Moletta, Gobbo Win XTERRA Brazil

Press Release / 16.05.2017

Home country heroes Felipe Moletta and Sabrina Gobbo captured the 13th annual XTERRA Brazil Championship elite titles on the island of Ilhabela. It's the third Brazil title for Moletta and the fourth straight for Gobbo.

In the men's race, under an azure sky, Moletta took the lead on the bike and held onto it until the end with a time of 2:32:24, just two minutes in front of Kieran McPherson from New Zealand, who finished second in 2:34:29. "Very happy to win here in Ilhabela, on the Brazilian stage of the XTERRA World Tour, where I started in triathlon many years ago," posted Moletta to his Facebook page.  "I thank everyone who supported me and especially who believe in the sport, and dedicate this victory to all the moms and in particular, my dear mother and my wife ... I love you!"

Moletta, who was the XTERRA Brazil champ in 2012 and 2014, is no stranger to XTERRA Brazil or to victory, but this was the 10-year XTERRA veteran's first win in Ilhabela. Moletta previously stated that XTERRA Brazil is very special to him. When it took place in the city of Sao Paulo in 2014, Moletta's son had just been born and was in the hospital. Happily, both father and son came out as champs that day.

Runner-up Kieran McPherson exited the water first with a small lead, and said "I rode hard but conservatively for the first part of the bike because it wasn't a matter of if they would catch me but when."

McPherson, the reigning XTERRA Thailand Champ who has already done four races on the Asia-Pacific Tour (where he sits in third place), added that "Felipe caught me on the last major climb and I could not respond. My legs were definitely feeling all the travel of the last few weeks. Felipe was too strong on the run and I was only able to maintain my gap."

McPherson now turns his attention to the Pan Am Tour and will be racing at the next stop at XTERRA Oak Mountain in Pelham, Alabama next Saturday. "I raced well and I'm happy with my second-place performance, but I'm looking forward to a little R&R before 'Bama."

Triathlon legend and 2008 XTERRA Brazil Champ Alexandre Manzan was third in 2:41:20.
    
In the women's race, Sabrina Gobbo claimed victory for the fourth year in a row. She finished in 3:12:02, a full 10-minutes in front of runner up, Laura Mira Dias, who finished second in 3:22:25.

With the win Gobbo becomes the first elite to win XTERRA Brazil four times. (American great Shonny Vanlandingham and Moletta each have three titles). Gobbo was fifth on the Pan Am Tour last year and is currently seated fourth in the standings after four races.

Isabella Ribeiro was third in 3:30:40, allowing Brazil to take all three spots on the podium.The top three women finished in the same order last year, and Gobbo and Dias finished 10 minutes apart in 2016, as well.