Patiès Wins First Full Distance XTERRA World Title

France's Alizée Patiès claimed her first Full Distance XTERRA World Championship on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in Ruidoso, New Mexico. She finished in 2:36:19, winning by six minutes and 14 seconds ahead of Italy's Marta Menditto on the championship's 30th-anniversary course.

From third to clear in one bike lap

The morning began cool at Grindstone Lake, with water at 18.1°C and air barely above 11°C an hour before the start. Costa Rica's Raquel Solís and France's Emma Ducreux shared the fastest swim split of 20:38, and Ducreux led the field into the first transition. Patiès, struggling to find her rhythm early, sat in third as the race moved onto the single 27-kilometre mountain-bike loop.

She did not stay there long. Patiès reached the opening bike checkpoint with the lead already in hand, and her split of 1:20:45 proved the fastest of any elite woman.

A punishing run and a lifelong dream

Behind her, Menditto launched the strongest run of the day. Her 50:42 split moved her past Ducreux on the second lap and into second place. Australia's Maeve Kennedy also advanced late to complete the podium in 2:45:18, while Ducreux held fourth and Solís finished fifth.

Patiès managed her lead over the 10-kilometre trail run despite paying for her effort on two wheels. "The run was really hard, especially the second lap, because I was hurting everywhere," she told reporters afterwards. "I really gave everything. I never gave up."