what's happening in our community
MOUNTAIN bikes could become as familiar a sight as snowboards at Scotland's ski centres as a lack of snow forces them to diversify to stay in business.
Bike tracks are to be built down the pistes at Glenshee, following the lead of the Nevis Range and Glencoe resorts.
The Glenshee decision follows its worst season since the 1980s; the mildest conditions in recent memory forced the centre to close as early as 25 March.
Climate experts have already warned that downhill skiing in Scotland could come to an end within a generation.
The Glenshee centre, south of Braemar, boasts the country's most extensive ski area, with 21 lifts and 36 runs. It was once even described as Scotland's answer to France's Three Valleys resort in Meribel.
However, this winter it managed only 34 "decidedly average" skiing days - just a third of the annual average.
Contractors are now carving a mountain bike track into the hillside in an effort to diversify and offer thrill-seekers an alternative to snow sports.
Stewart Davidson, a director of the Glenshee Ski Centre, said: "The idea is to move forward with the mountain biking, and we hope to have it up and running for next summer.
"The bikers will be able to use the chairlifts to get them to the top of the hill and then race down. It will be a great facility for us when it's finished. We need to diversify; there's no way we can rely on our winters."
Mr Davidson said the season had been the worst for at least 16 years. "The weather has been unbelievable. It's been unseasonally mild and we've just not had the snow," he said.
"As for next winter, it's a case of wait and see what it brings. It is incredibly difficult to sustain 30-odd days of skiing a year. We have staff to pay, insurance, rights and everything else. The costs don't go down just because our number of days' skiing goes down. The future of skiing in Scotland, not just at Glenshee, is in very grave danger of being wiped out altogether."
The Nevis Range, near Fort William, will host the mountain bike world championships in September after hosting the world cup for five years. The centre hopes the event will attract 40,000 people and boost the local economy by £2 million - more than twice the total for last year's world cup.
A spokeswoman said the 2,000ft-descent bike track produced significant income and it planned to build a second.
Glencoe Mountain Resort's mountain bike track opens early next month. David Campbell, the company secretary, said he hoped it would help offset lower winter income from skiing.
The Scotsman
photo: Ian Rutherford
Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort will host a two-day seminar on mountain biking at ski resorts on May 8-9. The seminar, which is organized by the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, IMBA, Kona Bicycles, and Stowe Mountain Resort, will focus on developing well-managed, profitable, resort-based mountain biking.
Presenters include: Kelly Steelman from Kona Bike Parks, Pete Webber and Joey Klein from the International Mountain Bicycling Association, Patrick Kell from the Vermont Mountain Bike Association and other local experts.
For complete details, contact:
Pete Webber - Special Projects Director International Mountain Bicycling Association cell: 303-562-7510 email: pete@imba.com web: http://www.imba.com Patrick Kell - Executive Director Vermont Mountain Bike Association (802) 434-3969 x112 Patrick@vycc.org8
One of Southern California's largest mountain-biking festivals, the eighth-annual Firestone Santa Ynez Valley Mountain-Bike Classic will be held April 27-29, 2007. The event, which features downhill, cross-country and an endurance cross-country race, is sponsored by Platinum Performance nutrition and is held at the Firestone Vinyard outside of Buelton, California.
The event has evolved into a true "must do" for nearly every Central Coast based mountain biker, and last year's race drew over 900 racers and 2000 spectators, attracting racers from as far away as New York City and New Zealand.
With the event scheduled two weeks after the Sea Otter Classic and one week before the National Mountain-Bike Series race in Fontana, California, Race Organizer Mike Hecker hopes for an increased turnout of professional riders.
"I think with the increased pro purse we're going to get better pro turnout," Hecker said. "I think it's going to enhance our spectator numbers and will grow the sport. It gives pros a way to source out their livelihood."
VeloNews
Kirt Vories
Santa Cruz Syndicate badass Kirt Voreis started out racing X-country only to be hired later as a professional downhill and dual slalom racer. He became a renowned World Cup downhill racer and in 2002 he was the Dual Slalom USA National Champion
After a decade of racing experience and world travel, Voreis eventually moved away from racing and began progressing in slopestyle, street and dirt jump competitions where he received even more recognition as one of the world’s best.
Voreis has been active on the film front putting together segments for top movie producers such as Match and Kranked Film.
For the last four years he has taken mountain biking straight to the people with his AllRide Tour - stopping at bicycle dealerships around the country and going on rides with locals. Whether he rides kid's secret dirt jumps, a downhill shuttle or an epic cross-country ride, he'll join anyone interested in riding a bike.
Photos courtesy of Smith Optics.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Official website:
See mtb.colonies Qashqai newspost from April 13 at:
Floyd Landis to Compete at Teva Mountain Games in Vail, June 2-3
Just eight months after undergoing major hip surgery, 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has accepted an invitation to compete in the Teva Mountain Games presented by Volkswagen(R), June 2-3. Organizers announced today that Landis will compete as a member of Team Athletes for a Cure in the GNC(R) Ultimate Mountain Challenge, a two-day competition consisting of four separate races -- road biking, kayaking, trail running and mountain biking.
Landis will join a team that includes world-class kayaker Tao Berman and accomplished trail runner Simon Gutierrez, to raise money for prostate cancer research through Athletes for a Cure, a program of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
"I am honored to be invited to take part in the Teva Mountain Games for such an important cause," remarks Landis. "I am excited to put my new hip to the test racing in the Rockies and this is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation at the same time."
The GNC Ultimate Mountain Challenge will test pro and amateur athletes in four demanding competitions over two days. The event consists of the Nature Valley(R) Mountain Bike Cross Country Championship race and the Downriver Kayak Sprint on Saturday, June 2. On Sunday, the Challenge will continue with the Cytomax(R) 10K Trail Running Championship and the Trek(R) Road Bike Hill Climb. The individuals and the teams with the best combined results after the four events will be crowned the ultimate mountain man, woman and team.
Landis will compete in the Trek(R) Road Bike Hill Climb, a time-trial that travels over nine miles up Vail Pass and gains more than 1,400 feet in elevation and the Nature Valley(R) Mountain Bike Cross Country Championship, a classic Colorado singletrack race. Landis' results in the two cycling races will be combined with Berman's in the kayak race and Gutierrez's in the trail run.
About the Mountain Games
The Teva Mountain Games is the nation's largest adventure sports festival featuring competitions in kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, road biking, trail running and fly-fishing. Please visit http://www.tevamountaingames.com/.
About Athletes for a Cure
Athletes for a Cure is a fundraising and awareness program to assist individual athletes in their quest to raise money for better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer through the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Please visit http://www.athletesforacure.org/. PR Newswire United Business Media
The 2007 Test of Metal is the 2nd of 3 in a new series:
Vail, Colorado - Now in its sixth year, the Mountain Games May 30 - June 3 features 20 different amateur and professional organic action sports competitions
including...
mountain biking...
This year the Teva Mountain Games brings cross-country riders and the new generation of freeriders together for a weekend of great competition.
Vail has a long legacy of hosting world-class cycling competitions dating back to the Coors Classic/Red Zinger races of the early eighties, then as the host site for the World Mountain Biking Championships in '94 and '01.
freeride challenge...
The sport of mountain biking has changed dramatically over past few years as bikes get more and more suspension, and riders continue to push the envelopes of speed and airtime. The Mountain Games has embraced the new freedom of mountain biking and the Freeride Challenge will be the proving ground.
The Freeride Challenge will feature full-on, head-to-head races, but instead of the discipline-specific trials courses of yesteryear, the Freeride Challenge will include difficult but doable jumps, ramps and other obstacles. Riders can choose to enter on a big, DH-style bike, go fast and light on a BMX bike, or ride something in between.
For the spectators, mark this down on the don't-miss events sheet. It's been a crowd favorite over the years with bikers 8 feet in the air, on top of a structure that's only 2 feet wide.
freeride big air competition...
Over the past 5 years mountain biking has undergone a serious transformation. Gone are the days when mountain bikers were known solely for the neon spandex they wore.
Today, freeriders challenge the laws of gravity as they throw 360s and backflips over terrain most wouldn’t even walk down. Check out these world-class riders as they "step it up" on the streets of Vail.
cross country nature valley® mountain bike championship...
New classic course, feed zone, spectator friendly, seperate race times for amateurs and pros, bigger cash purse ($17,000 split between pros and semi pros)...the list goes on and on.
With current and former professional racers working closly with event producers to design this year's race, this is sure to be the most exciting race of the season.
for more information go to...
Xuberance Weekend is a new extreme sports and music festival taking place June 9-10 in North Wales, UK which locals claim has some of the best mountain biking in the world.
Mountain biking, freestyle motorcross, BMX dirt jumping and street course/park skateboarding are just some of the extreme sports taking place. Music will play a major part in the weekend with local bands and DJs playing at extreme sports events during the day while major concerts will take place each night. Music lineup will be announced soon.
The latest backer of Xuberance Weekend is 4130 Publishing, the major publisher of extreme sports magazines including Ride, Dig, Sidewalk and Dirt.
For more information about the event check out:
Xuberance Weekend will be beamed to 50 countries world-wide by the Extreme Sports Channel which is televising the event.
California, USA - Sea Otter 2007 Classic April 12 - 15
World's Biggest Mountain Bike Event
For those who couldn't make it to the event, MTBR offers videos, photos and text covering all aspects of this years event:
Check out the official results:
Read the official daily press releases for a play-by-play of the action:
NISSAN ANNOUNCES:
QASHQAI URBAN CHALLENGE
SERIES 1
First ever pan-European event series in free-riding - five countries, over five weekends, five disciplines
200,000 euros - highest prize money in the sport of mountain biking
First international broadcast of the sport
TRAPPES, France (March 20, 2007) - As part of its European launch of the new ‘urbanproof’ crossover QASHQAI, Nissan announces the QASHQAI Urban Challenge - the first ever pan-European free-riding competition of its kind.
QASHQAI Urban Challenge is an urban free-riding competition where the world's best mountain bikers will compete in an urban environment to win 200,000 euros - the largest prize fund in this sport to date. Throughout May and June, five European cities will host each leg of the first series bringing together the best of the free-riding world as well as the uninitiated in each city where spectators can see the sport pushed to its limits.
The first series of QASHQAI Urban Challenge, which will be broadcast for the first time internationally, will take place in UK, Italy, Spain, Germany and France. In each country, contestants will encounter different challenges based on the topography of the city and will use different disciplines to overcome these: Dirt, North Shore, Park, Big Air and Street Trials. All five of the disciplines will be stimulating to watch and relate more to moto-x or trails riding than common perceptions of mountain biking.
Urban free-riding is the most progressive discipline in mountain biking and illustrates the changing trend of focus from open woodland areas into urban city centres.
Nissan is the only non-sport related brand pioneering the ascent of urban free-riding and is looking forward to seeing how the riders respond to the challenge.
“The Urban free-rider epitomises the spirit of our new QASHQAI. They both enjoy the thrill of a challenge and overcoming the everyday obstacles encountered in an urban environment. It’s this joint pleasure of playing with the city that has led Nissan to challenge these professional riders to prove that they are as ‘urbanproof’ as our QASHQAI,” explains Paul Willcox, vice president of marketing at Nissan Europe.
A fully interactive website www.nissan-QASHQAIchallenge.com will provide feature details of the riders, the locations, the disciplines, event schedule and behind-the-scenes updates as the tour progresses.
Event timetable
| Newcastle, UK: |
May 4/5 |
North Shore |
| Milan, Italy: |
May 11/12 |
Dirt |
| Madrid, Spain: |
May 18/19 |
Street |
| Cologne, Germany: |
May 25/26 |
Park |
| Paris, France: |
June 22/23 |
Big Air |
Further details about the QASHQAI Urban Challenge - Series 1 will be announced throughout the lead up to the tour.
Contact details
Tel: +33 1 30 13 57 87.
www.nissaneurope-newsbureau.com
The Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano, will see 11 events across 10 countries during 2007, while the partnership has been agreed until at least 2009.
UCI president Pat McQuaid said:
“Mountain biking is a modern and dynamic discipline with an attractive image and enormous potential. The interest shown by a company like Nissan confirms this. Thanks to the joint efforts of Nissan and the UCI, everyone associated with mountain biking will see fantastic progress in the years to come.”
Darren Cox, Nissan's European brand promotion manager, said: “Nissan has historically supported adventurous activity but now we are stepping up a gear and will really show the passion that we as a company hold for sports adventure and the environments in which they are held. Nissan becoming title sponsor for the World Cup really demonstrates this.”
The Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano, will consist of 11 events this year, spanning the different disciplines of: cross-country marathon, cross-country Olympic, downhill and 4-cross.
For more information go to: www.theratrace.ca.
The 2007 Brodie Rat Race is the 1st of 3 in a new series:
The Crud to Mud event, a Whistler classic ski/snowboard and mountain bike race with a snow to dirt transition, has been cancelled for 2007 due to the early closure of Whistler Mountain.
If you're looking for an entry level hardtail, or a dual suspension cross-country, or last year's DH bike, AND DON'T WANT TO BUY NEW, then this bike swap is where you want to be.
It takes place just outside Dusty's at the base of Whistler in Creekside on Saturday, April 21.
Make sure you get there early to beat the crowds and you might find the used bike of your dreams...
All proceeds go to WORCA's youth programs.
The 17th Annual Sea Otter Classic will be held April 12 - 15, 2007 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area in Monterey, California. The 4-day event is considered the world's largest bike festival, hosting nearly 10,000 professional and amateur athletes; 50,000 spectators; and more than 250 media representatives from around the world. At the center of the action will be the Sea Otter Village & Expo, home to the world's largest outdoor consumer bike tradeshow featuring nearly 300 vendors, food court and activity centre.
Mountain Bike events include: Downhill, Dual Slalom, Super D, Cross Country, Short Track & Time Trial.
Not only is it a rockin festival but for a good cause too. Staying with its "Path of Sustainability" theme from last year, the Sea Otter Classic will be providing premier reserved parking for hybrid, alternative fuel and pedal powered vehicles. Carpools of three or more people will also have access while festival staff promise to be car-free. Post event efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the festival will include cleaning up, recycling, seeding, reseeding, and vegetating the land.
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