One of New Zealand's top multisport athletes, Wanaka's Braden Currie, will compete this weekend in the biggest race of his northern hemisphere season so far.
Currie (29) lies second in the Xterra USA Championship cross triathlon series.
In the final event, which starts in Ogden, Utah, at 3am tomorrow (NZ time), he has an outside chance of taking the title.
His cause would be greatly assisted if series leader Josiah Middaugh (36), of Colorado, finished well back. Currie has beaten Middaugh once during the series but acknowledges the 10 times US Xterra national champion will be hard to beat again.
The ''off road'' Xterra race consists of swimming (1.5km), mountain biking (28km) and trail running (10km). The series offers $80,000 in prize money.
Currie, based in Canada for the northern summer, told the Otago Daily Times yesterday he had spent a week in Utah running the course.
''I managed to get over it twice but we have had torrential rain for the last few days so no one has been out on course.
''I am feeling pretty good - and better each day.
''It's going to be a big day out with some huge talent.
''I have been preparing for this event for the last four months, but feeling more amped to race than stressed about racing.
''It should be good and I would love to be the first Kiwi in history to claim this one.''
Currie will return to New Zealand after the event to prepare for the Xterra World Championship in Hawaii, on November 1.
