Wednesday was the season opener for the NW MTB Series, aka the “Wednesday Night World Championships.” As a sign of increasing interest, the event set a new opening day attendance record.
The series is held on the trails at North SeaTac Park, and the course changes from week to week. Some of the courses, like last year’s finale, include formidable terrain.
Event organizer Russell Stevenson has been supported by a crew of volunteers who have progressively cleaned up the trails to make them suitable for cross-country style mountain bike races. Not unlike what David Douglas has done with the Seward Park Series, SeaTac Parks and Rec have been big supporters of the event and the ongoing clean-up efforts to make the park a viable place for community uses.
Participants range from new riders on fat-tired bikes to expert mountain bikers. The scene is similar to a cyclocross event in that the course consists of a single lap that twists and turns through the park, then passes through the start/finish area. The event is divided into three self-seeded categories: “A” = “Expert”; “B” = “Sport”; “C” = “Beginner
Similar to area cyclocross events, the vibe is entirely about fun.
Like most cyclocross events you may be familiar within the area, the NW MTB Series is family-friendly.
The B and C races start together at 6PM and last approx 45 minutes. The A race starts at 7PM and lasts approx 60 minutes.
Competitors vie for a flashy pink leader’s jersey. After week one the leaders are:
A Men: Loren Hanson
A Women: Tricia Renée Fleischer
B Men: Michael Swale (although Robert Trombley won and gave up his jersey like a boss)
B Women: Cynthia Maree
C Men: David Steiner
C Women: Theresa Harding
Junior Boy: Jack Spranger
Junior Girl: Callah Robinson
The competition ranges from very serious to seriously fun.
The series runs through August 18.
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