FasterSkier

Tag: mountain bike

  • Fat Bike Birkie Gears Up for Second Big Year

    Fat Bike Birkie (Photo: Kelly Randolph)
    Fat Bike Birkie (Photo: Kelly Randolph)

    (Press release)

    Next Early Fee Deadline Nov. 30 – Save $10 on Your Entry

    CLICK HERE
    For Details and to Register Online
    (Register by Nov. 30 and Save $10)

    See All 141 Photos from the 2013 Event on
    Birkie Facebook

    Everything’s a go for the American Birkebeiner’s second annual FAT BIKE BIRKIE, presented by Freewheel Bike on March 8, 2014. Register by the next early fee deadline on November 30 to save $10 on your entry. The Birkie’s first-ever fat bike event last March was a huge success with 300 registered riders–a fantastic group that the Birkie is looking forward to hosting again! The event is held on the groomed Birkie Trail system. Last year, the event was was capped at 300 riders to make sure we and the riders got off to a good start. Now the Birkie is opening it up to more who are ready to take to the Birkie Trail on their Fat Bikes.

    There are two distances to choose from–45K and 18K. This year will be for fat bikes only, not mountain bikes since only a few participated last year and fat bikes definitely perform better on the trail. Both distances start and finish on the grounds at Telemark, in Cable, WI, with the long race reaching the Birkie “OO” trailhead before looping back north to the finish.

    The Fat Bike Birkie is a once-a-year chance to ride a fat bike on the world-famous, snow-covered, and beautifully groomed American Birkebeiner Trail system. Bikes are otherwise NOT allowed when there is groomed snow on the trails. Last year riders reported that the course was firm and fast, and the trails held up well to the fat bikes.

    Says Ben Popp, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, “We are really excited about the growing interest in this event. The Fat Bike community is great, and we are looking forward to again giving them their own event on the Birkie Trail on some amazing terrain. See you at the starting line!”

    For more information about the Fat Bike Birkie and other American Birkebeiner events, like the Birkie Trail Run & Trek on September 21, 2013, visit www.Birkie.com, email birkie@birkie.com, or call the Birkie office at 715-634-5025.

  • Mt. Borah Epic Race Date: May 31, 2014

    Mt. Borah Epic Logo

    Mt. Borah Epic Race

    May 31, 2014 

    COON VALLEY, Wis. — The second annual Mt. Borah Epic will be held on May 31, 2014.  The 34-mile, point-to-point race, which raised over $7,500 for CAMBA (Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association) in its first year, will pay tribute to the trails once again and expand to its roster for additional riders and epic race options.

    For 2014, the total field limit will be raised to 500 riders, and will include a half race option, approximately 15 miles.  The Mt. Borah Epic will also host a post-race celebration zone at the finish line, including live-music, food and of course, post-ride refreshments.  A dinner banquet will also be held at the Rivers Eatery in Cable, WI, later that night.

    The event donates 100 percent of race profits to CAMBA; a group that has built over 100 miles of new single track trails, and maintains another 200 miles of trail in the surrounding area.

    Registration will open in early January and details will be released monthly about the event.  To learn more about the Mt. Borah Epic, and to stay tuned on important race updates, visit mtborahepic.com.

  • Mt. Borah Epic Makes First Donation to CAMBA

    Mt. Borah Owner Chris Jackson (center) hands over the $6,500 donation to CAMBA Executive Director Ron Bergin (far right) at the River's Eatery in Cable, WI. The event, run by Race Director Jack Zabrowski (pictured far left), raised enough funds to create about a mile of new single track for the expanding CAMBA trail system.
    Mt. Borah Owner Chris Jackson (center) hands over the $6,500 donation to CAMBA Executive Director Ron Bergin (far right) at the River’s Eatery in Cable, Wis. The event, run by Race Director Jack Zabrowski (pictured far left), raised enough funds to create about a mile of new single track for the expanding CAMBA trail system.

    (August 2, 2013) COON VALLEY, Wis. — The Mt. Borah Foundation is proud to announce a $6,500.00 donation to the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association. The funds were raised through the inaugural Mt. Borah Epic mountain bike race, held June 1, 2013. In its first year, the Mt. Borah Epic saw more than 200 racers compete on 30 miles of epic single track trails between Cable and Hayward, WI. The course profiled both old school single track and newly designed trails, making for a unique blend of single track racing.  One of the more exciting features was the “Gravity Cavity,” which had riders descending down a series of banked turns through a natural ravine.

    “We were absolutely thrilled with the excitement surrounding our first year of the event,” said Jack Zabrowski, Epic Race Director. “The community support we received was incredible, from volunteers, to racers, to all the local businesses, we simply could not have asked for more,” added Zabrowski.  CAMBA Executive Director Ron Bergin, who gratefully accepted the donation, said that he expects the Mt. Borah Epic to become one of the Midwest’s premier events. “To be able to host a race of this caliber, in cooperation with our Festival of the Trails event, and all of the race profits going to benefit our trails, well, what could be better than that?” said Bergin.

    The Mt. Borah Epic crew is already hard at work planning next year’s event. Anyone interested in staying up to date on all the exciting details for 2014 are encouraged to visit the event’s website at www.mtborahepic.com.

    About Mt. Borah

    In business since 1997, Mt. Borah has grown to become the premier manufacturer of high quality custom sublimated active apparel; including cycling, Nordic, alpine, triathlon, running and corporate. All of Mt. Borah’s custom products are precision made at the company’s headquarters in Coon Valley, Wisconsin, where the latest technological advancements in apparel production are utilized.

    About CAMBA

    The Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association, is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization whose mission is: To support mountain bike advocacy, education, sustainable trail development and tourism in the Chequamegon Area in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, local governments and agencies and private landowners. CAMBA is responsible for the development and management of a regional mountain bike trail system of over 300 miles in northern Sawyer and southern Bayfield Counties of Wisconsin. Trails are based in the towns of Cable, Delta, Drummond, Hayward, Namakagon and Seeley on National and county forests and some private land.

  • Demong Conquers Hurt in the Dirt Duathlon

    Demong Conquers Hurt in the Dirt Duathlon

    U.S. Ski Team nordic combined skier Billy Demong breaking the tape at the third annual Hurt in the Dirt trail run and bike race in Ogden, Utah, this Saturday. Photo: Only in Ogden.

    U.S. Nordic Combined Team veteran Billy Demong took a break from ski-specific training last Saturday to compete in the Hurt in the Dirt duathlon, a trail run and bike race in Ogden, Utah. Racing against individuals and relay teams alike, Demong won the event outright in 2:01:12, over a minute ahead of a two-man team from Sandy, Utah, and over four minutes ahead of individual runner-up Weston Woodward.

    “I’ve never done a race like this,” Demong said. “Some friends were doing it and I’ve been wanting to race, but haven’t found any other good running or bike races that appeal to me right now.”

    Demong is no stranger to offseason challenges. This time last August, the Olympic gold medalist had recently completed the Leadville Trail 100 mountain-bike race in Colorado.

    “I’m not really in shape for a 100-mile bike race right now, so this was the perfect thing to do to get some cross-training in,” Demong said.

    The run-bike-run-bike traversed a grand total of 8 miles on foot and 20 miles on the bike. By itself that may not seem like a lot, but a course designed to make participants hurt had some extra challenges thrown in. Competitors crossed through sand, mud, trees and the Weber River multiple times.

    “You had to swim across the river, you’re constantly snaking through trees, and on the bike you have to dismount to do a river crossing, too,” Demong said.

    He came through the finish with a sizeable lead, but a few relay teams managed to get close enough to challenge him earlier in the race. The competition he was really looking out for, multi-time USA Cyclocross champion Jonathan Page, took a wrong turn and broke his bike chain early on. Page ended up as the third individual in 2:09:50.

    “He still managed to finish a few minutes back, but it would have been an exciting finish, I think,” Demong said.

    Hurt in the Dirt results