The Richmond course is classic, and renowned for having some of the most technical trails in XTERRA despite being in the heart of a big city.

The swim has become a poster child for the XTERRA creed that Mother Nature is your toughest competitor. Its slated to start at the boat ramp at Browns Island, where competitors swim across the James River to Belle Isle, get out of the watershuffle a few hundred feet across Belleand then swim back. The James isnt very cooperative, however, so expect the unexpected.

The Sport race swim will not exit the water at Belle Isle. Sport swimmers will complete a single loop in the water and return to the boat ramp at Brown's Island.

The bike is just as crazy. Riders go under and over bridges, through tunnels, and up stairs. Thanks to countless hours of volunteer work on the Northtrail over the last couple of years, a full loop has been created that connects the north and south James River trails via the Boulevard Bridge to the west and the Belle Island footbridge to the east. The course staples include the Buttermilk trail, Belle Isle sections, tough short climbs and fast downhills through Forest Hills Park, and the man-made miracle Hodson Ramp.

The run starts easy enough, a pleasant jog along the canal, across the river, and on top of the floodwall with a great view of the city. Then athletes turn onto a dirt trail and suddenly an 80-foot vertical climb up railroad ties stares them in the face. They call it the Mayan ruins because it looks just as gnarly as a 2000-year-old temple. After that quad burner, things get easy again for a little while but all kinds of climbs and twists and turns lie ahead. A cool section of forested singletrack meanders through the woods along the river, leading to a water crossing over a small island where athletes encounter rocky terrain and the legendary riverbed crossing The Dry Way. From there racers climb up an old iron ladder to Belle Isle, cross over the James on the footbridge, and head back to Browns for the finish.

Note: The James River is shallow in spots and has several natural and man made obstacles so keep you eyes peeled. It's possible that we may alter the swim course as a result of low or high water.

555 E Canal Street
Richmond, VA 23219
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With nearly 1,000 athletes pushing themselves to the very limit of human potential, the emotion and expressions on their faces are incomparable. The entire course is open to the public so there are literally thousands of places to watch from, but here are the best spots:

BROWNs ISLAND: Site of the start, finish, and transition areasas well as the XTERRA Expo excitementBrowns Island is XTERRA central. Grab some BBQ, have a cool drink, browse through XTERRA village, and listen to the jams and live race reports while waiting for friends and family to cross the finish line.

FOREST HILL PARK: Located off Riverside Drive, between 22nd and 42nd Streets, Forest Hill hosts the tightest, twistiest, and toughest trails of the XTERRA course. The narrow bridge crossings and hairpin turns challenge bikers. Follow your ears to the cheers where fans camp to see how riders handle the steep downhill sections.