Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing) being interviewed before the race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Pua Mata (Sho Air-Specialized) on her way to victory in the Whiskey 50(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
The Pro Men waiting for their call-up(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) cresting the mountain all alone(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The Whiskey Off-Road Mountain Bike event announced its dates and cash prize purse for its 10th edition in 2013. The weekend of racing will take place in Prescott, Arizona, on April 26-28, 2013.
Known for offering huge cash purses and plenty of fun, Epic Rides upped the ante again, announcing one of the biggest one-day cash purses in mountain bike history - US$35,000. And because Epic Rides firmly believes in equal pay for equal anaerobic suffering, each of the top 10 finishing elite men and women will receive equal payout for their masochistic efforts.
For the entrants who mountain bike for fun, fitness and maybe a little competition, the Whiskey Off-Road rewards everyone with memorabilia like a t-shirt, water bottle, collectible poster, finishers pint glass and, for those true hammerheads who make it on the podium, a genuine stainless steel whiskey flask.
What started 10 years ago as a small mountain bike event in a charming, Wild West frontier town has since grown into one of the largest mountain bike celebrations in the United States and the essence of what mountain biking - and simply enjoying life - is all about; having fun, staying fit and making lifelong memories with family, friends, and yes, even random strangers in old west regalia.
"The Whiskey Off-Road is more than just a mountain bike event," said Todd Sadow, President of Epic Rides. "It's a celebration of life and community regardless of whether or not you're a cyclist. From the free Saturday concert, kids race and weekend-long industry expo to experiencing all the outstanding restaurants, art galleries, bars on Whiskey Row and even the simple pleasures of nature surrounding Prescott, the Whiskey Off-Road offers something for everyone."
The three days of festivities will start on Friday with a Fat Tire Criterium for elite men and women through the streets of Prescott, an industry and vendor tech expo complete with demo bikes and the newest mountain bike gear as well as a beginner-level "15 proof" (1 mile = 1 proof) fun ride.
Saturday will start early with more than 1,500 amateur riders awaiting a cowboy's gunshot before racing out of town on a "25 proof" (25-mile) and "50 proof" (50-mile) journey.
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Sunday will cap off the celebration with the elite men's and women's 50-mile cross country races and $35,000 in cash up for grabs.
