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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM – XTERRA, an international series of cross triathlon races, is returning to Oak Mountain State Park from Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18.

Athletes from across the country will gather to test their limits on the park’s trails in various events. The three-day event will feature the fourth stop of the XTERRA World Cup, live-broadcast short track racing, the 2025 North American Championship and the inaugural Youth North American Championship for athletes ages 14-19.

“We are thrilled to welcome the XTERRA World Cup and North American Championship to Oak Mountain State Park,” said Kendall Williams, Shelby County’s manager for tourism and events. “We take great pride in our parks and county, and look forward to showing athletes from all over the world what true Southern hospitality is all about.”

The event ultimately leads to the XTERRA World Championship triathlon being held in Trentino, Italy on Saturday, Sept. 27. There are 58 qualifying spots up for grabs in the North American Championship for the world event.

Along with the races, the event will also feature vendor booths, live music, food trucks and opportunities for spectators to explore Oak Mountain State Park’s natural splendor. Steve Andrus, the Americas Tour manager for XTERRA, described how OMSP became an ideal stop on the XTERRA tour.

“You go back a long time, years and years ago, (we) were looking for an event venue and location that has everything we need such as a lake to swim in, world-class mountain bike trails and good trail running,” Andrus said. “Oak Mountain has it. Great partners with Shelby County has made it an easy and successful event… The main recipe for success is working with (our) great community partners.”

Andrus further added that Shelby County is a place he considers home, and is excited to return to Oak Mountain State Park for XTERRA’s various races.

“The biggest thing that I’m excited about is coming back to Alabama and Shelby County,” Andrus said. “I consider Shelby County home… I don’t live here, but I can see myself one day (living here) and it’s always fun to come back.”

For more information on XTERRA, visit Xterraplanet.com.