IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference headed to Whistler in 2006

Mountain biking leaders and land managers from around the world will gather June 20-23, 2006, in Whistler, British Columbia, for a combined IMBA Summit and World Mountain Bike Conference.

The merger of the two conferences creates an opportunity for mountain biking advocates, land managers, trailbuilders and the bike industry to come together for education, collaboration and strategic planning for the future of mountain biking and trail access.

"The merged conference promises to be the largest single gathering of mountain bike advocates ever," says IMBA executive Mike Van Abel. "Rolling these two events together will result in a better conference which will attract a broader audience of mountain bike enthusiasts. I personally look forward to celebrating and shaping our sport for growth."

The 2006 IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference is open to the public and will feature advocacy seminars, trailbuilding workshops, networking, classic Whistler riding, great food, parties and celebrity guest speakers.

"The opportunity for riders and land managers to come together at one location to discuss the future of mountain biking is a logical and significant step in the development of the sport," said Richard Juryn, event producer. "We look forward to the 2006 at Whistler as a stepping stone for delegates to collaborate toward staging the event farther afield in subsequent years," he added.

The International Mountain Bicycling Association's (IMBA) bi-annual Summit has been held at various locations since 1996, and the North Shore Mountain Bike Event Society's World Mountain Bike Conference has been hosted in North Vancouver since 2004.