The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is inviting professional and amateur triathletes in the Philippines to join in the 2012 XTERRA Guam Championship Off-Road Triathlon. The annual XTERRA Guam race is set for March 10, 2012, and it promises to be the biggest triathlete sporting event in Guam.

This year, the XTERRA Guam will be licensed as an official championship qualifier event. This means that participants have a chance at winning a part of the $15,000 prize for professional triathletes or earn a spot at the XTERRA World Championship event for age-group (amateur) triathletes. The XTERRA World Championship, held annually in Maui, is joined by the best athletes from around the world.

“We’ve seen top athletes from Japan, Australia, Europe, and Micronesia come out for XTERRA Guam, so we know with an XTERRA Championship Qualifier, we have the potential to attract even more,” said Jennifer Crisostomo, GVB Board Director and Chairwoman of the Sports Tourism Committee. “With our beautiful ocean, challenging bike course, and amazing running course through tough terrain and rivers, triathletes are in for a real treat.”

XTERRA Guam has been voted as one of the “Top 5 Off-Road Triathlons in the World” by Triathlete Magazine. The course includes warm, open water swimming, biking on Guam’s fun yet challenging terrain, navigating through the jungle, sliding down waterfalls, and running along the beach toward the finish. The international distance off-road triathlon has a 1.5K swim in the beautiful waters of Piti, Guam; 31K bike up Nimitz Hill and through the Mt. Alutom area; and a memorable 8.2K trail run.

As XTERRA Guam title sponsors, GVB will join forces with Platinum Sponsor and official airline of XTERRA Guam, United Airlines, in addition to the Port Authority of Guam, Cycles Plus, Payless Car Rental, the Guam Triathlon Federation, KUAM Sports, Hornet Sports, and the Mayor’s offices of Ordot-Chalan Pago and Piti.

For more information about XTERRA Guam and to register for the race online, visit www.xterraguam.com