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Costa Rican triathlon standout Rom Akerson edged Canadian Mike Vine by 50-seconds to win the XTERRA Brazil Championship in Angra dos Reis on Saturday.
It’s the first major professional XTERRA championship victory for Akerson, who won the XTERRA amateur world title in 2006 before he turned pro. Brazilian triathlon great and last year’s champ Alexandre Manzan finished third, followed by South African Champ Lieuwe Boonstra and Felipe Moletta. American Brian Smith placed 6th overall, about 11 minutes behind Akerson.
In the women’s race Maria Soledad Omar from Argentina defeated last year’s champion Carla Prada by nearly two minutes. Some of the biggest victories of the day were had by local amateurs who earned one of the 34 qualifying spots into the XTERRA World Championship in Maui on Oct. 25. The Brazilians are often the largest and loudest (and most fun) contingent of international athletes to travel to Maui each year.
Men
1. Rom Akerson CRC 2:21:26
2. Mike Vine CAN 2:22:16
3. Alexandre Manzan BRA 2:22:58
4. Lieuwe Boonstra RSA 2:27:44
5. Felipe Jose Moletta BRA 2:29:20
Women
1. Maria Soledad Omar ARG 3:04:59
2. Carla Prada BRA 3:06:41
3. Barbara Bonfim BRA 3:06:45
4. Ann Yew CAN 3:06:47
5. Karen Oliveira BRA 3:23:58
Press release provided by XTERRA.