Bella Oleksy – Race Promoter
bellaoleksy@gmail.com
978-319-0933

Individuals interested in volunteering and sponsoring the event should contact the race promoter for more information.

On Sunday April 29th the University of New Hampshire Cycling Team will be hosting the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships in Durham, NH. The racecourse will be on a 1 km course on Academic Way, Arts Way, McDaniel Drive, and Mill Road, right in the heart of campus. This event will draw upwards of 500 individual collegiate riders, as well as offer the opportunity for community members to participate in the Pro-1-2-3, Women’s 4, and Master’s 35+ with cash purses of up to 500 dollars. Additionally, the team will be carrying out children’s races at midday preceded by a safety and skills clinic.

Throughout the day on Sunday, there will be 9 different collegiate races split up by ability level and gender, with racers traveling from as far as western Pennsylvania, Delaware, and even Canada. In addition to Sunday’s races that involve the whole community, the collegiate racers will also participate in a Team Time Trial event and Road Race in Strafford, NH circumnavigating Bow Lake on Saturday April 28th.

A number of businesses have already signed up to support the first year event including Mariner Realty, Gus’ Bike Shop, Exeter Cycles, La Festa Pizzeria, and NH Orthopaedic Center, who will be the title sponsor for the event. With only a short month until race day, the event still needs additional sponsorship to cover operating expenses and volunteers including course marshals and drivers for support vehicles. All proceeds from the race go towards the 2013 event and the UNH Cycling Team.

This event will be a great addition to the collegiate cycling calendar as well as an interesting early season race for local non-collegiate bike racers. The University of New Hampshire Durham Criterium will help stimulate the local economy by drawing in hundreds of bike racers to stay in nearby hotels and to eat at local shops and restaurants. With the help of organizations such as the Durham Rotary Club, Noreast Cycling, the UNH Parents Association as well as numerous sponsors, this event will be a great success that will surely become an annual spring tradition for the University.