yeray Luxem (BEL)  2:30:54

8. Jim Thijs (BEL)  2:33:09

9. Fabio Guidelli (ITA)  2:33:42

10. Karel Zadak (CZE)  2:36:43

Full results here.