CurraNZ athletes are crowned Pan-American XTerra Champions

CurraNZ athletes are crowned Pan-American XTerra Champions

CurraNZ triathletes Sam Osborne and Samantha Kingsford have been crowned the 2019 XTerra Pan America champions.

Having relocated from New Zealand to Colorado in May, they proved a force against the best off-road triathletes that North America has to offer.

They believe CurraNZ was a key part of their season success, from helping them arrive fresher at their destinations after long-haul flights, to racing at altitude and helping their bodies recover from intense training and racing.

After opening with impressive wins in Brazil, the couple put together an impressive string of results that gave them the tour lead approaching the championship event in Utah at the weekend. 

Over the six-race series, Sam won five, and placed second in the other.

Samantha won three of her six, and placed second, third and fourth in the others. They raced from Brazil to Canada, with four races around the US in between. 

It is the first year that the off-road triathletes have introduced CurraNZ into their nutrition strategy, and observed multiple benefits that they believe helped them to their success. 

Sam, ranked third in the World for 2018 and Asia-Pacific Champion 2017-18, says: “I have always struggled to adapt to altitude. Racing the Pan-American tour this year and having to race above 2,000m for three of the rounds was concerning. If ever there was a time to truly test CurraNZ, this was it. I truly believe the berries helped me deal with racing so high and recovering from back-to-back races. 

“As they say, the proof is in the pudding.”

After racking up considerable air miles this season, Samantha, who only turned professional in 2018, has observed how CurraNZ has helped recovery from long journeys. 

Samantha, fifth at the ITU Cross Triathlon Championships last year, says: “I am recovering faster from long flights and seeing reduced swelling in my legs when flying. I feel fresher when arriving at race destinations and am able to recover better pre-race week. 

“I’ve noticed a lot of benefits from using CurraNZ - from recovery from training and racing, reduced fatigue and improved energy, it’s been a real help.”

Next stop is the World Championships in Maui next month, and the couple go there with confidence high - watch this space for updates.