(press release)
DURANGO, Colorado (August 11, 2003) One of the most popular high-altitude training bases for elite off-road cyclists, including Collegiate, National and World Champions, Durango Mountain Resort will host the grand finale of the 2003 NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series August 14-17. The series finals will crown both the overall and national champions. Overall fitness will be a factor as every race starts at over 8,000 feet.
The 2003 series has provided one of the most exciting and dramatic seasons to date. The racing has been aggressive and unpredictable, new faces have appeared on the podium, amazing recoveries from injury have been made, an exciting new venue has emerged, and supportive crowds have appeared throughout the entire series.
Durango, Colorado has a cornerstone position in world mountain biking. Site of the first ever UCI World Championships in 1990, the town of 15,000 is home to "more mountain bike World Champions than any other town or city." In this tradition, Fort Lewis College is becoming a powerhouse in NCAA cycling.
Steamworks Brewing Co. in Durango will host a media recption on Thursday August 14, at 5 p.m. This will feature stars from the circuit including Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Marla Streb, Alison Dunlap and Todd Wells.
Pro racing for the weekend begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, when the Cross Country event sets out on the same course used for the 1990 Mountain Bike World Championships. For some international competitors this may be the deciding event that qualifies them for a national team place in this pre-Olympic year. The Shimano Kids Race is scheduled for Saturday mid-day, then at 4:30 p.m, pro action resumes in the Mountain Cross on a course with design input from 1990 Downhill World Champion Greg "HB" Herbold.
Sunday sees the Pro/Elite women navigate the Short Track course at 12:30 p.m. followed by the men at 1:00 p.m. The course runs right through the village and keeps the athletes at "redline" for twenty minutes. Pro/elite Downhill women will jump out of the start gate at 2:00 p.m. and the men begin at 2:30 p.m. Most of the Downhill course will be viewable from the 6-pack chairlift giving a unique perspective to both spectators and photographers. Amateur Mountain Cross will be featured over the race weekend as well as a 100-mile mountain bike event for true endurance enthusiasts.
Durango has a rich historical tradition of culture, including being home to some of the earliest Native Americans, railroad expansion and the silver and gold rushes more than one hundred years ago. Durango attracts "hard-core recreationists" and has been rated one of the top 15 sports towns by a leading outdoor magazine. Championship bike racers, kayakers, skiers, runners and athletes live and visit year round. Schedule information and a link to online registration can be found at: http://www.durangofinals.com/
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
NORBA is the mountain bike member association of USA Cycling. 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.
About GaleForce
GaleForce Sports Marketing is an expanding sports marketing and event management company based in Redwood City. GaleForce has promoted, marketed, and managed right across the sporting spectrum. Properties owned or managed by GaleForce include the Sea Otter Classic and the NORBA National Championship Mountain Bike Series. For more about GaleForce, visit www.galeforce.org or call 650 367 7797
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