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Reno River Festival: New this year is the "Street Rapids" mountain bike speed trials |
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Written by Submitted to the World
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Monday, 05 May 2008 |
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As the Reno River Festival enters its fifth year in 2008, it also crosses into another arena of outdoor competition and action sports – mountain bike speed trials – May 9–11 in downtown Reno, Nev.
Just as the freestyle kayaking and slalom competitions transform Reno’s Truckee River Whitewater Park into a battlefield where the “King of the Current” is crowned, “Street Rapids” transforms the streets of downtown Reno into a 750-foot-long course featuring some of the most daunting and intimidating obstacles the Sierra suburb has ever seen. “Street Rapids” includes open, Pee Wee, amateur and professional invitational competitions, culminating in the first-ever Reno River Festival “Street Rapids” champion, May 11.
Bike speed trials are a form of mountain biking originally derived from motorcycle trials. Speed trials focus on bike handling skills such as balance, controlled braking, track standing and maneuvering over obstacles both natural and manmade. The “Street Rapids” course is manmade, and runs north from First to Second Streets on Arlington Avenue in downtown Reno, allowing spectators an up-close-and-personal look at the riders as they attempt to cover the course in record time. The event is coordinated by veteran cyclists Doug E. Moore and Hacksaw Jim Severt.
“We’re so excited that the River Festival has finally decided to expand its lineup this year to include the speed trials,” said Severt, event coordinator. “All the locals are super excited about it and we hope to turn it in to something that’s just as big and bad as the River Festival itself. And with Jeff Lenosky, Aaron Chase and Kyle Straight taking their chances in our first trials, we think we’re set to have a pretty good weekend in Reno.”
Registration for “Street Rapids” at the 5th annual Reno River Festival is $40 for professionals and $25 for amateurs. For more information or to register, visit www.RenoRiverFestival.com or call 775-788-2131.
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