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Xterra South Central Cup, Arkansas

North Little Rock, AR (June 20, 2009) - For the first time in 2009 a pair of Americans took the top honors at an XTERRA Cup Championship race as Josiah Middaugh from Vail, Colorado and Shonny Vanlandingham from Durango, Colorado won the men's and women's pro titles on a sweltering hot day at the XTERRA South Central Cup in the Heart of Arkansas. Dan Hugo of South Africa finished 3rd.

It's the first win for Middaugh since his XTERRA East title last year, and the first for Vanlandingham since her 2008 Southeast Championship in Alabama.  Middaugh and Vanlandingham were the top Americans in the XTERRA U.S. Pro Series last year, and after six-of-eight races in the Cup Series are in the same spot this year - with both sitting in second place behind Conrad Stoltz and Melanie McQuaid, respectively.

The win by Vanlandingham, the most successful mountain biker in NORBA history with 15 national race wins and three Series titles, marks her second XTERRA Championship victory and also snaps McQuaid's five-race win streak.  It's the fourth career XTERRA championship crown for Middaugh (who also won the Mountain title and XTERRA Canada championship in 2004).

The managing director of the XTERRA World Tour "Kahuna Dave" Nicholas was at Burns Park in North Little Rock where all the action took place and brings us this story...

It wasn’t easy, but Josiah Middaugh and Shonny Vanlandingham were victorious in very hot Arkansas today.  The race started with a pro wave on a one-lap 1500 meter swim in warm – some said hot – water.  The swim fractured early with Craig Evans and Christine Jeffrey leading the pack.  Somehow Seth Wealing and Dan Hugo got dropped by the leaders early and this helped Middaugh and Nico Lebrun who were able to stay within a reasonable distance.  Mike Vine was totally bonked by the hot water and had a miserable start to the race, as did Brian Smith.

Evans was riding his kind of course and while Hugo caught Josiah, they did not see the Tennessee coach until after the first lap. 

“We started lapping people about 200 meters into the second lap and while this course is fun single track, it was tough to pass” lamented Hugo. 

Halfway through the second lap Hugo was all over Middaughs’ rear wheel while Evans was solid in third with Lebrun coming up fast.  On the women’s side Jeffrey was also smoking fast and it took McQuaid a full lap to catch her.   Bad luck for the tall Jeffrey ensued, however, as she broke a chain and fell way back.  This put Shonny Vanlandingham up into second with Jen Smith riding beautifully in third.

Hugo and Middaugh were literally a couple feet apart coming into T2.  Lebrun had passed Evans into 3rd and was only a minute or so behind the leaders. 

“Dan and I were pacing ourselves because of the heat when I heard the announcer say that Lebrun was in transition” said Middaugh.  “I had some reserve in hand and figured I would spend what I had right there so Nico would never see me.  When that guy sees you it’s like he gets into another gear.”

Hugo heard it as well and simply figured “I’m toast”.

Xterra Cup series Standings