Breckenridge, Colo.– The first-ever mountain bike stage race in Colorado returns this weekend on its 25th anniversary to Breckenridge, Colorado as MSC # 8 The Fall Classic. We are adding a hill climb Time Trial to the classic Circuit Race and backcountry Cross Country course, for a true weekend of off-road stage racing.

This is the perfect weekend to wrap up your mountain bike race season with one of the best Cross Country courses of the seasons, a free post-event meal on Sunday at the Riverwalk Center after the Cross Country race, and no on-site fees. You can race for the whole GC, or just a stage! Just come on up and race!

The Circuit Race will take place at the Breckenridge Nordic Center on Peak 8 on Saturday, with the hill climb Time Trial following a few hours later starting from Carter Park. The Circuit Race remains primarily the same as in years’ past, but has some creative rerouting to avoid most of the woodchip sections. The hill climb Time Trials features one of the best trails right out of town. It’s a fun climb that winds up the mountain on mostly singletrack. The Cross Country will start at 10 a.m. on Sunday for all categories from French Gulch Road. All details, directions, parking information and start times can be found here.

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Golden, Colo.– It’s a packed Labor Day weekend for racers at SolVista Bike Park in Granby Ranch, Colorado. With the MSC Series Gravity Finale, the kick-off to the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference’s season, and two endurance events, the bike park will be the happening place to be for Labor Day weekend.

Sol Survivor is the seventh venue on the Mountain States Cup circuit. It returns to SolVista Bike Park at Granby Ranch, Colorado for it’s second year running to give all regional racers a taste of what the 2009 USA Cycling National Championships had to offer earlier this season.

The SolVista Bike Park Team has been working hard to sculpt and prepare the race courses and fine tune them for this race.

“We’ve got a great Super D course, a cougar of a DH course, and the Patriot for XC’ers who could ask for more,” said Keith Darner, race director of Bigfoot Productions.

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MOUNTAIN STATES CUP NO. 6 COPPER CUP BRINGS BRAND NEW XC, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP STXC and SD COURSES

Golden, Colo.— The second round of the Colorado State Championship will take place during MSC #6 Copper Cup, at Copper Mountain, August 28-30, 2009.

This is the first time the Mountain States Cup has returned to Copper Mountain since 2002, and the first time State Championships are being hosted at the high alpine ski area.

Copper Mountain is right in the middle of great cycling routes, mountain bike trails, hiking, Copper Creek Golf Course, Woodward at Copper and other family activities. All racers are eligible for special lodging discounts, so you can wake up just steps away from the Copper Cup starting line.

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Golden, Colo.- Riders looking to claim State Championship titles in XC, 4X, DH and SD, rack up UCI point, and compete against World Cup talent, will be coming to Snowmass Village, CO for MSC #5 Blast the Mass, August 7-9, 2009.

“The 2010 Blast the Mass is going to be a hot one with the new and improved courses and the early August temperatures in the high 70’s to mid 80’s!” said Keith Darner, race director.

Blast the Mass is a Class 2 level UCI event for downhill and four cross, with some of the best talent in the world going head-to-head in what may be MSC’s biggest race of the season. The 2009 Downhill National Champion, Aaron Gwin (Yeti / Fox Racing Shox) will be vying for the Colorado State Championship title in downhill along with Sam Blenkinsop (Yeti / Fox Racing Shox) who won the last World Cup downhill race of the season in 2008. Jared Graves (Yeti / Fox Racing Shox), who is the current UCI World Cup Champion will be racing in four cross and downhill.

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NEW BIG MOUNTAIN WEEKEND IN SNOWMASS August 1-2
Village Express 6-pack Lift Open for Mountain Bikers & Hikers

Snowmass Village, CO (July 15, 2009) – The Village Express 6-pack lift in Snowmass will be open on August 1-2 taking downhill and cross country mountain bikers, and hikers up 2,200 vertical feet to the top of Sam’s Knob.

The Blast the Mass Village Express Professional Downhill course will be open, allowing mountain bikers to hit all of the features– including the drop before chunnel, the reworked Vermont Section and the new huge drop in Hell’s Kitchen. This is the real deal ladies and gentlemen….access to a UCI C2 sanctioned downhill course before the Blast the Mass race weekend.

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Golden, Colo.– The fourth stop on the Mountain States Cup landed in Crested Butte June 19-21, where the wildflowers were rampant around the freshly cut singletrack and courses, and racers braved the elements in their last quest to qualify for USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships.

The cross country race on Saturday started with pristine conditions for the 7.5 mile loop. This course was new to even the locals of the mountain, and gave racers a taste of what pure Colorado singletrack really is like. By the time the pro race kicked off at 2:30 p.m., the conditions drastically changed, making it a challenging effort for the most prepared athletes on the hill. Andy Schultz (Durango, CO- Kenda/Tomac/Hayes), Macky Franklin (Taos, NM- Transparent Racing) and Jay Henry (Avon, CO- Tokyo Joes) battled it out to claim, first, second and third within 11 seconds of each other, despite the slick singletrack that otherwise would have been a fast, non-technical course.

The pro women faced the same conditions for three laps. Judy Freeman (Boulder, CO- Tough Girl / Scott) put a substantial lead on the pack finishing in 2:30:44. Jennifer Gerbasch (Avon, CO- Dale’s Pale Ale / Spot Brand) and Kelli Boniface (Steamboat Springs- Moots Cycles) came in third and fourth with a 2:41:46 and 2:44:59.

This was the first year a moutain cross course was built on Mt. Crested Butte. It was well received by all the gravity racers and brought a larger crowd than in years’ past. Pair that with a brand new downhill course, and the notoriously XC-centric venue became one of the gravity favorites overnight. Petr Hanak (Winter Park, CO) won the pro men’s mountain cross race againgst Joseph Backus (Mesa, AZ- Factory Staats) in the big final. Thomas Tokarczyk (Durango, CO- Jamis Bikes) and Michael Buell (Aspen, CO- Team Geronimo) took third and fourth.

Course conditions for the downhill changed throughout Saturday and Sunday, but despite the slick, muddy trails, racers still put down fast times for the downhill on Sunday. Chris Boice (Albuquerque, NM- Yeti / Fox National) won the men’s downhill with a 3:41:36. Brian Buell (Boulder, CO- Team Geronimo) and Joey Schusler (Boulder, CO- Yeti / Fox National) took second and third.

The MSC Photo Contest continues, and new posts are arriving every day at the MSC Photo Gallery at pinkbike.com. We are waiting for the final submissions to trickle in before we choose the final winner, but tune in to the homepage at racemsc.com to see the winner soon. Photos from USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships can be submitted into the MSC Photo Contest for the overall.

USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships will commence in exactly three weeks, where the best talent in the country will converge to battle it out for the official stars and stripes. The courses are now set and marked for cross country. Visit www.solvistanationals.com.

The Mountain States Cup will take a hiatus for the month of July, but will return for the fifth stop on its circuit, August 7-9 in Snowmass Village, CO for XC, SD, MX and DH. For any inquiries please contact us at info@racemsc.com or 720-407-6142.

source: racemsc

	MSC #4 Wildflower Rush Crested Butte, CO June 19-21, 2009 Golden, Colo.– The wildflowers are going off in Crested Butte, and that means it’s time to race in the fourth stop on the MSC circuit- the 9th Annual Wildflower Rush. We’ve got new courses for DH, XC and a brand new entire 4X course! The new DH is nothing but fast and fun with a little pedaling mixed in to keep the DH’ers honest! The new section of the XC are in line with the great singletrack that the Butte is legend for. The 4X is a sweet mix of jumps, berms and a finish rhythm section will test the skill of all riders. The Wildflower Rush Cross Country presented by Shimano will kick off at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 for the CAT 3 / JR race (1 lap). CAT 2 (2 laps) will race at 10 a.m., CAT 1 (3 laps) at 12:15 p.m. and Pro (3 laps) at 2:30 p.m. The 4X practice, qualifying and practice will take place throughout the day on Saturday. Check out the schedule at racemsc.com! A free Shimano Kids Race will be presented for those 10 and under at the Cross Country start/finish area. Kids must be accompanied by a parent and can register at the race site. All participants must wear helmets. Sunday will kick off with the Super D race at 8 a.m. The Super D course will use a variety of challenging terrain with a Lemans style start and finish through the cross country start/finish. Riders will use the Silver Queen Lift to get to the top of the course. Downhill chairlift access will begin 15 minutes before the scheduled beginning of practice and end 15 minutes before the scheduled end of practice. Daily lift tickets and number plates on the bike are required to practice. If you haven’t booked a room yet, it’s not too late! Rooms start from $59 per person / per night. Save 15% when you book lodging through Crested Butte Vacation for Crested Butte’s biggest mountain bike race of the year. Call 800-810-7669! Paid camping is also available onsite at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Overnight camping is only available in the lot north of the Grand Lodge Parking lot. Camping is only allowed Thursday June 18 through Saturday night June 21.  Camping is on a first come, first serve basis. Permits are good Thursday through Saturday night and cost $20 per vehicle. If you plan on entering in the MSC Photo Contest, make sure to bring your camera for this event. The scenery is perhaps more epic that the racing. Make sure you get a photo of at least a rider or two. For more info on the MSC Photo Contest, please visit the press section of racemsc.com! If you have any questions about the race, come find us at registration! Bigfoot Production was established in 2006 in conjunction with Yeti Cycles to expand and improve the Mountain States Cup Series and promote bike industry involvement in racing. For further inquiries please contact sarah@racemsc.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or keith@racemsc.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Bigfoot Production info@bigfootproduction.com www.yeticycles.com www.racemsc.com www.g3gravityseries.com

source: RaceMSC

The pro and expert women raced together. Jennifer Smith (Gunnison, Colo.- Trek VW) matched her teammate’s finish with a 48:45.07 win, followed by Kelley Mattingly (New Castle, Colo.- Rocky Mountain Racing) and Jennifer Gersbach (Avon, Colo.- Dales Pale Ale Sport).

The racing was fast and furious with some riders coming in bruised, scuffed and torn up. A great weekend to end on. The pro men averaged just over 14 mph on the demanding course. Franklin McConnell (Taos, N.M.- Team Devo) came across the finish line in first with a 2:03:19.4 with Smith and Kelly Meglky (Golden, Colo.- Trek VW) sprinting for second and third respectively a minute later.

Be sure to check out vastaction.com for all your race photos. VAST captured each race and it’s super easy to search for your images by your first name, last name, team name, division and even sponsors. Choose from a single digital file, to a full VAST PASS for each venue, or have VAST design and print custom prints and posters.

Bigfoot Production info@bigfootproduction.com www.yeticycles.com www.racemsc.com www.g3gravityseries.com

source: Sarah Rawley

Golden, Colo. – The Mountain States Cup is wrapping it up for the season with the upcoming Endurance Series Finale September 6-7 in Breckenridge, Colo. and the Gravity Series Finale that was held August 29-September 1 at SolVista Bike Park.
The Fall Classic has been around before mountain racing was even a sport, 1984 to be exact. The courses have had legends ridden all over them, and as the first year back as a part of the MSC, the Fall Classic 2009 presents a Circuit Race on Saturday at the Breckenridge Nordic Center and an epic 28-mile XC race on Sunday that highlights the best of Breckenridge’s backcountry.
The competition will be fierce and the spectator-friendly courses will showcase the top riders going head-to-head to claim the last final points for the Overall Series Title.
Registration will take place on Saturday from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. on site at the Breckenridge Nordic Center and on Sunday from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at Cater Park, 500 S. High Street.
Last weekend, the Gravity Series Finale crowned Chris Boice (Albuquerque, NM- Yeti/Fox Shox), Kain Leonard (Gunnison, Colo.-Crested Butte Academy) and Cody Wilderman (Durango, Colo.- Team Totally Wired) the Gravity Series Champions after the Sol Squared G3. Rachel Bauer (Aspen, Colo- Team Dead Bros), Nevin Steinmetz (Boulder, Colo.- Team Totally Wired) and Darian Harvey (Durango, Colo.- Sobe Cannondale) took the overall series titles for the women.
From the smooth, flowing berms of Silky Johnson to heinous rock gardens and thunder jump of Buc Nasty- Sol Squared summed up the gravity series with three sequential DH races that highlighted several styles of DH riding.
The Yeti Cycles/Fox Shox team dominated the podium all weekend long. Aaron Gwinn (Morongo Valley, Calif.) rounded out the weekend with a commanding lead in all three events with a total time of 9:20.91, nearly 17 second ahead of second place, held by Boice. Joey Schussler (Boulder, Colo.) came in third with a 9:48.88.
On the women’s side, Bauer took the lead with a 11:26.64, followed close behind by Jacqueline Harmony (Tucson, Ariz.- Zumbi/Loeka/All Mountain) with a 11:38.18.
Bigfoot Production would like to thank its operations/registration crew, Granby Ranch and all sponsors and vendors who made this event possible.
Bigfoot Productions was established in 2006 in conjunction with Yeti Cycles to expand and improve the Mountain States Cup Series and promote bike industry involvement in racing. For further inquiries please contact sarah@racemsc.com or keith@racemsc.com.

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All photographs courtesy of Vast Action Photography and Shawn Spomer.

Bigfoot Production info@bigfootproduction.comwww.yeticycles.com www.racemsc.com www.g3gravityseries.com

source: Sarah Rawley

Breckenridge, Colo.– The Colorado State Championships is coming to Granby Ranch, SolVista Ski Basin and SolVista Bike Park August 1-3. 2008 brings a whole new venue with purpose-built courses for DH, SD, DS and XC, and a sneak peek at some of terrain that will be a part of the 2009 National Mountain Bike Championships. This is the weekend where champions will be crowned in all events including The Momentum Trail Concepts Moustache Cup, The Dale’s Pale Ale Beer Crit, and the unofficial Pump Track World Championships.
Registration deadlines will be strongly abided to so we can ensure races start on time. Please make sure you show up to registration with more than an hour before your start time. DH and SD practice will be open Thursday and Friday and on-site registration and packet pickup begins Friday at 9 a.m.

What to expect for courses?

The DH course will have two tracks, one for Sport and Beginner and another for Expert and Pro, so there will be double the practice and new sections to highlight the best sections of the new downhill trails the folks at SolVista have diligently built and improved over the past few years. The crew is proud to also present the best Dual Slalom track in North America, and this year the show will be extended into the night with lights crowning the winner.
The XC course will consist of 5-7 miles and approximately 1000 feet of elevation gain per lap. With a end-of-lap parade ‘mini-loop’ and riders coming through about every half and our, this will be the best XC spectator race of the season. The Super D course will be a mix of singletrack and double track scattered through the course, which winds its way down to the bottom of the DH course for the last whoops, berms and table top to the finish line.

The Moustache Cup?

The Moustache Cup will be the prime event of the week as participants have been training for weeks. Classes include senior men (17+); junior men (16 and under) and women. Points will be awarded for fullness, style, creativity and creepyness and awards will take place with the Dual Slalom awards on Saturday at 8 p.m. A live band, Beer Crit and super-raffle will keep it rolling into the night. The Pump Track World Championships will commence Saturday afternoon prior to Dual Slalom State Championships.

Lodging Available

There will be camping available adjacent to the base area. It will cost $10/car for the entire weekend and include potable water, a wash station, portable toilets and trash facilities, however no RV hookups. RV Campgrounds are available nearby in Granby. SolVista has plenty of accommodations on site and great deals available all weekend. Call 80-926-4386 for Resort Management Group and 888-878-3077 for The Inn at Silver Creek.

State Championships and Series Championships Gear Program

We’ve got a whole new MSC Series and Colorado State Champions gear program up and running. The good folks at Primalwear have designed a complete line for all you knuckleheads. If you win a series or state title at either Sol Vista (DH, XC, SD, DS & SS) or Eldora (STXC) you get to order a jersey of your choice at no cost and are also eligible to order additional championship gear (thermal jackets, arm warmers, leg warmers, feather boas, skinsuits, wonder bras, etc) from Primal.
Each winner will receive an order packet detailing the program. There are more details posted on the homepage at www.racemsc.com. Several other series sponsors will be participating in the Mountain States Cup Champions Gear Program and will be slipping their proforms into your order packets at the conclusion of the season. We’ll even make some proforms available to folks who make the podium.

Mountain States Cup Photo Contest
Presented by Devon Balet Photo and Mountain Flyer

Image capture is a huge part of cycling’s culture. From the lines of suffering and 1000-yard stare etched on a cross-country rider’s face to the roost of dirt kicked out the back as a DH’er exits a turn, people with cameras always seem to be there to record the essence of our movement, grace, vitality and yes, suffering of our sport. Digital cameras have made a journeyman of the rank and file. Some of the stuff we’ve seen from your lenses has ignited our passion, both for the bike and for the camera. Now we’re asking you to let us see the MSC through your eyes.

Categories:
- Action: DH, DS/MX, SD and XC
- Lifestyle: capturing the lifestyle/vibe of mountain bike racing
- Photoshopped/Photochopped: get your digital freak on

Rules:
- Minimal to no post production. We want to see what your camera captured. For those who love their Photoshop there is a category for you
- Contestants don’t get photo credentials. Please stay off the courses and be conscious of racers, especially when using flashes.
- Work with other photographers, media personal, event staff and spectators. We’re all here to have fun.
- Contestants must submit their images no later than 12am midnight Monday, September 8th

Judging:
Winners will be judged on the following criteria: exposure, focus, cropping and capturing the moment. Mountain Flyer’s staff and Devon Balet will judge the submissions and select the winners.

Fee:
$25 gets you six images, ONE for each category. Fee is set, no matter if you enter one or all six categories.

Prizes:
We’ve got a JBL Ipod dock plus a generous grab bag of goodies from MSC sponsors like Yeti, Crank Brothers, Santa Cruz and more. Winners will also receive a lifetime subscription to the Rocky Mountains finest MTB publication, “Mountain Flyer”. Winners from each category will be featured in the December issue of Mountain Flyer.

Image Submission:
File transmission details to follow. Submission guidelines are as follows:
- We will accept digital images only. If you shoot slide or print film, you will need to provide a low-resolution scan for judging and a high resolution scan of the image for print if your image is selected.
- Original Photos must be shot at high resolution. 5 mega pixel minimum at high quality jpeg or RAW setting.
- First round image submissions must be submitted as follows: Jpeg 300dpi, reduced to no more than 600 pixels in the longest dimension OR max file size of 3MB, whichever is smaller.
- Winners will need to submit full resolution images for publication.
- Please do not “save for web” as it will create loss of image quality.
- Your submissions are judged as submitted

Terms and Conditions:
- Photo files should be titled in a way that briefly describes the content of the image.
- You must properly credit the actual photographer.
- Contestants agree to submit only photos they themselves have taken.
- Submission of plagiarized material will result in a contestant being banned from further contests. And the MSC. And Valhalla. And Candyland.
- Decisions of the judges are final. You big dummy.
- By submitting a photo, contestants agree to grant one-time rights to Mountain Flyer Magazine, Secret Agent Publishing LLC, Mountain States Cup, and Big Foot Productions for the publishing of the image in Mountain Flyer Magazine and/or display of photos in web galleries on racemsc.com and/or mountainflyer.com. Web galleries may remain posted for as long as contest organizers deems appropriate.
- All other ownership rights remain the property of the photographer.

source: Sarah Rawley