After 11 Years Hosting the Mount Diablo Challenge, Save Mount Diablo Passes the Torch to Valley Spokesmen Bicycling Club – Ensuring the Beloved Premier East Bay Cycling Event Lives On to Benefit Land Conservation
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY – The Mount Diablo Challenge, a premier cycling event in the East Bay that attracts riders from across the nation, will be held this year on October 8, 2017.
After 11 years hosting the popular event, which draws hundreds of participants annually, Save Mount Diablo is pleased to announce that Valley Spokesmen Bicycling Club will take over organization of the Mount Diablo Challenge starting in 2017. This transition will ensure the Mount Diablo Challenge and its legacy to support the protection of the Mount Diablo area will live on, while also allowing Save Mount Diablo to put more of its limited time and energy into strategic land conservation efforts.
Thanks to the generous support of CA Technologies and the Nathan M. Ohrbach Foundation, Save Mount Diablo will continue to be a beneficiary of the event, allowing it to further land conservation in the Mount Diablo area for the benefit of all. Valley Spokesmen are seeking to increase participation in the Mount Diablo Challenge by appealing to the broader cycling community, with an emphasis on family participation. Valley Spokesmen intend to keep up the tradition of giving back to the community, both by donating proceeds from this event to the preservation of Mount Diablo through their partnership with Save Mount Diablo, and the continued encouragement of local cycling events.
“We hope to maintain the ride’s competitive, challenging spirit, while making it welcoming to riders of all ages, families, and first-timers.”, said Jane Moorhead from Valley Spokesmen. “We’re excited to take over this great event, and are planning a big venue with beer, wine and food. Turnaround time at the top will be quicker, so that riders can enjoy the party! If you are a competitive rider, or just a weekender who wants to challenge yourself, this is the ride for you!!”
Mount Diablo State Park will be closed for the event to provide riders with a safe course for ascending and descending the mountain. Riders start at the Athenian School and ride 11 miles and 3,300 feet to the summit of Mount Diablo. Each rider will be timed using a computerized chip, providing an accurate measure of their performance. New this year will be a festival at Oak Hill Park with music, beer garden, vendor expo and food. All riders are encouraged to participate, from competitive, categorized riders to families and kids.
Registration opens online July 1st at www.mountdiablochallenge.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
| Jane Moorhead, Valley Spokesmen Bicycling Club
(925)980-9889 // director@mtdiablochallenge.org |
Karen Ferriere, Save Mount Diablo
(925) 947-3535 // kferriere@savemountdiablo.org
|
WHO: Valley Spokesmen Bicycling Club, Save Mount Diablo, California State Parks, CA Technologies, Nathan M. Ohrbach Foundation
WHAT: The Mount Diablo Challenge, a Premier East Bay Cycling Event
WHEN: October 8, 2017
WHERE: Mount Diablo State Park, Danville, CA
Valley Spokesmen Bicycling Club is a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation whose purposes include education, maintenance and improvement of health through physical activity as well as the enjoyment of companionship and the environment through bicycling.
Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, non-profit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide recreational opportunities consistent with the protection of natural resources. Learn more at www.savemountdiablo.org
High Resolution Images & Press Files:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rdt5nmrmvau3u41/AAAGDIzkkqzBLB8OiV9ZWlE_a?dl=0
(Images by Caleb Castle)
