Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The trails of the Steamboat Ski Area will test the top local mountain bike racers once again this week as the Town Challenge mountain biking series holds its sixth race of the season.

The eight-race series is starting to wind down. After this week's race the only other events will be the Mount Werner Criterium on Aug. 30 and the Buffalo Pass Hill Climb on Sept. 8.

Wednesday's race will be a multi-lap circuit using the trails at the base of the ski area. The start will be at the bottom of the Thunderhead chairlift. The course will then follow the service road to the Yoo Hoo trail. The riders will continue along Yoo Hoo to Short Cut and from Short Cut to the single track that goes to the Bashor chairlift. After that the riders will head back down the Zig Zag trail to the bottom of the mountain. From there it's back up the Zig Zag trail to the bottom of Thunderhead lift and the start-finish line.

Competitors will complete from two to four laps depending on ability class.The only exception will be the juniors between the ages of 10 and 12. That group will race a shorter loop and do only one lap.

The juniors 9 years old and younger will race a flat course that is only one 10th of a mile. Those racers will do three laps around the course.

Race organizer Gretchen Sehler said this is the easiest race for the 9-and-under class, so it's a good opportunity for young riders who have been wanting to try a race, but may have been intimidated. The juniors will start at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by the adult classes, which start at 6 p.m.

Racers can preregister at the Parks and Recreation office for $10 until noon Wednesday or $15 at the race start at the Thunderhead chair from 5-5:45 p.m.

Sehler said the Thunderhead Circuit is a great spectator race because it has several laps and racers will ride past several times.

To reach John F. Russell call 871-4209 or e-mail him at jrussell@amigo.net