After sizing up the competition, Whistler’s Lucas Curran, says he will focus more time training for Xterra off-road triathlons.
After finishing second overall in the amateur category when the race came to Whistler in August of 2000, Curran moved up to the pro division. In only his second race, at Lake Tahoe last month, the 25 year old, finished 14 th and qualified for a spot at the World Championships in Maui.
Competing against veterans, he managed to finish 17 th in the championships, despite the fact he was one of the last people out of the water and posted one of the slower trail run times. A pro mountain biker who races at the Canada Cup and Nor-Am levels, he also had the fourth-fastest time on the mountain bike leg.
"I’m going to work on the swimming and running, where I can, and I’m still going to work hard on my mountain bike," says Curran. "I think I was about 10 minutes back on the swim part, and I know if I can do a little better I have a good shot at cracking the top 10."
Curran says the race conditions were survivable, even if it was a lot hotter than what he was used to.
"I was honestly hallucinating at the end of some of the climbs on the mountain bike section, it was that hot. But after you get used to the heat, it’s not that bad.
"I’m still going to race in Nor-Ams and other mountain bike races, but next year I’m going to try to make all the races in North America. Every race I learn something, and see ways I can improve."
