September 16, 2004

The 3rd Annual "Masters of the Mountains" Cross-country Mountain Bike Race Series came to a close on Sunday, September 12, 2004. The series successfully provided another season of enjoyment, fun, and the challenge of mountain bike racing on the beautiful terrain of the Catskill Mountains in Greene County, New York.

Racers of all ages and skill levels enjoyed this outstanding series. Classes included Pro, Expert, Sport, Beginner, First Timer, and Kid's Races. The overall cash purse for the Pro and Expert class was $10,000. Other generous prizes included medals and merchandise awarded in podium-style ceremonies. The finals were complete with champagne for the Pro's.

Race courses were well varied. They included quality technical terrain, fast singletrack, forest streams and waterfalls, bridges, fitness-building climbs, and the famous "red" mud of the Catskills. Course design was highly stylized, with close attention paid to the range of riding abilities, flow of the course, and the inclusion of impressive technical features at each venue.

The family-oriented venues were located at The Catskill Mountain Foundation, Hunter, NY; Windham Mountain Ski Resort, Windham, NY; and Riedlbauer's Resort in Roundtop, NY. These venues offered camping facilities and activities such as an arts and music festival, swimming pool, and activities for children.

Interestingly, this series reflected a strong awareness of the nature of mountain bike racing. This was especially notable in the performance of the course crew and staff, the trail preparation and maintenance, safety precautions, course marking, and the overall atmosphere at each race. Race officiators were friendly, fair, and professional. Race results were posted promptly.

According to Mike Henry, the Series Director and President of Big Ring Productions, the series will be expanded for 2005. These new directions will further the development of the series.

Overall, this race series has become an established mountain bike race event, attracting participants from throughout the Northeast. Because of the versatility of the race organizers and the beauty of the Northern Catskill Mountains, the series achieved its goals for 2004, and holds promise to grow into a major annual mountain biking event.

Masters of the Mountains is a NORBA sanctioned race series. For up-to-date information about the series, race results, photos, and course maps, please visit the race website at www.mastersofthemountains.com. Masters of the Mountains is generously sponsored by the Greene County Tourism Department. Other sponsors for the series are listed on the series website sponsor page. To contact Mike Henry, please email him at hmocbs@yahoo.com.