Women’s Only MTB Event Set for Colorado

By Singletrack.com

Another chapter will be added to Colorado’s cycling history this summer with the first-ever women’s only mountain bike event at Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park.

Team Yeti Beti will host the Beti Bike Bash on June 12. The event will offer women several races for all ages and abilities.

Along with the Yeti Beti team, the Beti Bike Bash is presented by sponsors Yeti Cycles and Bigfoot Productions of Golden, Colorado. Yeti Cycles was the first to commit their support and help launch the idea.

“Chris Conroy, the president of Yeti, pretty much told us to make it happen,” said Amy Thomas of Team Yeti Beti. “We’ve wanted to do this since we started the team in 2007 but didn’t have the resources to do it until now. The Beti Bike Bash is something that the team supports 100 percent as a way of giving back to our sport.”

The course at Bear Creek Lake Park — 15 miles west of Denver — is a five-mile, non-technical singletrack loop with views of surrounding Red Rocks Park. Beginners (CAT 3) will ride two laps, with the sport (CAT 2) riders racing three laps, and the Open/Pro race featuring four fast laps. There will also be a three-woman relay fun race for those who want to experience a mountain bike race with their friends.

Citing other successful women’s only events in triathlon and running, it seemed logical to the team to host such an event, according to Sarah Rawley, Bigfoot Productions public relations.

“Mountain bike races are intimidating for beginner women for several reasons,” said Rawley. “Steep climbs, rocky descents, high altitude, and often you are gone all day from your family. We wanted to break down those barriers and offer something that any woman who rides would enjoy. With Bear Creek’s close proximity to Denver and great trail system, it was a perfect venue for an event like this.”

For more information, visit www.betibikebash.com. Online registration will be available in February at www.active.com.