Sea Otter Fact Sheet
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Sea Otter Fact Sheet
WHAT WE DO:
The mission of the Sea Otter Classic is "to make people's lives better through participation in sport and recreation, and through celebration of an active outdoor lifestyle."
WHAT'S NEW! :
The 18th annual Sea Otter Classic, the largest, most celebrated cycling festival in North America is known throughout the cycling world as the cycling racing season's kick-off event
The Thule Adventure Challenge will test team skills in two different competitive elements: mountain bike and foot. There will also be a "special challenge" at the finish that all athletes will go through, such as an obstacle course or similar type physical challenge.
EVENT OVERVIEW:
The Sea Otter Classic, a Celebration of Sport, will be held on April 17-20, 2008 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA. The Sea Otter Classic founded its reputation as the go-to event through events like Dual Slalom and Downhill, a Pro Road Circuit Race, Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country and Short Track, the Invitational Dirt Jump Contest, scenic Road and Mountain Bike Recreational Rides, the Mountain Bike Ride Zone for future pros, a Bike Rodeo, Olympian instructed Cycling Clinics, BMX Demos and now BMX, Adventure Challenge and Super D. At the center of the non-stop action is the massive Sea Otter Village and Expo, home to the world's largest outdoor consumer bike tradeshow featuring 300 vendors, an international food court and loads of friend and family fun activities. The Sea Otter Classic draws nearly 10,000 professional, amateur, beginner, and recreational athletes; 50,000 spectators; and, more than 250 media representatives from across the globe.
WEBSITE:www.seaotterclassic.com
CORRECT NAME: Sea Otter Classic, a Celebration of Sport
DATE: April 17-20, 2008
LOCATION: Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California
OWNERSHIP:
Sea Otter Classic INC Frank Yohannan, President & CEO
EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS:
FOR MEDIA: Imagine the highly personal relationship between an Olympic athlete and his equipment and then see for yourself the parallels between man, machine, and performance. Olympic and world pro athletes compete in a Road Circuit Race, a variety of Mountain Bike races, and a BMX race on equipment tailored specifically to results-oriented goals. BMX and Mountain Bike Cross Country will be featured at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Athletes competing for the US team will be on hand and available for interviews. Interviews can be set up through the Sea Otter press office. Just about everyone and everything who's anyone and anything in the bicycle industry will make an appearance in this pristine shooting location in Monterey County, Calif. The atmosphere will be lively, energetic and eco-friendly.
FOR CHILDREN: Sea Otter Classic Kids' Carnival; Kids' Bike Rodeo for learning bike safety skills; Sea Otter Egg Hunt
FOR RECREATIONAL BIKERS: Scenic Recreational Road and Mountain Bike Tours
FOR AMATEUR RACERS: Nearly 200 classes of road and mountain bike racing for all ages and skill levels.
FOR PRO/ELITE CYCLISTS: Pro/Elite Mountain Bike races; Gravity Omnium; Pro/Elite Road Circuit Race
ATTENDANCE FIGURES:
|
|
1991
|
2007
|
|
Participants
|
300
|
9,500
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|
Spectators
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150
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50,000
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|
Exhibitors
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0
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300
|
|
Journalists
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0
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350
|
ADMISSION CHARGES: All recreational events and festival admittance are free to kids under 12! Spectator festival passes are $10 per day or $30 for four days.
ATHLETE REGISTRATION:www.seaotterclassic.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION:www.seaotterclassic.com or, 800-218-8411 / 831-373-2331
EVENT BACKGROUND:
"You guys should put on a mountain bike race." That simple statement from a Monterey bike shop owner in 1990 was the genesis for the Laguna Seca Challenge, later renamed the Sea Otter Classic.
Co-founders Frank Yohannan and Lou Rudolph hosted the inaugural Laguna Seca Challenge on April 6 and 7, 1991. The event totaled 350 athletes and 150 spectators. In 1993, the Laguna Seca Challenge was renamed the Sea Otter Classic. The 2005 Sea Otter Classic was a four-day celebration of cycling that welcomed over 8,000 athletes and 49,000 fans. The event is now the largest cycling festival in North America and is universally regarded as the cycling world's premiere festival. The "mountain bike race" has grown up.
RESPONSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP:
For 17 years organizers of the Sea Otter Classic have been committed to reducing the event's ecological footprint on the Laguna Seca Recreation Area and the adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property. In the coming years, in partnership with Clif Bar & Co. and Sierra Nevada, Sea Otter's "Responsible Environmental Stewardship" model is intended to raise consciousness of how simple it is for people to engage in basic environmental sustainability programs like recycling, carpooling or cycling to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming.
BOILERPLATE:
About Sea Otter Classic INC
The 18th Annual Sea Otter Classic will be held April 17-20, 2008 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA. The four-day "Celebration of Sport" is considered the world's largest cycling festival, hosting nearly 10,000 professional and amateur athletes and 50,000 fans. The Sea Otter Classic benefits the Davis Phinney Foundation, which supports Parkinson's disease research and wellness, and California IMBA, which organizes advocacy and trailbuilding efforts statewide and strengthens California mountain bike clubs. More information can be found at www.seaotterclassic.com or by calling 800-218-8411.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Donna Brown (local media) (831) 905-1764 / donna@seaotterclassic.com
