Stoltz Gears Up For Xterra South Africa Championship With Win

South Africa’s Conrad Stoltz won the Xterra Buffelspoort triathlon in preparation for this weekend’s Xterra South Africa Championship.

Conrad “The Caveman” Stoltz started 2011 the way he left 2010, on the top step of the podium after winning the Xterra Buffelspoort off-road tri in the North West Province of South Africa on Jan. 29.

Stoltz, the four-time Xterra World Champ, turned in a winning time of 2:14:02, more than six minutes in front of last year’s victor Dan Hugo. According to Stoltz, it was great to be racing on home ground.

“I really enjoyed the Duesouth Xterra Buffelspoort route as it featured a bit of everything. I had a good swim followed by a quick transition onto the mountain bike discipline,” Stoltz said. “I wasn’t able to pre-ride the mountain bike route and as a result was faced with quite a few surprises on the day. The run leg was adventurous with athletes having to work their way through water, down one side of the dam, over the dam wall and up the other side again. I regret not having been able to take part in more Xterra South Africa events in the past, but thanks to the guidance of my new Coach, Ian Rodger, this will soon change. It felt like the old days, going up against Lieuwe Boonstra and Dan Hugo, both fantastic Xterra athletes. I am really looking forward to the Duesouth Xterra South Africa Champs in February.”

If Stoltz can pull off a win at the Xterra South Africa Championship in the Western Cape later this month he will break Jamie Whitmore’s long-standing record of most career Xterra Championship victories. Right now, the two are tied with 37 victories apiece.

Recap provided by Xterra.