Pats Peak Mountain Bike Festival June 9 & 10, 2018 1 Mountain, 3 Events:
Pats Peak in Henniker, NH will host the 17th Annual Pats Peak Mountain Bike Festival on the weekend of June 9 & 10, 2018. This Mountain Bike Festival weekend is presented by Pats Peak along with S&W Sports, Eastern Fat Tire Association (EFTA) and USA Cycling.
The Mountain Bike Festival features 24-Hour, 12-Hour, 6-Hour, X-Country and Downhill races. Bicycle riders from all over New England come to Pats Peak to compete for over $4,000 in cash and prizes in this mountain bike weekend.
Riders for the 24/12/6 Hours of Pats Peak may ride solo, in two person teams, in four person teams or in five person teams. The 24/12/6 Hours of Pats Peak races kick off at 12:00pm on Saturday, June 9. This is an endurance competition held on a circuit course consisting of wooded trails, fields, unpaved roads, obstacles consisting of roots, rocks, streams, steep inclines and descents, testing a racer strength and technical ability. The 6-Hour race ends at 6pm on Saturday the 12-Hour race ends at 12am on Sunday and the 24-Hour races ends at 12pm on Sunday. The Pats Peak 6-Hours Solo Race is part of the EFTA NECS Marathon Series with 5 events.
The X-Country Challenge on Sunday, June 10 is part of the EFTA NECS XC Series, a series that consists of 5 events with courses that trend a bit more “Olympic” in the course makeup and are a bit faster with shorter laps and more flow. The X-Country Challenge has many categories from novice to elite with age breakdowns in each category. The X-Country Challenge uses the same course as the 24/12/6 race. The X-Country Challenge race consists of a certain number of laps to complete and the winner is the one that completes it in the quickest time. The number of laps is subject to change according to race day weather and course conditions. Final number of laps will be determined on race day. New this year, this event will be timed with live athlete tracking by TRIMOM Timing Company.
The bike course for the 24/12/6 Hours of Pats Peak and the X-Country Challenge will be open for riding sometime in May. There is no charge to pre-ride the course. All participants and everyone alike are encouraged to ride the course. Please practice common courtesy if a wedding ceremony or other activity is taking place in the Base Area.
The Downhill Thrill Race is a 2-Day Event with practice for paid entrants only on Saturday and the Downhill Thrill Race on Sunday. It is a USA Cycling Downhill State Championship race and a Qualifier to USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championship. Though not an official Eastern States Cup (ESC) event this year, the Downhill Thrill will be supported by the MAXXIS ESC crew to provide an event to qualify racers for the USA Cycling MTB National Championships since the race is a USAC National Championship qualifier. Downhill racers will take the chair lift up to the top of the mountain and race down the course one at a time against the clock for the quickest time to the bottom of the course. There are two different tracks with a common finish, total time for both runs will determine the winners. New this year, this event will be timed with live athlete tracking by TRIMOM Timing Company.
Other weekend events include a Kids Race on Saturday and Sunday. The Cafeteria and Sled Pub will be open with food and beverage available.
Overnight camping at Pats Peak is available. Camping and registration opens at 3pm on Friday, June 8. Family, friends, and non-riders are welcome.
In order to continue to make this event a success, volunteers are needed to help in the scoring tent for the 24/12/6 Hours of Pats Peak races, water stations and in other positions. All volunteers will receive a food voucher, t-shirt, a lift ticket for skiing/riding at Pats Peak. If you are interested or know someone who is interested in volunteering, please email lori@patspeak.com.
Online Registration for racers is available through the Pats Peak Mountain Bike Festival page on BikeReg.com: www.bikereg.com/pats-peak-mountain-bike-festival. Pre-registration fees are less than on-site fees. Pre-registration at is open on BikeReg.com until Friday, June 8th at 3pm.
“Now in its 17th year, this Mountain Bike Festival Weekend is a great weekend for bicycle racers from all over New England look forward to competing in. It’s a test of their biking skills but it’s also a fun weekend to enjoy some time at the mountain with family and friends”, says Jim Wall, Pats Peak Event Coordinator.
