For the second straight year, a bunch of very healthy people will gather on Milwaukee's Lakefront for the Nissan Xterra Midwest Championship triathlon.

The event, which is slated for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 6, features at 1.5 kilometer swim, a 30k mountain bike ride and a 10k trail run. Pros in the race compete for a $20,000 purse, while top age-group finishers at this race are awarded slots to the Nissan Xterra World Championship Oct. 29 in Makena, Maui. Top amateur finishers earn points toward their standings in the Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series.

According to the Xterra Web site -- www.xterraplanet.com -- the Milwaukee course "is a true urban affair."

"Our main compound is on Lake Michigan at Veteran's Park near McKinley Beach and Marina," the site says. "The swim will be clockwise laps at the southernmost point with a moderate run back to Veterans Park.

"The bike takes off over a pedestrian bridge spanning Lincoln Memorial Drive onto the fantastic Oak Leaf trail. Milwaukee County has done a fabulous job in turning a defunct railroad bed into a world class trail system that goes alongside the Milwaukee River for miles. The trails travel up to Port Washington Road and back. Sport will do one lap and Xterra will do a turnaround below Locust Street and do the whole thing again.

"The east side of the river offers some very technical, twisty riding, the west side is faster and more open. As previously mentioned we can't publish our final bike routing until we have permission from a few private landowners. But trust us, this is going to be GREAT!

"Once back at Veterans Park runners will take off north alongside the lake and do another cross over Lincoln Memorial Drive on a pedestrian overpass and into some steep ravines and gnarly running in the upper part of Veterans Park. This will be a wild, twisty route that you'll be happy to be finished with. The return takes you back across the highway along Lake Michigan and back to the finish."

In addition to the race, which is held Aug. 6, the weekend will feature exhibits, food booths, kids' activities and the Milwaukee Scramble 10-K and 5-K trail runs.

Registration fee includes an event T-shirt, athlete recovery, and awards meal. (A USA Triathlon license is required. Single-day licenses are available for $9 through Xterra registration). The deadline for online entry is July 31. Packet pickup will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5.

Everybody that comes to the Xterra Village at Veterans Park during the Nissan Xterra Midwest Championship weekend can enter a drawing for three tickets to the New England Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers game Nov. 19 at Lambeau Field. The winner will be announced before the Xterra awards ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.com for more coverage of the Xterra Midwest Championship, including some blog items from local and national athletes who will be competing in the event.

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