Amateur Champion to Elite Contender
My XTERRA Journey
"Kerri-Ann has paid her dues. She has pretty much won everything there is to win as an age-group triathlete, and now she is racing as an elite and really justifying that position"
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Doug Hall - XTERRA EMEA Manager
About the athlete...
Kerri-Ann Upham
Born and raised in the UK, Kerri-Ann’s journey to becoming an elite athlete has been defined by resilience and determination. Growing up in South West England, sport wasn't always a natural fit for her, and it wasn’t until the age of 18 that she discovered triathlon.
Despite lacking a traditional athletic background, Kerri-Ann’s passion, dedication, and relentless work ethic have driven her to evolve into the elite competitor she is today.
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Kerri-Ann was introduced to XTERRA in 2018 and quickly began making her mark under the guidance of her coach, Rob Moore of trimoore coaching. In 2022, she captured both the Amateur World and European Championships, proving to herself that her dream of competing on the world stage as an elite athlete was within reach.
Step Into My Story...
Discovering Triathlon
As a child, I wasn’t the kid who loved sports. In fact, I was overweight and hated exercise. My poor mum had to drag me, kicking and screaming, to swimming lessons every week. I dreaded it. By the time I started secondary school, other kids had started making comments about my weight and lack of fitness. It was tough, and I knew I had to make a change.
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Determined to do something, I threw myself into every sports club I could find. Slowly but surely, something changed and I discovered a passion for sport I never knew I had.
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Fast forward to 2009, when I was 18. My Uncle Kevin was training for an IRONMAN, and his enthusiasm for triathlon rubbed off on me. He introduced me to East Devon’s N1 Tri Club, where the members were incredibly supportive, teaching me the ropes and encouraging me to try local sprint races. It was there that I really began to fall in love with the sport.
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After university, where I’d spent a few years trying my hand at rowing, I returned to Devon in 2013. I joined the Pure Endurance Triathletes race team and focused on IRONMAN 70.3 events. I was placing consistently in the top 5 of my age group, but there was this nagging feeling that I had more to give. That’s when I crossed paths with Rob Moore from trimoore Coaching, and things started to change.​​
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Going Off-Road: The Stinger
After our first season together, Rob—an accomplished XTERRA triathlete—suggested I try off-road racing. He encouraged me to enter a local cross-duathlon called "The Stinger."
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It turned out to be the toughest race I had ever faced. The course was steep, muddy, and relentlessly technical. Every part of me was tested—physically, mentally, and technically. To my surprise, I crossed the finish line in first place.
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Recognizing my potential, Rob urged me to take it further and enter XTERRA Belgium in 2018. I won my age group and placed in the top 10 overall. That race opened the door to GB age-group racing, and in my first season, I took second at the World Championships and claimed the European Championship title.
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Key Results:
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1st (25-29 AG) – XTERRA Belgium
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2nd (25-29 AG) – ITU World Championships Cross Triathlon
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1st (25-29 AG) – ETU European Championships Cross Triathlon
Closing in on the Dream
With a newfound passion for off-road racing and relentless determination, I began investing in better equipment and stepped up my training. My progress was clear in the results, and the dream of racing as an elite felt more within reach with every race. I just needed one more year of consistent performance before making the leap from age-group to elite racing.
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Key Results:
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2nd (25-29) – XTERRA Belgium
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1st (25-29) – XTERRA Luxembourg
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1st (25-29) – ETU European Championships
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2020 was going to be my year. I had qualified for the XTERRA World Championships in Maui, secured a few small sponsors, and set an ambitious goal to become the overall age-group World Champion. It felt like everything was finally falling into place.
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Setbacks and Survival
Then COVID hit, and like so many others, my plans were turned upside down. At 29, I felt like time was running out, and a year without racing seemed like a huge setback in reaching the elite ranks.
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I adapted the best I could—replacing swimming with garage gym sessions and enjoying long runs and rides, all while holding onto hope. When racing slowly returned, I was eager to show my fitness gains. My heart was set on the European Championships in Molveno, Italy, aiming to take the overall amateur title.
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But two weeks before the race, disaster struck. A fall during a training run left me with a deep knee gash that required stitches, ending my hopes for that race.
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After recovering, I signed up for XTERRA Malta, but once again, bad luck hit when I crashed during a course recon, breaking my elbow.
Another year with no racing.
Another year older.
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Time kept ticking—was the elite dream slipping away?
Age Group Domination
Not one to back down, I entered 2022 with a solid block of training and an ambitious goal: to claim the overall age-group titles at both the World and European Championships in Cross Triathlon and Cross Duathlon. I’m proud to say, I did exactly that.
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Beyond dominating the age-group field at ITU and ETU events, I was consistently performing well in XTERRA. At the XTERRA European Championships in the Czech Republic, I was awarded a 'wildcard' entry into the elite short track race the next day. It was an incredible opportunity to line up alongside the world’s best off-road athletes in a fast-paced, action-packed race that was streamed live worldwide. What an unforgettable experience!
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Key Results:
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1st (overall age-group) – World Champs – Cross Triathlon
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1st (overall age-group) – World Champs – Cross Duathlon
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1st (overall age-group) – European Champs – Cross Triathlon
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1st (overall age-group) – European Champs – Cross Duathlon
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1st (overall age-group) – XTERRA Prague
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1st (30-35 AG) – XTERRA Czech Republic
A New Chapter Begins
Thanks to a standout season in 2022, I accumulated enough XTERRA World Ranking Points to earn an elite racing license. I was able to reduce my working hours from five days a week to three, embracing the dream lifestyle I had long pursued.
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My first season competing among the elites was incredibly rewarding. Racing at this level is a significant step up and comes with a steep learning curve, but I’m savoring every moment! With a year of experience behind me, I know there’s still more to achieve, and I can’t wait to dive back in for the 2024 season!
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​Key Results
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3rd - XTERRA UK
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4th - XTERRA Portugal
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10th - XTERRA Czech World Cup
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11th - XTERRA Czech Short Track
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17th - XTERRA Germany World Cup
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25th - XTERRA World Championships Short Track
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21st - XTERRA World Championships
Highs & Lows of Elite Racing
Entering my second year as a professional athlete, I felt stronger and more experienced. The previous season had taught me valuable lessons, and I was determined to keep improving.
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There were moments of triumph, like standing on the podium at an XTERRA event and finishing in the top 10 at the European Championships. I could feel the gradual but steady progress.
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However, the year wasn’t without challenges. At the XTERRA World Championships, an unexpected collision 500 meters into the bike course ended my race early, a harsh reminder of sport’s unpredictability. It taught me the value of resilience in bouncing back from setbacks.
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Despite the lows, this year reinforced my love for the sport and my drive to keep improving. With each race and lesson learned, I’m ready for bigger and better things in the seasons ahead.
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​Key Results
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2nd - XTERRA UK Duathlon
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12th - XTERRA Greece (World Cup)
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2nd - XTERRA UK
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4th - XTERRA Lake Garda
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6th - ETU European Champs Cross Triathlon
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10th - XTERRA Czech Republic (World Cup)
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4th - XTERRA Germany
