With a professional career spanning 17 years it is not hard to understand why tri-athlete Conrad Stoltz is held in such high regard ? by both his fellow athletes and the crowds that turn up to cheer him on.

Nicknamed 'The Caveman', Stoltz has been competing since he was 14-years-old and during his career he has been crowned the South African Triathlon Champion four times; held aloft the African Triathlon Championship six times, participated in the World Triathlon Championships from 1996 to 2000 as well as in 2002, represented SA in the Olympics in 2000 and 2004 and was the Xterra World Champion in 2001 and 2002.

You would think an athlete with a list of accolades that long would be a superstar in his country, but that is not the case with Stoltz. Outside of his sport he is not what you would consider a household name ? in South Africa at least?

On the international circuit he is well known and equally well-regarded. It was hardly a surprise then that he blew the field away at the recently held Xterra SA Champs in Grabouw ? waltzing home a clear 10-minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

The Xterra series is in a nutshell an off-road triathlon ? swimming, mountainbiking and trail-running ? which while big overseas has only recently taken off in SA. Stoltz is considered as a frontrunner of the sport on a global scale.

The big South African spends six months of the year in the USA, however, and traditionally only competes in the Grabouw event locally, but he admits that the Xterra series is growing in South Africa and already the events match up to those on the international circuit.

"Yes, it (SA Xterra) does look good," says Stoltz.

"I think it is relatively tough to make a living from it in South Africa at the moment ? which is why I compete overseas ? but the more sponsors that come on board, the more exposure the events get and the more they will grow.

"The (Grabouw) event is world class, it is a little bit longer, and maybe even a little bit tougher than some of the international events ? the bike leg was definitely longer than what I am used to. The numbers were there ? and it was a relatively strong field.

"But it has been growing like crazy ? the first Xterra there were around 130 people taking part ? now you are looking at 500-odd. The whole family can rock up to the event, and it appeals to a large part of the population."

But while the event itself is competing internationally, the local competitors still have some work to do in order to match up to the pros overseas. Stoltz proved that to be the case when he took part in Grabouw ? although that does not mean our athletes are a lost cause ? not by a long shot.

"Well, honestly, before I was expecting a lot of resistance, the press were really talking up the local guys and they are definitely getting better at it," admits Stoltz.

"At the end of last season I crashed and missed out on some races ? including the Xterra in SA. The young guys took the series by storm, but maybe it was a case of a big fish in a small pond? Maybe they just didn't bring there A-game to Grabouw?"

Lack of international competition does not help the cause, but who will be the next local athlete to make the leap from SA star to global competitor?

"Carla Germishuys has what it takes to get up there," says Stoltz.

"Because it is such a technical sport to grow at, it can be tough. But she is quite young and although she has some things to learn, she definitely has what it takes. I didn't really come around until I was 26 and was at my best at 28."

Stoltz, meanwhile, is one of the biggest names in the sport and if his fellow competitors are to be believed, he has single-handedly been responsible for most of them taking up the Xterra series in the first place! But the man himself is modest in this regard?

"I never tried to do that (become a role model)," he says, "it is just something that happened by itself. "But it a big honour to inspire other people to do the same, whether it is athletes or the general public. It is something that just happens ? and it is a great feeling ? and reflects positively on you if you can achieve that."

But, while being held as a role model is important, perhaps the most important question is this: where did he get that nickname?

"That's a long story," laughs Stoltz.

"When I first arrived in the States, I had no money and was living in a basement apartment. There was all this ivy everywhere and there were no doors, no windows? just ivy. So whenever I was in the apartment the other guys would say 'Conrad is in his cave again?' and it just stuck."

iafrica.com sports ed Rob Peters also took on the Xterra in Grabouw, and while he did not exactly compete, he did give it his best shot. Read about his exploits in his DueSouth Xterra report.