Building a Race Course – Building a community, Building the Future

When the organizers of the Himalayan Outdoor Festival approached Himalayan Single Track with the idea of having some kind of mountain bike race as part of the festival, we were very excited. We made a few trips to Hattiban to see how we could tackle the problem of building a cross country style course in a pine forest on top of a hill…..no easy task.

Races are important for the future development of mountain biking in Nepal and for the training and development of rider’s skills as well as the development of a strong and tight-nit mountain biking community. Once we decided that the potential was there it was the task of getting out there and creating the track. Yesterday we went to Hattiban and did just that, built a race track.

But this is not something that Himalayan Single Track can take any credit for. Yesterday 12 riders went to Hattiban, including several of Nepal’s top ten riders, lead by Ajay Pandit Chettri who showed incredible determination, skill and leadership to transform the pine needle strewn hill top into a fantastic race course.

Because of the amazing team work and passion shown by the riders yesterday, we no longer want to call this race Himalayan Single Track’s race, it belongs to the riders, and too the mountain biking community in Nepal. Hattiban  MTB Super Challenge  will be held on the 2^nd of June 2012 as part of the Himalayan Outdoor Festival,  supported by Himalayan Single Track and the Himalayan Outdoor Festival.

The course is short, 2.5km, technical, challenging and something that we hope will showcase the skill of Nepal’s riders to the crowds attending the festival. The course is 90% single track, winding in and out of the pine trees, technical downhill, steep climbing and jumps.

Entry forms will be in mountain bike shops in Kathmandu from Friday the 18^th. Entry fee costs 500 nrs, the entry fee going towards the cost of race course constructions and prizes. Entry closed on Wednesday 30^th of May. At the moment we will have Open category but if we get enough entries there will also be women’s and fun rider category. In any case prizes will be award to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd winners and first finishing female and fun rider held over a shorter course.

 

We hope that all riders will come out and support the race and the Himalayan Outdoor Festival. And a huge thank you to all the riders who turned up at Hattiban on Wednesday to help work on the track.