XTERRA goes aHEAD to Hawaii with Rui Dolores

Our interview with Portuguese athlete Rui Dolores before the World Championship!

In May, we supported XTERRA Italy on Lake Garda where we met Rui Dolores, and since then we have admired his great performances. This weekend, on the 27th of October, we will be excitedly following him in the final chapter of XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon in Maui, Hawaii. We caught up with him in a short interview about his special love for XTERRA races and his relationship with HEAD Swimming...

What does XTERRA represent for you?

Rui - For me, XTERRA is the perfect combination of sports, challenging personal limits, contact with nature, discovering new places in the world and meeting people with the same passion. All races are different to each other, because the environment and natural resources make them all unique. In Hawaii in particular, the natural conditions and race preparation will create a competition that requires a lot of physical effort at a challenging level.

Which is your favourite leg of the race if you have one? Swimming, cycling or running?

Rui - The key to Off-Road Triathlon is a good balance between the 3 disciplines. The one that most represents me due to training and exploring is cycling, heading deep into the mountains!

How did you start your friendship with HEAD Swimming and why?

Rui - This friendship started when Hugo Baluga and I discovered Swimrun. I searched the internet for information about the sport and races close by, such as Ötillo.

At beginning of the year, I met Bruno Safara from Swimrun Portugal. He showed us some wetsuits and we started testing them.

For XTERRA my choice is the Black Marlin due to the flexibility and balance in flotation that it offers, supporting my body in the starting leg of the race.

So how is your 2019 XTERRA experience with HEAD Swimming?

Rui – So far, in 2019 I have done 10 races:

Cyprus – arriving 9th

Malta - 1st

Italy - Lake Garda - 4th

Portugal - 1st

Denmark - 4th

France - 5th

Italy - Scanno - 5th

Germany - 9th

Czech Republic - 24th

Luxembourg - 4th

I’m very happy because in the XTERRA European Tour 2019 I'm in 4th place!

- Best result over previous seasons - 5th in 2017 and 6th in 2018

- First two overall wins - Malta and Portugal

- Seven podiums in the top five

- All races finished

Using HEAD Swimming products for training and races (wetsuits, googles and accessories), I feel better. I’ve had better performances with less physical fatigue. Because of this, my efficiency has increased and I have been able to improve more and more, focusing on details. According to me, the quality and comfort offered by these products are very important and make the difference.

We want to close this interview with a short question...2019 bas been an intense season, we've seen you passing from XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon to Swimrun Portugal races, transforming yourself from a Black Marlin into an Aero-man! What is the fascinating aspect of Swimrun for an off-road triathlete?!

Rui - It's the freedom you feel when you make transitions without needing to change equipment. It’s the dynamic passage from swimming to running and from running to swimming!