THIS WEEK:  The Nissan Xterra Points Series is idle this weekend.  The next NXPS event is the Yuba Rock & Road Triathlon in Nephi, Utah on Saturday, June 1st.  The Yuba R&R is already a sellout and the field includes top XTERRA pros such as Mike Vine, Dave Harrison, Jimmy Archer, and Grant Holicky.

LAST WEEK:  Familiar names took home top honors at the Memphis in May Mountain Bike Triathlon (NXPS Race No. 6) in Millington, Tennessee on Saturday.  Reigning Nissan Xterra USA Champion Todd Scott (35-39) finished first in 1:06:29, edging the defending East Region 40-45 champ Casey Fannin (1:06:41) by just 12 seconds. Tim Menohes placed third at 1:07:03.  Scott and Fannin (40-44) each won their respective age groups at the Nissan Xterra East Championship race in Richmond, Virginia last year.  In the women's race Beverly Enslow earned the victory in 1:15:35, and was followed by Rachel Flack (1:16:55) and Tennessee native Lucia Colbert (1:19:51).  Kyle du Ford, the editor of American TRI magazine, finished 102nd.  It was his first-ever triathlon. I penetrated the earth four times in the first three miles on the bike - said du Ford. As the saying goes, he plans to jump right back on and compete in the Kinkaid Hammerman in Alaska in July, and perhaps the ACE Big Canyon Off-Road Triathlon in Oak Hill, Virginia on June 2nd.  Cheers, Kyle.  The race attracted 153 athletes from 19 states (including a pair from California) and seven-of-eight Nissan Xterra Point Series Regions were represented. 

XTERRA HERO:  XTERRA amateur Micah Nelkin of Jefferson City, Tennessee is being credited with saving the life of a nine-year-old boy who nearly drowned at Ogle's Water Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on Tuesday, May 14th.  Nelkin, a lifeguard at the water park, pulled the unconscious boy out of the water and administered CPR until he began to breath.  Once I started hearing that breath and he started breathing, I mean, my eyes started to water, Nelkin was quoted as saying in a report by Kimberly O'Neal on WATE.com.  Micah is one of three brothers that compete in XTERRA events around the country (Micah, MS, and Joshua are affectionately known as Team Nelkin).  Team Nelkin has already competed in the Florida Off-Road Triathlon, the Odyssey Off-Road Triathlon, and Memphis in May this season.

SAUCONY PRIME:  Saucony announced that it will pay a $400 cash prime and give away a pair of Saucony Grid XTERRA Trail Running shoes to the man and woman with the fastest run split at each of the four   venues in the Nissan Xterra Championship Series this season.  In addition, Saucony is providing $100 and a pair of Saucony Grid XTERRA Trail Running shoes to the top male and female finishers in the Saucony XTERRA Trail Run at each NXCS event throughout the season.

KAHUNA'S KORNER:  I've never met Simon Lessing in my life.  I have lots of respect for the guy and he deserves it.  Simon has won just about everything there is and is now enjoying life as a husband and Dad and reflecting about triathlon and multisport.  Neat thing is he knows about XTERRA.  In an article in Inside Tri, Lessing talks about the ITU and the problems World Cup races have, about drafting and television and money and then, right smack out of nowhere, he says I'd rather get back to the enjoyment of doing some different races - XTERRA gets back to the old ideology where you go out, have a good time, and race hard.   I just heard from Olivier Marceau, 2000 World Champion who will be joining the ranks of XTERRA athletes this year.  He too, wants to have some fun with his sport.  Last year Conrad Stoltz* left the road and came over to XTERRA.  Maybe Marceau and Lessing see what happened to him.  Our intent is surely not to make waves or steal competitors, we just enjoy our athletes and want to put on a good event for them.  It really makes no difference to us if you are an age grouper coming for the first time or if you are an Olivier Marceau or maybe someday Simon Lessing - we'll give you the best experience we can.
*Conrad Stoltz took the XTERRA Tour by storm last year to win the Nissan Xterra World and Points Series Championships, and the prize money that goes with it (about $40,000).