Sea Otter Classic to Introduce a New Style of Exhibition Racing: “SRAM Dual Stunt”
Redesigned Thule Adventure Challenge Intensifies Competition
 |
|
Slip and slide…right into the drink if your bike handling skills aren’t up to snuff
|
MONTEREY, Calif. (March 3, 2008) Competitive cycling will have a new name at this year’s Sea Otter Classic. SRAM “Dual Stunt” adapts a Dual Slalom race format to a flat course featuring wood and dirt obstacles. How it works: two racers compete side-by-side on identical 400-foot long courses scattered with notorious North Shore-style elements like wooden bridges and dirt jumps. The timed event pits competitors against each other where the maximum time differential can only reach 1.5 seconds. The slower racer either makes up the time and advances or concedes defeat - same as in Dual Slalom. The semi-invitational event kicks off on Friday, April 18 with qualifying rounds.
“This is a sport that originated in mountain biking and is specific to mountain biking,” said Jeff Lenosky, who will build the Dual Stunt course along with fellow racer Kyle Ebbett and Ray Petro of Ray’s Indoor MTB Park. “It really doesn’t favor one discipline over another - you can have a podium filled with a trials rider, a dirt jumper, freeriders, or a world champion downhiller, it’s really across the board. If you’re a good bike handler, then you could really excel at this discipline.”
Still unclear about Dual Stunt? Have a look here at an event that Lenosky designed, which is similar to Dual Stunt.
To race Dual Stunt, racers could compete on pretty much any kind of bike, according to Lenosky, but he adds that the ideal bike would be a freeride hardtail. To try it out, the Dual Stunt course will be open in between racing for practice sessions. 64 is the maximum number of racers allowed for the debut event. Contact Jeff Frost, director of athlete and sponsor services, at frosty@seaotterclassic.com for invitation information.
Dual Stunt continues on Saturday with elimination rounds and ends on Sunday, April 20 with finals.
As the name implies, the Thule Adventure Challenge will dispatch participants on an adventure around the Fort Ord trail system to challenge themselves in three elements: mountain biking, trail running and a special test to be announced soon at seaotterclassic.com.
Individuals or teams of three will step to the Start at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 18 to compete in a light navigation race that will see most teams finish with times between two and three hours. Race director, Todd Jackson, predicts the winning team to arrive sometime around 10 a.m.
“This year’s event will be very light navigation,” Jackson said. “Most events at Sea Otter have a marked course; some of this course won’t be marked, you’ll have to figure out where you’re going and you’ll have to pay attention to the written word a bit.”
The Adventure Challenge is suited to anybody interested in multisport - from beginner to novice up to advanced - who just wants to have some fun. The three-person team category provides an ideal opportunity to race with friends or, soloists can challenge their friends to a score-settling, head-to-head race for bragging rights. Back again for 2008, the “Warrior Cup” is a specially designed trophy awarded to the top military team. Gear requirements are minimal: a bike, helmet and running shoes should do the trick - a sense of humor and good spirits are optional.
What you need to know about the Thule Adventure Challenge:
Mountain Bike: Approximately 5-7 miles on the Fort Ord Public Lands BLM trail system. A mix of singletrack and fire road.
Trail Run/Foot Travel: Approximately 3 miles in and around the Fort Ord Public Lands BLM trail system.
Special Challenge: Elements will be announced here after March 3. These elements will require NO additional gear on your part and NO special training.
To register for the Thule Adventure Challenge, go here
About Sea Otter Classic, Inc.
The 18th Annual Sea Otter Classic will be held April 17-20, 2008 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA. The four-day “Celebration of Sport” is considered the world’s largest cycling festival, hosting nearly 10,000 professional and amateur athletes and 50,000 fans. The Sea Otter Classic benefits the Davis Phinney Foundation, which supports Parkinson’s disease research and wellness, and IMBA California, which organizes advocacy and trailbuilding efforts statewide and strengthens California mountain bike clubs. More information can be found at www.seaotterclassic.com or by calling 800-218-8411.
source: Sea Otter Classic News Service
