Defending champ Kabush leads stellar line-up at Whiskey Off-Road

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Looking at the start list, the Whiskey Off-Road is shaping up to be a sort of North American mountain bike championship. Record attendance in the Whiskey Off-Road elite field is drawing 51 women and 88 men to vie for a $40,000 elite cash purse in Prescott, Arizona on Sunday, April 28.

Returning champion Geoff Kabush (Scott/3Rox) is confirmed to start along with his teammates Derek Zandstra and Cameron Jette. Flanked with strength and strategy, and showing superb early season fitness last weekend at the Sea Otter Classic, Kabush is a strong candidate for the $6,500 first place payday among the men's field.

Kabush will face riders like Max Plaxton and Jeremiah Bishop (both Sho-Air/Cannondale), Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Trek), Adam Craig (Giant), Ben Sonntag (American Interbanc-Cannondale), Barry Wicks (Kona) and Todd Wells and Howard Grotts (both Specialized).

Unfortunately, Pua Mata (Team Sho-Air/Cannondale) will not be defending her 2011 and 2012 Whiskey victories as she continues to heal a broken leg. However, Team Luna Chix will be showing up with its strongest presence yet including Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Gould, Katerina Nash, Teal Stetson-Lee, Suzanne Snyder and Shonny Vandlandingham. Gould has previously finished second while Stetson-Lee was fifth last year.

Another woman to watch will be Lesley Paterson (Scott), the 2012 X-terra World Champion, who won the Bonelli Park Pro XCT earlier this season. Paterson will be among several women chasing after the $6,500 top women's prize, which is equal to the men's top payout.

Heather Irmiger (Trek), Amanda Carey (Stan's No Tubes), Kelli Emmett (Giant) and Chloe Woodruff and Judy Freeman (Crankbrothers) will also be on the start line.

"The quality of racers the Whiskey Off-Road is drawing to Prescott, Arizona is unparalleled in American mountain biking during recent years. We're very excited to host such an awesome dedicated group of racers," said Todd Sadow, President of Epic Rides.

"Plus, the opportunity to carry this momentum into the Inaugural Grand Junction Off-Road with $20,000 pro purse labor day weekend shows great promise for the North American Pro mountain biker in pursuit of venues able to service both exposure for their sponsors and financial requirements useful in making 'Professional Mountain Biker' a legitimate career path."

For a few weeks, the start list for the Whiskey 50 seemed like it might take a hit. After the UCI announced it would enforce its Rule 1.2.019 earlier this season, all UCI racers who entered the unsanctioned Whiskey Off-Road would have faced a possible fine and/or suspension. However, after the UCI agreed to suspend the enforcement of the rule through the end of 2013, many top mountain bikers went ahead with their original plans to compete in Arizona.

In its 10th year, the Whiskey Off-Road continues to grow at an exponential rate. The race now offers $40,000 in prize money, effectively doubling what was offered three years ago. Matching the purse, event attendance has doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 riders since 2010.

Pros will compete in a fat tire crit on Friday night and a 50-miler on Sunday while amateurs will race various distances on Saturday.