Pipasa National Marathon
Championships Offer One-Day Racing
For those mountain bikers who
have heard about the beauty of Costa Rican mountain biking, but
would prefer a more recreational getaway to the intense challenge of
the multi-day endurance events, the Pipasa National Marathon
Championships offers six great one-day racing opportunities in 2009,
beginning with a UCI sanctioned event (level C1) on March 15th, in
Patarrá.
The Patarrá event is Round One of the series. It is an international
challenge, that is expected to attract over 600 competitors from all
over Central America, and probably a few dozen from North and South
America as well. Some of the U.S. riders headed for the Pan-Am
champs a week later in Chile already have this race on their radar.
The race course is one big loop on a 39mile/63km course through the
lush tropical forests and farmland surrounding the city of San Jose,
Costa Rica's capital. With 6100ft/1860m of climbing, riders will
meet a balance of uphills and flats.
This is some of the most sought-after mountain bike racing terrain
in the Americas, and the event is sure to make an exotic and
memorable mountain bike trip for even the most seasoned adventurer.
Now in its fifth year of running, the Pipasa series has had time to
iron out any logistical problems and is running smoothly. "U.S.
racers would find this event and the local conditions quite
acceptable," says UCI international commissaire, Dean Crandall, a
veteran official on the mountain bike race circuit, who officiated
at this event last year.
The event organizer, Rafael Pacheco, says there is limited host
housing available, and he has negotiated discount rates with local
hotels for riders in his events. The Patarrá venue is about 25
miles/40km from the San Jose airport.
Contact: Rafael Pacheco +506 2234.6013
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