In just her third year of racing XTERRA Helena Erbenova has emerged as the woman to beat in Europe and perhaps the biggest threat to Lesley Paterson in her pursuit of winning a third straight XTERRA World Championship this October in Maui.

 

Erbenova claimed her second straight XTERRA European Tour Championship with her win at XTERRA Abruzzo in Italy on Saturday.  Pros count their top five finishes in the eight-stop XTERRA European Tour and Erbenova has already racked up four wins and a runner-up, eliminating any possibility that someone could top her 490 points with just three races left.

 

Since her first XTERRA victory in France last year Erbenova has won eight-of-nine XTERRA championship events on the Euro Tour and also captured the 2012 European Cross and 2013 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championship.  In her first attempt at XTERRA Worlds in 2011 she finished 3rd, and last year despite nagging back and leg injuries placed 9th.

 

The 34-year-old from Jablonec nad Nisou in the Czech Republic is no stranger to athletic success.  Her Dad Jaroslav Balatka was an Ironman and won the 55-59 division XTERRA World title in 2011, and he started Helena in triathlons as a child.  She’s also an accomplished winter athlete who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in the double pursuit, and most recently won this year’s ITU Winter Triathlon World Championship.

 

While the women’s Euro Tour title is already accounted for, the men’s crown is certainly not.  Reigning and four-time European Tour winner Nico Lebrun sits atop the standings but with three races left several members of the current top 10 could make a move including XTERRA Spain winner Ruben Ruzafa, XTERRA Greece winner Ben Allen, and XTERRA Swiss winner Victor del Corral.

 

Here’s a look at the top 10 pro men and women.  The Tour continues with back-to-back races at XTERRA Czech and XTERRA Germany (Aug. 10-17) and concludes with XTERRA England on September 8.

 

2013 XTERRA EUROPEAN TOUR TOP 10 (THRU 5/7.26.13) 

 

Elite Women ESP GRE SUI FRA ITA TOT 

1 Helena Erbenova, CZE 90 100 100 100 100 490 

2 Renata Bucher, SUI 100 75 75 - 90 340 

3 Marion Lorblanchet, FRA 69 - 63 82 75 289 

4 Jacqui Slack, GBR 75 90 - 90 - 255 

5 Kathrin Muller, GER 82 82 82 - - 246 

6 Brigitta Poor, HUN 58 63 58 - - 179 

7 Coralie Redelsperger, FRA - - 69 69 - 138 

8 Maud Golsteyn, NED - - 63 75 - 138 

9 Carina Wasle, AUT 63 69 -  - 132 

10 Liz Orchard, NZL - - 58 63 - 121