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Duffy gets ready to defend Xterra title

History repeating: Duffy is looking to win the Xterra World Championships for the third consecutive year

Flora Duffy will put one of her world titles on the line at tomorrow’s Xterra World Championship in Maui, Hawaii.

The Bermuda triathlete is the two-times defending champion and a firm favourite to capture a third successive Xterra World title.

“Great to be back in Maui for Xterra off-road world champs,” Duffy said. “It’s a big goal to win the Xterra World Championship.”

The championship consists of a 1.5km swim, 32km bike and 10.5km run.

Duffy has her work cut out among a formidable field which includes seven of the top eight finishers from last year’s Xterra World Championship.

Lesley Paterson, who is a two-times world champion herself, is also competing, as is Barbara Riveros who placed fifth at the Rio Olympics in Brazil in August ahead of Duffy, who is on the cusp of making history in Hawaii.

Should she capture the Xterra series for a third straight year, she would become the first woman to win both the off-road circuit and ITU World Triathlon Series title in the same season.

The off-road version of the sport has played an integral part in the resurrection of Duffy’s career which was left in tatters after disappointing showings at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in Beijing and London.

She regained her confidence competing on the Xterra circuit where she rose to prominence overnight with a string of podium displays and capped a dominant debut season at that level by landing a maiden World title in 2014, which she successfully defended the following year.

“I love racing Xterra,” Duffy said. “I’m so glad I found it.”

Duffy’s career has gone to a whole new level this season, a season that has been nothing short of remarkable.

She executed one of the all-time great sporting performances by a Bermudian to claim last month’s ITU World Triathlon Series championship after winning the Grand Final Cozumel in Mexico.

Overall, Duffy finished the WTS with two wins and two other podium finishes.

She also exorcised her Olympic demons after placing eighth in Rio this summer, the first time she has gone the distance at this level.

After tomorrow’s racing in Hawaii Duffy heads to the Bahamas to compete in the Island House Invitational where she earned a place on the podium and $30,000 in prize money after finishing an impressive third last year.

The event will involve 40 triathletes racing over three days in individual time-trials, enduro and sprint non-drafting.