Gran Canaria marathon registration opens

Gran Canaria's mountain bike marathon in March 17-18 is a season-opener for many racers, especially marathon racers tackling the first round of the marathon world cup of 2007. Organizer Petra Wonisch attributes the success of the second-year Spanish event to good hospitality.

"That is the reason why our marathon has grown so rapidly. The participants have doubled from the first to the second year," said Wonisch.

The 2007 Marathon Open MTB Gran Canaria will also serve as the opening round of the TREK Mountain Bike Challenge and the Bavarian series. Amateur racers will choose between 38 or 90 km distances. The former focuses on fun and enjoyment; in fact organizers will award the slowest of teams--that which takes the most time to complete the course. The latter covers the same route as the UCI event--amateur riders start 10 minutes after the departure of the licensed riders.

For more information or to register, visit www.canary-bike.com.