Micah Pulleyn Joins Team as Program Director
The Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission is proud to announce the addition of Micah Pulleyn to the staff. Micah will be focused on event planning and implementation.
Micah is a proud native of Asheville, and is delighted to serve her community with the Sports Commission. She has experience that ranges from large-scale race management and community events coordination to teaching, coaching, and outdoor education. She is also very involved in the community, helping to strengthen the arts, and volunteering for a number of non-profit agencies.
Micah enjoys trail running, cycling, CrossFit, triathlons, & hiking in our beautiful backyard. She has coached swimming at her alma mater, Asheville High School, and continues to enjoy working with young athletes. Her favorite young athlete is her son, Coletrane, with whom she lives in North Asheville.
Micah can be reached at 828.380.9287 or micah@ashevillesports.org
Mountain Xpress highlights upcoming USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships
The Mountain Xpress featured the upcoming 2016 USA Cycling National Championships in the July 16th issue. Read the story below or online at: http://mountainx.com/news/wheeling-and-dealing-2016-cyclocross-nationals-come-to-biltmore-estate/
“A relatively new sport that’s exploding in popularity in the U.S. is giving visitors yet another reason to come to Asheville. In January, the city will host the 2016 Cyclocross National Championships. Organizers expect the five-day event, scheduled for Jan. 6-10, to draw spectators and elite racers from across the country, including such cyclocross-heavy areas as New England, Portland, Oregon, Boulder, Colorado, and Louisville, Kentucky.
“I just started researching unique and a little bit off-the-mainstream style of sporting events,” says Ben VanCamp, who was hired in 2010 as executive director of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. “At the time, cyclocross was a brand-new concept to me; I found a video online of this kind of wacky sport, completely different from anything I’d seen before in cycling.”
Racers compete on a 1.2- to 2-mile course that includes tight turns, long straightaways, wooden barriers and exceptionally muddy sections or steep hill climbs that force racers to dismount and remount their bikes at speed.
Intrigued, VanCamp says he “reached out to Tim Hopkin in Hendersonville, who organizes the North Carolina Cyclocross Series and the North Carolina Grand Prix at Jackson Park” to discuss the possibility of hosting championships in Asheville.
In 2005, notes a February 2014 Associated Press story, “About 32,000 riders started one of USA Cycling’s cyclocross events; that number rose to more than 110,000 by 2012. And the number of participants at the national championships in Boulder earlier this month was up nearly 30 percent over a year ago.”
But the sport, notes Hopkin, who’s the director of Henderson County’s Parks and Recreation Department, is also “very spectator-friendly. It’s a multilap race, so the athletes will pass multiple sections multiple times, which makes it far more appealing and interesting to spectators and the racers themselves. It’s exciting to watch and exciting to participate in.”
Cyclocross isn’t the only kind of cycling that’s shining a spotlight on Asheville. Western North Carolina is one of the best places in the nation to ride a bike, and in May, the city hosted the Collegiate Road National Championships, which brought in Division I and II men’s and women’s teams from as far away as Oregon, Colorado and New England to duke it out here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. VanCamp was also behind that event, which will be returning to Asheville in 2016.
Hopkin, meanwhile, was the promoter for the N.C. Cyclocross Series. Now in its 19th year, the NCCX series holds races from Hendersonville to as far east as Raleigh and Southern Pines. The cyclocross season begins in the autumn and concludes with the world championships in February. In 2013, Louisville became the first U.S. city to host the Cyclocross World Championships. Next year’s edition will be held in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.
In the summer of 2011, Hopkin and VanCamp got together with others in the local cycling community, including members of Asheville Cyclocross (a bike-racing group) and Hugh Moran, the head coach of Mars Hill University’s cycling program, to discuss bringing the 2016 nationals to Asheville. Seeing real potential for landing the cyclocross nationals, VanCamp began focusing his attention on ’cross.
He consulted with a number of potential host sites, including Biltmore Estate, and that fall, the Asheville Sports Commission officially submitted a bid. After considering proposals from a number of cities across the nation, USA Cycling, the sport’s national governing body, decided in March 2012 to award the 2014 nationals to Boulder, this year’s edition to Austin, and next year’s event to Asheville.
“Our ability to show that we have a cyclocross culture in N.C., that we have hosted world-class events such as the North Carolina Grand Prix, I’m sure helped [USA Cycling] feel confident that the athletes and the people here understand and know what cyclocross is,” notes Hopkin, adding, “Their enthusiasm for having the nationals will definitely be a benefit to the event.”
Fitness regime
In the early 1900s, road racers seeking a way to stay fit until the weather had improved enough for road competition to resume began racing bikes across fields, up hills and even through river crossings; by the 1950s, cyclocross had morphed into its own unique sport in Europe. It took another several decades for the sport to arrive in the U.S., where it didn’t find much popularity until the last 10 years.
In Europe, meanwhile, television ratings for ’cross now rival those of the NFL in America, the Associated Press reports. One key reason for this is the greater opportunities this hybrid sport offers viewers.
To be sure, classic road events such as the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix attract large numbers of spectators. But once the surge of colorfully clad racers passes any given point, it’s difficult if not impossible for those folks to continue watching the race. Cyclocross, on the other hand, plays out on a short, closed course featuring a variety of challenges, including barriers to dismount and jump over, sandpits to ride through and, oftentimes, difficult conditions such as snow and mud.
The root of the problem
Next year’s Asheville nationals will come on the heels of a controversial 2015 event in Austin’s Zilker Park. In the wake of heavy rains and worse-than-expected soil drainage, the Austin Heritage Tree Foundation, which hadn’t been involved in planning the race, raised concerns that it posed a hazard to some old and precious trees along the route. Race organizers had conducted numerous walk-throughs with officials from the city and USA Cycling, park rangers and arborists during the planning stage, and twice-daily walk-throughs with Parks & Rec staff during the event. But due to a combination of miscommunication and disorganization, the Sunday races were abruptly canceled, and police were posted that morning to turn away racers and spectators alike.
Eventually, after long talks involving the organizers, the tree advocates and city officials, and a phone call from Texas native Lance Armstrong, the races were rescheduled for the next day. But in the meantime, the cancellation created logistical nightmares both for the elite racers contending for the various national titles and for anyone in attendance who’d bought plane tickets or booked hotel rooms and planned to return to work or fly home on Monday.
The organizers of the Asheville nationals believe they’ll be ready for whatever circumstances arise. Hopkin has already held January practice race weekends at Biltmore Estate the last two years, as finales to the 2014 and 2015 NCCX series.
“There are plans for all situations,” he notes. “We have slightly different terrain than Austin did. The majority of the course is on farmland, so it doesn’t have the same concerns, but there will be other unique things we’ve discussed and looked for.” The estate, says Hopkin, is aware that it could be facing a muddy week of cyclocross.
Both Hopkin and VanCamp say they appreciate Biltmore staffers’ professionalism and the diverse terrain available on the estate grounds. Meanwhile, the practice races have helped organizers identify and sort out things like parking, and the course design has been significantly improved each year. Particularly at the championship level, cyclocross events require straight stretches of pavement of a certain length, which were lacking during the first year of practice races. Construction around Antler Hill Village forced Hopkin to reroute the 2015 course, which now includes a desirable starting and finishing stretch.
Still, VanCamp concedes that logistics will probably be one of the event’s greatest challenges. Last January, Biltmore decided to extend its customary holiday celebrations into the new year, bringing additional guests to the estate and Antler Hill Village and exacerbating parking issues; this will be the case again next year. To insulate estate visitors from the sprawl of a national-level championship event, with its food and drink vendors, industry vendors and team tents, shuttles will ferry race spectators in from satellite parking, says VanCamp. Estate visitors, he notes, “are paying good money for an experience, and we don’t want to disrupt that experience for them. Really what we want is to expose them to cyclocross too. We’re excited about this opportunity, and we’re facilitating that as best we can.”
Breaking new ground
A one-time charge will admit racers and spectators alike to all five days of events, including access to the grounds and Antler Hill Village but not Biltmore House. There may also be special upgrade and lodging options, notes estate Public Relations Manager LeeAnn Donnelly, though prices haven’t been set yet.
“We’re hoping for a good turnout from the locals — as racers, spectators and volunteers,” says Hopkin. “It’s definitely a fun event to embrace and support, and hopefully the community, which has already embraced the sport, will support it with even more enthusiasm and really help showcase Asheville and WNC cyclocross.”
VanCamp agrees, saying, “I think the success of the event is largely going to fall to the cycling community and how well they support it. It’s going to be a large volunteer effort; it can’t be done with just ’cross racers volunteering. We’re going to need recreational riders to come out and support it; we’re going to need road riders to come out and support it, mountain bikers, everyone.”
Despite the many challenges, however, he anticipates a vibrant, lively event. “The nightlife is going to be huge. It’s going to be a crazy fun week for Asheville in January.”
To learn more about evolving plans for the 2016 nationals in Asheville, visit facebook.com/AshevilleCX16/timeline.”
Blue Ridge Rollergirls Hosts School Yard Brawl
On July 11, 2015, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls All Stars (#64) will host a boys versus girls schoolyard brawl against the Carolina Wreckingballs (Columbia, SC) men’s flat-track derby team. The Blue Ridge Rollergirls French Broads will confront the Rogue Rollergirls (Fayetteville, NC) earlier in the evening. Both games will be live at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville, North Carolina.
The French Broads bout at 5 p.m., and the All Stars skate at 7 p.m. These third home games of a promising season are sure to entertain and inspire loyal and new fans of the growing sport of roller derby. Be prepared to witness lines drawn in the sand as veteran and new skaters alike prove to the opposing Carolina teams that Blue Ridge has come to fight for a big win.
Beth Owenby, or Shadow of Beth, the co-captain of the French Broads and All Star skater, jokes that she may “throw rocks at the boys,” since it is a schoolyard brawl. Becoming more serious, she notes that she is “excited to be playing the guys. They are a talented group of players and it will be a challenging game for Blue Ridge.”
The Blue Ridge Rollergirls will be honoring the Buncombe County Rescue Squad as their chosen charity for this bout.
Ticket prices are $13. Children 10-years-old and younger will receive free admission. We look forward to seeing you there!
SoCon Extends Agreement With Asheville For Winter Championships
The Southern Conference announced today it has reached an agreement with representatives from Asheville, N.C., to host the league’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament through the league’s centennial celebration in 2021. The four-year extension to the existing deal, which was set to expire in 2017, includes both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments as well as the league’s wrestling championship, which moved to Asheville this past season.
“The Asheville community has truly taken ownership of the championships and made us feel welcome over the past four years,” said John Iamarino, Commissioner of the Southern Conference. “It will be fitting to celebrate our 100th basketball tournament in a city that has been such a wonderful site for us.”
As part of the extension, both parties agreed to move the women’s basketball quarterfinals to the U.S. Cellular Center effective in 2016. Those games have been played at UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Arena the past four years. As a result of the move downtown, the entire women’s basketball tournament will now be available on ESPN3. The men’s tournament will see the opening round, quarterfinals and semifinals on ESPN3 with the title game to be broadcast on either ESPN or ESPN2.
In addition to the championship events, a number of ancillary events have been built into the weekend. Prior to Saturday’s basketball games and wrestling championship, a 5k run has been held in addition to the Downtown Dribble, which features some 500 local children dribbling basketballs through downtown Asheville before finishing at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Education Day promotion has brought thousands of grammar school children to watch a women’s game during the tournament.
“The Asheville community takes great pride in hosting both the basketball and wrestling championships, and we’re excited to continue this partnership,” said Ben VanCamp, Executive Director of the Asheville-Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. “It is an honor for the conference to select Asheville as the site for its future centennial celebration.”
The event carries an estimated financial impact of $4 million annually in the local community. The nation’s longest-running conference tournament, the SoCon basketball tournament was held in Asheville from 1984-95 and returned in 2012. In all, 13 different cities have hosted the men’s basketball tournament dating back to the first one in 1921.
Asheville YogaFest Returns July 10-12
Yoga is a big part of our culture here in Asheville. To honor this, Asheville YogaFest, was born in 2014 and exceeded all expectations. Now in its second year Asheville YogaFest is returning with expanded offerings this July 10, 11 and 12 at the Morris Hellenic Cultural Center in the Montford neighborhood.
Asheville has long been viewed as a yoga centric community with studios opening here over 35 years ago, far before its popularity of today. Asheville’s studios and instructors train over 750 yoga teachers each year. Asheville currently features more than a dozen yoga studios that are thriving.
Asheville YogaFest 2015, will feature three full days of asana workshops with fourteen local teachers and both national and local kirtan bands will delight festival attendees. The 2015 Festival will also feature Out of the Blue food truck, a Vendor Village, Yoga Photography, Thai Massage and a Yogi Dance Party. Local charities Homeward Bound and Trips for Kids will be conducting collections to support their causes.
Teachers for the event are an all-star cast. Each will present a two hour workshop for their fans and followers; including Joe Taft, Michael and Stephanie Johnson, Cindy Dollar, Dr. Saraswati Markus, Cat Matlock, Lewis Rothlein, Lindsay Fields, Leaflin Winecoff, Denise Daneck. Mado Hesselink Biddle, Allison Lindquist, Rich Fabio and Sean Johnson.
Festival attendees will also have the opportunity enjoy music throughout the weekend. Friday will feature Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band from New Orleans with a kirtan. Saturday night brings the Yogi Dance Party, with DJ Will Hamilton and Acrobatic Theater from Bodhi Rajata. On Sunday, Osel, with Michael and Stephanie Johnson will be the finale for Asheville YogaFest 2015, with an All Star kirtan featuring music from their four CD’s. Concert quality sound for all events is provided by Mountain Sound Services.
Festival Director, Mike Heirs shares his excitement on the festivals return "For many years Asheville yoga lovers tried to hold a festival worthy of our yoga culture. With good timing, hard work and the invaluable help of our beloved teachers, we made that happen last year. Now, we must earn longevity, as we grow Asheville YogaFest into a regional celebration. Tickets have sold this year to yogis from New York to Florida and even one yoga teacher from Sweden. Folks that miss the YogaFest are going to need a lot of Meditation to overcome that loss!"
Tickets for this three-day event are available in advance for $165 with a price increase at the door. The Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, Publix Supermarkets, Synergy Health Solutions, Zen Tubing and other local and regional sponsors are supporting Yogafest 2015.
For tickets, schedule and information please visit: www.ashevilleyogafest.net