BLAST FROM THE PAST: Area racers take to Silver Mountain
Photo by TY HAMPTON Cody Dumont drops into the Sunday Race Series race course on Silver Mountain where he took fourth out of eight racers in the men’s sport division. Sunday’s race was the second in the series of six, with racers competing to collect in-house points in the running for cash and prizes at the series’ finale.
EDITOR’S NOTE: BLAST FROM THE PAST is a weekly article where we turn back the clock and see what was on the front page of our local newspapers years ago.
This unchanged article ran on the front page of the June 12, 2007, edition of the Shoshone News-Press. If you remember this story, or other BLAST FROM THE PAST articles, let us know by writing us or commenting online.
By TY HAMPTON
Staff writer
KELLOGG — A field of 22 mountain bike racers competed in six divisions Sunday in the second installment of the Sunday Race Series on Silver Mountain.
The races are held rain or shine, and course conditions on the mountain improved vastly from the premier weekend’s conditions.
“It was pouring rain, I couldn’t see any of the riders and the whole course was mud, but today is pretty nice besides the wind,” Mountain Bike Operations Manager Otis Elmquist said.
Elmquist runs the races in the summer and rides semi-pro in his off time. He said mountain bike races are only a few years in the running at Silver Mountain, but already next year the races will be sanctioned for national points by the National Off Road Bike Association.
“A lot of guys race for in-house points when they are out here on Sundays, but it’s also a good entry-level racing event for guys looking to get into the sport,” Elmquist said. “I can’t wait for this place to get sanctioned like Mount Hood so I can race for standings myself.”
Sean Murphy led the field Sunday with the fastest time down the mountain at 2:13. Elmquist finished a second behind Murphy Sunday.
The series of six races began May 26 and is scheduled to conclude Aug. 26 with the series finale. Racers compete in the single-track races to collect in-house points to win cash and prizes awarded to series winners at the finale in August.
The Sunday the SRS will take a week break and the NOBRA sanctioned Knobby Tire Series will roll into town bringing with it racers from all over the region. Racers will compete for national points on the circuit. For full details on fees and the series go to www.knobbytire.org (dead website).
Then Silveroxx Downhill Mountain Bike Festival will be held on the weekend of July 7-8 this year at Silver Mountain. The event includes a downhill jam session race, a chain-less race, and a jump contest including a 6-foot ramp with 15-foot gaps. A barbecue with live music will be held in the village plaza.
Also, this Sunday is Father’s Day, which also falls on Locals Appreciation Day at the resort. That means all fathers and all valley community members are invited to come out and ride Silver Mountain’s bike trails for free. For more information on registration for mountain bike races or any of Silver Mountain’s other events log onto www.silvermt.com.