Venues for marathon, gravity and collegiate nationals also announced
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It was quite hot at the starting line at Bear Creek Resort(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
The course in Bend, Oregon before it is churned up by the racers.(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
USA Cycling revealed the locations for its cross country, marathon, gravity and collegiate mountain bike nationals in 2015-2016 on Thursday. Exact dates for each are still to be announced. Oregon, Georgia, California and West Virginia will host the various USAC championships races.
After two years on the east coast in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, The US Cross Country and Enduro National Championships will be held in the western part of the country - on Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon.
New for 2015, the super D competition will be replaced by an enduro national championship. USA Cycling cited feedback from its competitors and mountain bike advisory committee as the reason for the change.
Bend has previously hosted both the marathon mountain bike and cyclo-cross nationals in recent years.
"Bend's long-term partnership with USA Cycling has been extremely positive for our community," said Chief Executive Officer of Visit Bend Doug LaPlaca. "Every USA Cycling event hosted in Bend introduces our city to new visitors who fall in love with the Bend lifestyle. We are honored to continue our work with the USA Cycling family."
Marathon
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The 2015 and 2016 marathon national championships are slated for Columbia County, Georgia., just outside Augusta. The 2015 competition will mark the first time this stand-alone event will be held east of the Mississippi River. The trails in Wildwood Park in Appling, Georgia., will serve as the setting of one of the more grueling mountain bike national championships.
"The Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau is honored to have been selected to host the 2015 and 2016 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships," said Randy DuTeau, the executive director of the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"Having hosted the IMBA World Summit in 2010, and being designated a bronze level IMBA Ride Center in 2012, our region has become a true destination for mountain biking. We are certain the national championship participants will appreciate our trails and warm southern hospitality when they visit Columbia County for the nationals."
Gravity
The 2015 and 2016 gravity national championships will utilize the course used for the 1996 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships at Mammoth Mountain in California. With its long and storied history of gravity mountain bike racing, Mammoth Mountain has proven to be a popular stop on the USA Cycling Professional Gravity Tour (Pro GRT).
"Mammoth's long history with the sport dates to the 1980s, when the Kamikaze Downhill ignited mountain bike racing," said Bill Cockroft, senior vice president, Mammoth Mountain and member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. "Since then, our bike park has continued to evolve and is once again leading the sport's progression. We have the history, experience, terrain and passion to put on great national championship events in 2015 and '16."
Collegiate
Finally, USA Cycling announced the venue for the 2015 and 2016 collegiate mountain bike nationals. They will happen at Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.
The trails at Snowshoe have served as the backdrop for top-tier mountain bike racing for nearly 25 years and will provide a mix of terrain to suit collegiate competitors nationwide.
"Snowshoe Mountain is excited to host the country's top collegiate riders here on our challenging terrain in October," Dave Dekema, the director of marketing for Snowshoe Mountain, said. "Having witnessed the championship event several times before, I know firsthand it brings out the greatest displays of college team pride, character and competitiveness amongst a very talented group of student-athletes. There's no question Snowshoe will be ready to match that with a best-in-class race venue across all disciplines."
