South Africa has a strong reputation in the off-road Xterra triathlon world by virtue of legendary athlete Conrad Stoltz, who won an unmatched four world titles (2001-02, 2007 and 2010), Anke Erlank's women's world crown in 2001, and the Grabouw leg of the world tour being immensely popular.
That all said, it was still somewhat of a surprise when Bradley Weiss claimed another world title for the nation in Hawaii in 2017. Here the 28-year-old looks back at what was a momentous year in his career.
Bradley, you've been competing in Xterra triathlons since you were 19 but when did you realise it was your calling and you could be a full-time international triathlete?
In 2011 I qualified for my first age group world championships and secured a podium that year in the 20-24 age group. It was the first sign that I had a clear talent and aptitude for this sport but I would say winning the 2012 U-23 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships was the first time I began to seriously contemplate my professional aspirations towards this sport.
What makes a great triathlete?
Dedication and relentless persistence! Never resting on your laurels and always striving for improvement but maintaining a good life balance. It's a constant juggling act between accumulated fatigue, both mentally and physically and the right amount of rest and recovery to allow the body time to adapt and improve.
Why did the Xterra series appeal to you?
The opportunity to travel and experience cultures all around the world is incredibly appealing and fulfilling. Living my 20s out traveling to remote corners of the world while competing in a sport I so dearly love has been a blessing and a privilege and one I try to never take for granted.
The Xterra series has more than 100 off-road triathlon races held in 30 countries across the world, but how many events did you enter in 2017?
I competed in 13 international Xterra Championship races spread across Asia, Europe and America.
Where are your favourite places to compete and what makes a great triathlon course?
My favourite race has to be the Xterra SA National Championships which is in my backyard, Grabouw.
This course is just the perfect balance between swim, bike and run providing an impossibly beautiful swim location in the Eikenhof Dam. The mountain bike leg keeps you honest the whole way around with a lot of climbing up front, plenty of technical and sandy single-track sections and a few infamous rock garden sections to negotiate. I just love it and it's a true test of the complete rider. Onto the run it starts out fast but then turns for the heavens with two brutal climbs on tired legs. This race is not for the faint hearted and the winner really has to earn this victory. A feat I have only been able to accomplish once in my life back in 2016.
You grew up and remain based in Stellenbosch -- which is where many world class athletes, including triathletes, train -- but why did you also train in Boulder, Colorado in 2017?
Yes Stellenbosch, South Africa is still where I call home but the reason Boulder was our choice of training location this year is the altitude it offers sitting at 1600m above sea level on the foothills of the Rocky Mountain Range. Altitude is incredibly beneficial to endurance athletes and if used correctly can significantly improve your aerobic athletic ability. Boulder is also very well known for the quality of athletes who train there and at any given time you will be surrounded by two or three world champions in the swimming pool or on your standard Sunday long run. These training partners are incredibly beneficial and a massive part of my success this year.
Lastly the Xterra World Championships takes place in Hawaii each year which is very far away from South Africa and although I was in really good shape in 2016 the travel over to Hawaii really broke me that year so in 2017 I chose to base myself closer to the race and mainland USA was the ideal location.
Were you confident going into the Xterra World Championships in Kapalua Maui that you could win -- if so, why?
Going into any World Championship event it is always very difficult to feel 100% confident that you are going to win, however my preparation was perfect and after a very successful season I believed as much as anyone that I could win if I executed to my ability.
Overall, what were the highs and lows of the year?
Back in December 2016 I took a fall while out training and broke my wrist. This meant a slightly later start to the 2017 season for me and was definitely one of my low points for the year. Another was puncturing out at Xterra Switzerland while leading the race, this was another tough blow.
The high point of not only my year but my career, was of course winning the Xterra World Championships. A high I truly hope I can reach again in my career but for now I will be enjoying the moment!
You're 28 now, but for how long can you see yourself competing in triathlons?
Depending where you stand triathlon fortunately/unfortunately has a pretty short life span. For Xterra specifically by the age of 35 you have probably reached your best and beginning to feel the effects of age on both your top end performance and your body's ability to recover from highly strenuous activity. This age differs of course from athlete to athlete and it really depends how committed to the sport the athlete in question is.
Our very own Conrad Stoltz was still winning high level International Xterra events at 40 but he was always a bit of an outlier. I for one am very excited for the next chapter whenever it may come and I don't see myself slogging away and beating up a tired body in my late 30s.
What are your goals for 2018 and beyond?
My goals for next year will have to wait. For now I plan to live in the moment and embrace all this experience has to offer. Too many of us get caught up worrying about the future that we end up looking back and realising we never really lived in the past. I don't plan to make a similar mistake. We will contemplate new goals once we have finished celebrating those that have been achieved.
*interview courtesy of PUMA South Africa, who sponsor Weiss.