Scholastic mountain bike racing is coming to the Lehigh Valley.
The sixth and final event of the season for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League will take place on a course at Jordan Creek Park, Allentown on Oct. 19 and 20.
Now in its fifth year, the league draws up to 700 participants.
During the weekend in Allentown, there will be heats for boys and girls in varsity, JV and freshman competitions as well as separate heats for riders in grades six to eight.
Some teams take the name of schools, while other teams take in students from several surrounding school districts.
The league, affiliated with the Pennsylvania and National Interscholastic Cycling associations, allows students who can’t find a team to ride independently. Also the league will train and support adults who want to start and coach teams. Its goal is to have a team in each Pennsylvania county by 2025.
In addition to races, teams take part in fun events that let students try the sport through weekend campouts with adventure rides, summer camps and GRiT events, which stands for Girls Riding Trails.
Coaches ride with teams before races to pass along safety and tactical tips.
In Allentown, heats start from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 19 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 20.
Spectators are welcome, as are volunteers, who make the league possible. Volunteers might help set courses, serve as course marshals, help in the infield, feed zone or finish line or work with parking, scoring, staging or registration.
To help out, email volunteer@pamtb.org.
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Even after three decades as a reporter at the Standard-Speaker, Kent Jackson still enjoys meeting people, learning more about the community and sharing stories with readers. He currently covers schools but has reported on local government, health, police and the environment. Regularly, he writes about outdoor sports, wildlife and conservation for the Wildlife page on Sundays. Contact: 570-455-3636; kjackson@standardspeaker.com
