[img:WW100cs.jpg]

WILMINGTON, N.Y. - The Town of Wilmington is pleased to announce that the region will host the Wilmington/Whiteface 100k on June 19, 2011. Wilmington will serve as one of three qualifier series race host venues for the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race, the best known and most prestigious mountain bike race in North America.

"The Town of Wilmington is very excited to be hosting the Wilmington/Whiteface 100k," said Randy Preston, Town of Wilmington Supervisor. "As a national caliber event, it will bring the best of the best from the competitive mountain bike set to the Northeast. We are anxious to show the world what mountain biking in the Adirondacks is all about."

The event's schedule coincides with the annual Wilmington Bike Fest, which includes the Whiteface Uphill Bike Race, which will be held on Saturday, June 18. Wilmington/Whiteface 100k participants are invited to "Warm UP" by riding in the mountain bike division that is being introduced this year; a five mile race to the top of the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway.

"The event is a perfect fit for the destination, as it supports the Whiteface Region's brand as a biking destination, and will increase visitor activity during the typically slower shoulder season," said James McKenna, President of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism/Lake Placid CVB. "This is another event that resulted from the cooperative partnerships that were cemented in order to successfully host the Empire State Winter Games. Kudos to the staff at the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) who facilitated the connection with the event organizers that ultimately brought this event to Wilmington."

"Wilmington and Whiteface Mountain comprise a mecca for outdoor recreation, from skiing and riding to world class fly fishing and cycling," said Ted Blazer, ORDA President/CEO. "This event will definitely challenge the competitors, and serve to highlight some of the greatest mountain bike terrain in the Adirondacks."

Showcasing some of the best places to ride in America, the Leadville Qualifying Series races will be held in America's great mountains with races in the Adirondacks, Sierra Nevadas and the Rockies. The other two qualifiers will be held in North Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on July 10 and Crested Butte, Colorado on July 31. Each qualifying race will provide 100 qualifying spots to the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. The spots will be allocated partially on the basis of age-group performance and partly by lottery among finishers.

"We are delighted to be able to have three great races in three of the best mountain biking locations in the country," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports. "Besides the opportunity to qualify for the Leadville Trail 100, these races will be superb opportunities to celebrate the sport of mountain biking."

The Adirondack qualifier will traverse 100 kilometers of backcountry trails in the Towns of Wilmington and Jay and finish on Whiteface Mountain.

For more information on the Leadville Qualifier Series, visit leadvillequalifiers.com. For more information about the region and Whiteface Bike Fest, visit whitefaceregion.com.

###

About the Leadville Trail 100 MTB
Since 1983, the Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race has been the pinnacle of the mountain biking world. Currently 103 miles in length and 11,500 feet of climbing, the ultra-distance event is a single- and double-track-style mountain bike race on one of the world's most challenging courses. The weekend event is produced by Life Time Fitness and challenges both amateur and professional mountain bikers to steep climbs and descents, with elevation topping out at more than 12,500 feet. Additional information about the August 13, 2011 event and the Leadville Trail 100 MTB Qualifying Series can be found at leadvilletrail100.com. 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

AEG
Michael Roth
213-742-7155
mroth@aegworldwide.com

Life Time Fitness
Karen Jayne Leinberger
952-229-7162
kleinberger@lifetimefitness.com