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At the finish line of the 2010 Tara Llanes Classic, Tara interviews Kirt Voreis (right) while Brian Lopes (left) looks on. Lopes won the men’s Pro race. Photo by Craig W. Smith

XC AND INDUSTRY CUP EVENTS ADDED TO 2011 TARA LLANES CLASSIC

March 18, 2011

New Events Join Already Successful Mega DH Race

In a move sure to attract even more competitors and spectators, organizers of the Tara Llanes Classic have added Cross-Country and Industry Cup races to the September 24-25, 2011 Tara Llanes Classic lineup. The two new races join the established Mega DH event that has drawn hundreds of pros and amateurs to Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort over early fall weekends the last two years. The beautiful, world-class skiing and mountain bike racing venue near Lake Tahoe, CA, will be hosting the 2011 Tara Llanes Classic for the third straight year.

Organizers also announced that the extremely popular and challenging Mega DH returns in 2011 with some fresh and exciting changes. In 2010, World Cup DH pro Brian Lopes won the Pro Men’s Mega DH race, and French World Cup DH pro Sabrina Jonnier claimed the Pro Women’s title. More than 160 pros and amateurs competed.

Since the first event in 2007, the Tara Llanes Classic has attracted a huge, ever increasing field of spectators. For 2011, the organizers decision to include a Cross-Country event means making a course that combines great terrain with lots of fan-friendly access. “We really want to give the spectators an awesome Cross-Country event to watch with lots of different places where they can cheer on their favorite riders,” Tara Llanes said, “Whether that be Cat. II Men 15-18 or the Pro Women’s class.”

The Industry Cup also makes its debut in 2011. This one-of-a-kind event will be for sponsors only of the Tara Llanes Classic and promises to be a very prestigious Cup to win. The rules for this event will soon be posted on the Tara Llanes Classic website; please click here to find out more: www.tarallanesclassic.org

The Tara Llanes Classic provides world-class competition for both amateurs and pros. Proceeds from entry fees, sponsorships, and donations to benefit the Tara Llanes Road to Recovery Foundation, the Reeve-Irvine Research Center (RIRC), and new for 2011 is C.O.R.E – the Center for Restorative Exercise. Each of these organizations is instrumental in the treatment and therapy of spinal cord injuries. Click on the links at the bottom to learn more.

The Tara Llanes Classic was started by Brian and Thayne Bolin to help raise funds for Downhill pro Tara Llanes and her ever-growing medical costs after the champion mountain biker suffered a horrific crash that resulted in below the waist paralysis. Since then Tara has made phenomenal progress and is now able to both help organize the Tara Llanes Classic and participate as a rider in a 4-wheel DH bike.

Giant Bicycle has been a proud sponsor of the Tara Llanes Classic from the beginning. “I want to thank Giant for their unwavering support over the years,” said Tara. “Northstar-at-Tahoe gives us a world class venue, and Giant gives us the backing to be able to pull it off and start something great--something that I hope will be around for years to come, and that can not only provide money to a much-needed area of the medical world, but also provides an event that gives back to the riders.”

Please click on this link, http://www.tarallanesclassic.org/sponsors.htm, to find out how to be part of the 2011 Tara Llanes Classic. And also be sure to bookmark the following sites to learn more about spinal cord injury and research and how you can help:

http://www.tarallanesclassic.org/index.html
http://www.northstarattahoe.com/
http://www.reeve.uci.edu/
http://www.corecenters.info/