Sugarbush Downhill Returns

Source: Gravity East

Sugarbush is back on bikes and hosting round 7 of the Gravity East Downhill Series on August 1 and 2. The huge, two-mountain ski resort in Warren Vermont regularly hosted major events during the first heyday of mountain biking, then gradually faded from the mountain bike scene. When Summit Ventures purchased the resort, mountain biking again became a priority and the resort has spent six years restoring and constructing trails and park features. Today, Sugarbush has a freeride park and over 18 miles of lift-assisted cross country and downhill trails. Last year, the culmination of that hard work saw Sugarbush host its first mountain bike race in nearly a decade as the Gravity East Series roared down the resort’s Lincoln Peak.In 2009, Sugarbush’s lift assisted riding season runs through October 11, and includes three bike-specific events. An Xterra off-road duathlon will be held on July 11-12, and the Women’s Wrench and Ride clinic will be held on July 25-26. But it is the return of the Sugarbush Gravity East Downhill on August 1-2 that is the undeniable highlight of this year’s summer mountain bike season at the resort. With Gravity East now the biggest series of its kind in North America, the significance of the race has increased significantly, and the history of the venue has only increased its prestige.


The race track used at Sugarbush, and first unveiled last year, fittingly represents the history of downhill racing at “the ‘Bush”. The course starts with an old-school fire road section reminiscent of the type of downhill racing that was in vogue in Sugarbush’s mountain bike halcyon days. The riders “fast forward” through the opening section and find themselves in a thoroughly modern downhill course with bermed corners, steep drops and difficult technical sections embodying the obstacles that had to be overcome to bring mountain biking and downhill racing back to this great mountain.

For information on the Gravity East Sugarbush Downhill, see www.gravityeastseries.com. For racer discount lodging for race weekend at Sugarbush, call 800.53.SUGAR and mention Gravity East.