Get ready for the Northwest Cup!

This Friday will see downhill mountain bike racers from all over the Pacific Northwest and Canada flock to Silver Mountain Bike Park for round five of the Northwest Cup Race Series.

The Northwest Cup is the premier downhill mountain bike race series in the Northwest with riders competing against each other for the fastest downhill time on a very rough track.

This year Silver Mountain expects to see between 250-300 racers all vying for the podium.

This round of the Northwest Cup will begin Friday, June 17, as racers practice their runs and look for the best lines.

After two days of practice, the timed competition will begin on Sunday with an awards ceremony in the village that afternoon.

“Trail crews have been busy at work preparing for the race, and Silver Mountain’s quality trails ensure that racers will have a blast running down some of our toughest trails,” Silver Mountain marketing coordinator Willy Bartlett said. “Racers will challenge themselves to squeak every second out of a course riddled with roots, rocks, drops, and off camber sections as they look for the fastest line through an unrelentingly rough track.”

Silver Mountain Resort is unique in that access to the top of the mountain comes from a 3.2-mile gondola ride enabling spectators and racers to park at the bottom of the mountain within minutes from I-90.

Easy access will allow spectators to watch as racers fly down the course while navigating challenges such as rocks, drops and tree roots.

The Mountain House Grill will be open at the top of the mountain, so spectators can grab a bite to eat before heading back down the gondola to the village to cool off at the Silver Rapids Waterpark.

For more information visit SilverMT.com.