How Ruidoso Welcomed XTERRA and Showed What’s Possible
XTERRA Ruidoso debuted this past weekend in New Mexico to celebrate a village that has endured nature’s toughest challenges to be able to welcome visitors, families, and the off-road community. The competition crowned winners, but the true champions were the residents and volunteers who brought the village to life.
Through the support of the Ruidoso Midtown Association, visionaries like Eddie Ryan at the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico Tourism Department, concerts by Phil Hamilton and Dzaki Sukarno set the weekend’s rhythm, while the Midtown Shop Hop and the Lincoln County Community Health Council’s Family Zone filled the weekend with inclusive fun. At Grindstone Lake, the Big Ben Sanchez Youth Foundation kept concessions running while raising funds for sports scholarships that will help local kids—many of whom also lined up for the 10K Trail Run, earning recognition from the American Trail Running Association.
For the first time, Ruidoso experienced professional off-road triathlon at the highest level, and the course proved it can host the very best with former XTERRA World Champion Josiah Middaugh and 2024 North American Champion Amanda Felder winning the Elite races. From the 14–15 division through to the 75–79 age group, athletes across every category showed what this sport is all about.
At the same time, across the Atlantic, the 16th XTERRA European Championship in Germany brought together past and present World Champions for one of the biggest weekends of the XTERRA World Tour. Across two continents, the weekend showed the reach and excitement of off-road events worldwide.
The journey is only beginning for Ruidoso with the 2026 XTERRA World Championship arriving at their doorstep, and after this weekend, the world now knows they are ready.
