Dual Slalom MTB Race To Hit Sheffield City Centre
Wed 8th Mar, 2017 @ 9:30 pm
Sheffield will host its first-ever city centre dual slalom on Saturday 18 March as a part The Outdoor City Weekender, a three-day long, multi-event festival to celebrate all that Sheffield has to offer in the way of outdoor sports and activities.
Taking place on the centrally located Howard Street, invited riders will race head-to-head, two at a time, down the course in a knockout-style event. The fastest two riders of the day will then take each other on in the grand final.
Racing at the Howard Street Dual will begin at 3pm and finish at around 6pm. Entry is through the This Is Sheffield and the British Cycling websites, where further information can also be found.
World MTB competitor Craig Evans has inputted into the course design and says: “There are urban downhill events in other cities, but I think an urban dual in a city centre may be a first. This is a big move for Sheffield and I think it goes a long way to showing the passion for mountain biking here in the city.
I’ve been messing around on a bike in Sheffield since I was a kid and spent most of my time at Wharncliffe, which is still my favourite ride. I’m gutted that I won’t be here for The Outdoor City Weekender but it’s been awesome to be involved in the track design. The MTB community are pretty excited about the event.
A good track for me is a varied one with slow and techy parts, jumps, corners and rhythm sections to split the field and make for good racing. The Howard Street Dual will have all of this plus a city centre backdrop; it is going to be an awesome event and a great experience for spectators.”
Councillor Leigh Bramall, Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield is an international destination for people that love the outdoors, and our mountain bike trails and scene mean we really are up there with the best of the best.The first ever running of the Howard Street Dual is sure to be an exciting and exhilarating chance to see some of our home-grown top mountain bikers, who are usually out at the likes of Wharncliffe, Grenoside and Parkwood Springs, right here in Sheffield city centre. This will be one of the events as part of The Outdoor City Weekender, which will together showcase the very best of Sheffield not just to visitors, but to those who already live, work and play here and would like to try something different.”
