NORBA Series Hits MTB Month in West Virginia
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| Snowshoe
Mountain Set to Host Major Eastern U.S. Off-Road Cycling Event SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN, W.Va. (June 03, 2003) Governor Bob Wise has designated June the official Mountain Bike Month in West Virginia, and the picture postcard venue of Snowshoe Mountain is all geared up and ready to host the second stop of the 2003 NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series, June 12-15. A selection of the world’s top riders in Cross Country, Short Track, Downhill and Mountain Cross disciplines will compete on the technical, wooded courses at Snowshoe Mountain for the third consecutive year. The finals of all Pro/Elite categories will take place on Saturday and Sunday, allowing spectators the opportunity to see the sport’s best athletes, while the compact Pro/Elite Cross Country format gives amateur classes even more on-course racing time. Saturday’s schedule introduces the tactical drama of mountain biking’s Olympic discipline when the Pro/Elite men and women race in the Cross Country event at 10:30 a.m. The women’s field starts a few minutes ahead of the men, and by racing a slightly shorter version of the course, finishes a few minutes ahead of the men. This format was successfully piloted at Snow Summit in Round One, and will continue throughout the series. One of the weekend’s main features for families is the Shimano Kids Race, which takes place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, and then starting at 4.30 p.m. is the breathtaking Pro/Elite Mountain Cross finals – mountain biking’s answer to Supercross racing. In 2003 the mountain cross course is open to amateur competition for the first time. The competition schedule allows plenty of time for spectators to enjoy Snowshoe Mountain’s “Appalachian Uprising,” which features live entertainment and is run in conjunction with the NORBA event. Sunday’s highlights include Pro/Elite women racing in the action-packed Short Track at 12:30 p.m., closely followed by the men’s event at 1:00 p.m. The Pro/Elite women’s Downhill starts at 2:00 p.m. while the men begin their final runs at 2:30 p.m. to conclude the weekend’s competition on a spectacular note. Prior to the start of competition, on Thursday 12 June, in Elkins, West Virginia, three prospective Olympians will visit the Fat Tire Cycles store between 11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. These athletes are: Jimena Florit (RLX) Mary McConnelloug (Seven Cylces), and Todd Wells (Mongoose-Hyundai). Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia, also boasts 125 miles of trails to ride and is the state’s largest four-season resort. Up to 3,000 athletes are expected to compete there over the NORBA weekend. The NORBA National Championships Mountain Bike Series is North America's premier off-road cycling series. The series crowns USA Cycling's Mountain Bike Champions. USA Cycling is the national governing body for cycle sport. GaleForce Sports Marketing is the series management and promotions company, and is recognized as the USA's leading cycling and events management group. About NORBA & USA Cycling NORBA is the mountain bike member association of USA Cycling, the national governing body for cycle sport. Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling Promotes American cycling through its 80,000 members and 2,000 annual events. For more information, visit www.usacycling.org , or contact Communications Coordinator Andy Lee at 719 866 4867. |
This Article Published June 3, 2003 For more information contact:
