EWS Continental Championship and Enduro East to Conclude in Northeast Kingdom, Vermont

PRESS RELEASE: EWS Continental Championship and Clif Enduro East

The EWS North American Enduro Champions will be crowned in mid-September as the inaugural EWS Continental Championship Series moves east to Vermont's Northeast Kingdom for the final event. The race is also the final stop on the Clif Enduro East tour which consists of two EWS qualifying events and the Continental Championship. Bridging the gap between qualifying events and the main EWS races, the new Continental Series events allow up and coming riders to compete in existing events closer to home, gain ranking points and the chance to win the new Championship title.

"Everyone at the EWS is really excited about the potential of the Continental Series. There’s an ever-growing field of talented riders out there and we’re glad to be able to offer them more chances to earn spots in the World Series. We recognize that most amateurs and privateers can’t afford to fly around the world to compete, but this new Continental Enduro Series allows them a platform closer to home to hone their skills and show what they can do. It’s great to see the evolution and globalization of the sport and it’s good to see a new title for racers to aspire to – we look forward to crowning our North American, Asia-Pacific and European Champions this year." — Chris Ball, EWS Managing Director




The two-day race will be contested on the deeply forested mountainsides of Burke Mountain and Victory Hill near the riding mecca of Kingdom Trails in East Burke. The terrain and conditions will offer a dramatic change of pace from the first two Continental Series stops in Colorado and California. Dusty conditions are common out West and have been noted on rare occasions in Vermont, but racers are more likely to be battling mud, roots and rocks during this Green Mountain epic.


Legendary trail builder and accomplished local rider Knight Ide has been busy this summer expanding the offerings in the Victory Hill Sector and reworking some classic lines on Burke Mountain in anticipation of the big event. "Earlier this summer I teamed up with two-time EWS champion Richie Rude to revamp one of Burke Mountain’s best enduro tracks. I am honored and stoked to share the new lines and features that Richie and I found there with some of the best riders in the world. Racers can expect lots of rock slabs, armoring and a fresh cut 'loam garden'. The Victory Hill portion will feature more than a mile of new track. Racers will drop from a spectacular vista point that extends the longest stage at Victory to 1,200 vertical feet of descending over two miles." - Knight Ide


The exact details of this year's tracks are still under wraps but last year's Clif Enduro East event here featured over 40 miles of riding and about 9,000 feet of elevation. In short, racers can expect some big days in the saddle.


With EWS Continental Series wins at Aspen and Northstar under his belt, Richie Rude sits in the driver's seat for the overall title. A host of international talent will be pushing Rude all weekend and trying to knock the king from his throne. On the women's side, Californian speedster Amy Morrison leads the standings and will be making her first trip to Vermont to see if she can close out the series with a winning effort.


The pre-registered field is already stacked with rippers such as defending US Open and US National Enduro Champion Seamus Powell. Powell has raced these tracks numerous times over the years and should be primed for a big result. Other men that could be in the mix include Canadian Franck Kirscher, Rocky Mountain Bicycles team rider Peter Ostroski, up-and-comer Adam Robbins, Rude's Yeti teammate Jubal Davis and Scott Countryman, who currently sits third in the overall standings. Some locals to keep an eye on are Vermonters Isaac Allaire, who currently leads the Maxxis Eastern States Cup downhill standings but is an equally dangerous enduro threat, Alex McAndrew, who is recovering from injury but lives a stones throw from the venue and always charges and Adam Morse who has been logging a full EWS schedule this summer.


The Clif Enduro East series also concludes at Burke/Victory and there is a slew of tight point standings still to be resolved. Rosy Metcalfe is a scant five points up on Kim Quinlan for the women's overall title and Seamus Powell holds an equally slim margin over Saben Rossi on the men's side. All the other EWS and amateur categories are also in play so there should be plenty of drama during the weekend.


How many events include dinner and beers with your entry? The Clif Enduro East Saturday Night Results Reveal Party is included in every entry. Racers get a couple Long Trail Brewing IPAs, grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage, grilled chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, roasted corn off the cob salad, New England baked beans, garden salad or Caesar salad, watermelon, gourmet cookies and brownies. Whew, that's a mouthful, and a bellyful.




The Clif Enduro East EWS Continental Championship may be the biggest thing to happen to East Coast enduro racing ever. The affiliation with the Enduro World Series is a huge validation of what the Northeast has to offer in terms of riders and terrain. Don’t miss out on this opportunity, the race is fast approaching (September 15th & 16th)! Online registration deadline is Tuesday, September 11. Get in on the action!

Detailed race info: http://www.enduroeast.com/burke-mountain-victory-hill-sept-14-15/
Registration: https://www.bikereg.com/clif-enduro-east-series-finals-at-burke-mountain-and-victory-hill---ews-continental-series-finals