NUE Series Announces the 2012 Schedule

By Ryan O’Dell

The KENDA National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series www.nuemtb.comis adding a new venue to the 2012 schedule following the addition of three new venues in 2011, raising the bar to a new total of twelve rounds for 2012.  Last season, in addition to its eight established venues, the series made stops in Mountain View, Arkansas, Alta, Wyoming and Park City, Utah. The 2012 Series will remain a best four of twelve races with all ties broken at the Championship Race, in a new location for 2012.

"Even with the added venues, nearly ALL NUE Series races sold out last year, some within just minutes! Growth in the number and location of series venues has made it possible for many more racers to attempt the series minimum of four races and, in the process, receive a national ranking along with cash or prizes from each of our very supportive NUE Sponsors.” according NUE Series Director, Ryan O’Dell.

In addition to the high quality of our venues, another attraction that makes the NUE Series stand out from other national series is that there is NO LICENSE REQUIRED! AND racers need not attend all events. Simply show up and finish four. NUE awards ALL series finishers, not just the podium finishers.

"The NUE Series is much like a 400 mile stage race but the difference is that RACERS are free to choose the time and place of each stage from a qualified choice of twelve high quality events!  With four races in the West and more to come, Western racers now have greater opportunity to complete the four-race minimum without the necessity to travel to the east but are still free to choose from any NUE venues.

Many racers have reportedly planned family vacations around these events and why not? As NUE Series Reigning Champion, Amanda Carey stated recently, "Each NUE Series venue is in a location you would want to ride whether or not you are there to race!” Perhaps that’s why this series continues to attract more riders? The races that have been added have been described by NUE Series racers as well managed events along epic courses.

"What’s exciting is that there are many new venues emerging that may soon grace the NUE Series Schedule as soon as 2013. NUE is posting links to races in New York, Montana, Washington, California, Missouri and even Toronto, Canada that have either applied or inquired about being added to the official NUE schedule. NUE Racers are being encouraged to attend some of these events and report on the ones you think should be added to the NUE schedule.

This year, one new venue was added to the schedule. Highly recommended by NUE Racers, The first NUE Series race to take place in New England will be the Hampshire 100 in New Hampshire.   http://www.hampshire100.com/

"The Hampshire 100 Race Director, Randi Whitney, along with numerous volunteers have spent five years refining her event and NUE is very excited to add New Hampshire to the eleven great states hosting NUE Series races next season”.

"Located in the cooler, scenically beautiful northeast on Sunday, August 19 should make this a popular NUE venue this year and with a registration limit of 500, many racers will be able to get in when registration opens on January 15.”

Click here for MTBracenews.com coverage of the 2011 Hampshire 100k.

Another series change for 2012, Georgia will, for the first time, host the NUE Series Championship. The Fool’s Gold 100 in Georgia, which had been traditionally held on the same weekend in August, is moving to September 8 for 2012. "The cooler fall weather may make the Fool’s Gold 100 even more attractive to racers. This will mark the first time the NUE Series Championship has been held in the southeast.

An accomplished mountain bike racer who fought his way to a seventh place finish in the NUE Men’s Open Division this year, his best performance so far, race director Eddie O’Dea, describes the new championship race course this way, "The 2012 Fool's Gold 50/100 will again be based out of the beautiful Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega, GA… Expect lots of fast & flowy singletrack, some doubletrack, and a fair dose of gravel road grunts. There are a couple of longer sustained climbs, but the rollers will probably be the ones to get you.”

According to NUE Series Director, Ryan O’Dell, "Eddie and Namrita O’Dea’s decision to move the race start/finish to the Montaluce Winery really provides atmosphere for the Championship. Many new improvements are being planned next year as they host the championship for the first time. The entry limit this year will be 350, however, all NUE top five division leaders will be able to compete at the championship as long as they register at least one month before the race. 

What will remain constant is that series standings will continue to be determined by the best four of the now twelve races this year.  All ties will be broken at the series finale at the Fool’s Gold 100, however, racers are not required to attend to be ranked and receive series awards. 

The series will open on April 28 at the Cohutta 100 in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Ducktown, Tennessee. From there, Racers have one month to prepare before heading to the Ozark Mountains at Syllamo's Revenge in Mountain View, Arkansas on May 19.

The 12^th Annual Kenda Mohican MTB100 in Loudonville, Ohio will host race number three on June 2. A single loop race course with 11,000 feet of vertical climbing, this race spans four counties, including the 5000 acre Mohican State Forest. With nearly 600 racers last year, Mohican has become one of the most well attended races in the NUE series. Great Lakes Brewing has announced that they will again quench the thirst of all finishers, last year supplying 22 kegs of their premium brand brews that included their gold medal award winning Dortmunder Gold and Burning River Pale Ale, named for an event in 1969 when the Cuyahoga River caught fire near Cleveland.

From the Buckeye State of Ohio, the NUE Series heads north into the Great Lakes State of Michigan for the Lumberjack 100, headed by race director, Rick Plite. Located deep within the Manistee forest in Wellston, Michigan on June 16, The Lumberjack will finish off the spring portion of the series.  This event always sells out early, so don’t miss your opportunity to register.

In the summer, the series will gain some serious altitude with the next round held at the Breckenridge 100 in Breckenridge, Colorado on July 14. Breckenridge sits at 9000 feet and elevates over the continental divide three times. Bring your lungs for this one and try keep your eyes on the trail. The jaw dropping views can drop you right off the trail for racer’s who are not vigilant.

One week later, The High Cascades 100 in Bend returns for its third year to represent the state of Oregon on July 21. Race Director, Mike Ripley, is already planning more improvements for this popular event.

The Wilderness 101, headed by Chris Scott, will follow on July 28 in the Rothrock and Bald Eagle State Forests just outside of State College, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions in Pennsylvania. If you enjoy technical backcountry singletrack, nothing rocks quite like PA!

The final four races will occur within a month-long period, which could create some chaos before the Tie Breaking event. First up is the Pierre's Hole 100 near Alta, Wyoming, on August 4. Two-time reigning NUE Women’s Champion and race winner, Amanda Carey, calls it home, residing nearby in the town of Driggs.  Staging from the beautiful Grand Targhee Resort, the Pierre’s Hole 100 consists of a 25 mile loop and each lap features over 4600' of climbing on mostly single and double track trails. From the Teton Mountains to New England, The Hampshire 100 will make its NUE debut on Sunday, August 19.

The next two races could keep everyone guessing like it did last season, each positioned on opposite sides of the country on Labor Day Weekend.  The Park City Point to Point in Park City, Utah on September 1 was a sold out hit during its debut last year, staging from the heart of the 5000 acre Canyons Resort, connecting nearby Deer Valley and Park City resorts along epic trails in the Wasatch Mountain Range. 

The next day, a series original, the Shenandoah Mountain 100 in Harrisonburg, Virginia sounds off on September 2.  Home to four of the last five NUE Championships, Shenandoah sold out last year with the greatest attendance in the NUE Series. As a result, the entry limit has been raised to 700 for 2012.

Moving to a new date, The NUE Series Championship race will head south to Georgia for The Fool's Gold 100 on September 8.  The Fool’s Gold is aptly named after the first American Gold Rush that occurred near the town of Dahlonega, well before the California Gold Rush began.

The NUE series schedule is tentative and subject to change as race organizers are still in the usual process of procuring forest service permits and other logistical race planning details.  Stay tuned here for upcoming information about NUE Series Sponsors, Prize Money, and other race details.

2012 NUE Tentative Schedule:

NUE 2012	State	Date	Registration Opens	Limit
Cohutta 100	Tennessee	April 28	November 1	450
Syllamos Revenge	Arkansas	May 19	January 12	200
Mohican MTB100	Ohio	June2	January 1	700
Lumberjack 100	Michigan	June 16	March 3	400
Breckenridge 100	Colorado	July 14	January 1	500
High Cascades 100	Oregon	July 21	January 1	300
Wilderness 101	Pennsylvania	July 28	January 1	400
Pierre’s Hole 100	Wyoming	August 4	February 3	375
Hampshire 100	New Hampshire	August 19	January 15	500
Park City P2P	Utah	September 1	February 15	350
Shenandoah 100	Virginia	September 2	January 1	700
Fool’s Gold 100	Georgia	September 8	November 5	350

 2013 NUE Candidates: