Eastern States Cup hosting national gravity series rounds
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Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing(Image credit: Tour of Japan)
Tracy Moseley races toa win in Plattekille at the US Pro GRT round two.(Image credit: 23 Degrees Sports)
Bryn Atkinson downhills at the Plattekille round of the US Pro GRT.(Image credit: Dylan Dean)
The first two rounds of the Eastern States Cup (ESC) will double up as the next two rounds of the US Pro GRT. The Mountain Creek Spring Classic will happen this weekend, May 17-20, and the Plattekill Gravity Open will occur over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, May 24-27.
The two bike parks have doubled the US Pro GRT Pro Purse to $5,000 to be awarded at each race. In addition to cash, top pros and juniors may use the events to qualify to represent the US at the downhill world championships in Leogang, Austria.
Amateurs will get a chance to race on the same courses as many national and international World Cup regulars including the 2011 World Cup Champion Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing). Gwin will be the Master of Ceremonies at the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday at 9:00 am at the new Mountain Creek Bike Park. Mountain Creek is celebrating with a Saturday pre-race rock concert featuring the "Misfits" and two other bands.
"I am excited that the Eastern States Cup is able to bring the US Pro GRT downhill series to two of the premier bike parks in the United States," said George Ulmer of the ESC. "The ESC is committed to bringing the best mountain bike racers and racing to the East Coast."
"We are working on adding cross country and enduro series races in 2013. With those additions, the future of the POC Eastern States Cup is exciting."
Both US Pro GRT events will offer double Eastern States Cup points to participants.
Trail crews have been working on both tracks for weeks.Plattekill renewed one of its classic courses on the steep north face side of the bike park. It has new berms, chutes and its famous steep, loose shale. Mountain Creek is combining the new and the old, and its course offers a few newly cut woods sections, and a steep wide-open ski trail section with large areas of granite slab rock. It will be one of the longest and fastest courses at Mountain Creek ever.
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For more information on the next two US Pro GRT events or the Eastern States Cup, visit easternstatescup.com.
