Pros flock to Whiskey Off-Road

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The 2012 Whiskey Off-Road, scheduled for April 27 - 29, is shaping up to be an old west kind of showdown. With Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek), Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox) and Conrad Stoltz (Specialized) in the men's category, and Heather Irmiger (Subaru-Trek), Georgia Gould (Luna Chix) and Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna Chix) in the women's category, both fields will be packing serious heat.

Total registration is near its capacity of 1750, with 110 of those being pros, thus setting the weekend up for a showdown kin to that of Whiskey Row's heyday as the quintessential old west town inhabited by unruly gunslingers rivaled only by more unruly gamblers, and the law. $30,000 in cash is up for grabs.

The women's field will nearly double year-on-year with 32 registered riders. In addition to those already mentioned, returning champions Gretchen Reeves (Tokyo Joes) and Monique "Pua" Mata (Sho-Air) are confirmed to toe the line, plus Teal Stetson-Lee (Luna Chix), Kelli Emmett (Giant Bicycles) and Kelly Boniface (Moots Cycles, Honey Stinger) will also be in attendance and gunning for the top rung of the podium.

Of the 78 men registered to race, more key talent includes returning champions Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) and Andy Schultz (Kenda-Felt-Hayes), plus former top finishers Carl Decker (Giant Bicycles), Colin Cares (Kenda-Felt-Hammer Nutrition) and Jay Henry (Tokyo Joes).

"After last year's female pro race played out in the final two miles of the course between a World Cup and an endurance specialist, the nail biter between Catharine Pendrel and Pua Mata proved that at 50 miles of racing, the marathon format can be anyone's game. Plus, with a variety of multi-disciplinary specialists entering the fold, including Shonny, Conrad and others, there is significant potential for a battle royale," said Todd Sadow, President of Epic Rides.

Pro racing will begin Friday evening, April 27 with a downtown fat tire Criterium. The 5:15 pm start time allows for an instant crowd as Prescott's workforce departs its places of employment and arrives at the other end of the sidewalk.

Starting on Whiskey Row at 8:30 am Sunday morning April 29, stage 2 of the pro category is the exclamation point on event weekend. The pro start will be the center of attention to the amateur racing audience as it seeks nourishment after a potentially raucous Saturday evening of libations and celebration in downtown Prescott.

Beer gardens located on the crit course and in the final/first turn of the cross country course should provide the perfect vantage point for fans to line the course and cheer.

Start lists as of April 17, 2012