The 2003 Sea Otter Classic powered by SRAM will begin April 9th with a pro-road race in Redwood City located 25 miles south from San Francisco.
Rick Sutton, chief operating officers of the Sea Otter Classic, stated that this stage was a bold decision for them. Monterey has always been known for its mountain bike events. This pro-road race on the San Francisco Peninsula is a great example of how large and diverse the event has become.
The new stage will include a 60-mile men’s race and a 40-mile women’s event. They will be contested over a nine-mile circuit. The racers will start in downtown Redwood City, and then climb this difficult course that has nearly 274.3m per lap. The men will complete six loops and then return to downtown, while the women will race four laps.
Redwood City Circuit Race will take place on Wednesday. Sea Otter has expanded to a five-day format that places a lot of emphasis on events and skinny-tire racing. The traditional Sea Otters events will begin the next day at Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey.
The pros will gather in Santa Cruz on Thursday for a time trial on Laguna Seca. They will then race on a tight downtown circuit. The 100-mile pro road stage race comes down to Saturday’s brutal 100-mile race. It starts at Laguna Seca, and takes riders onto the hills of the Carmel Valley and Salinas valleys. They end up at the legendary Laguna Seca racecourse.
Sunday’s fun ride will be 100 km long and feature stars from the pro race. It will take place on roads around Laguna Seca Recreation Area.
Where else can you see pro athletes and then train with them the next morning? Frank Yohannan is the president and CEO at Sea Otter. This is like watching Tiger Woods play on Saturday, and then playing with him on Sunday. ?
The Sea Otter will continue to attract the best mountain bikers in the world, as expected. They will be competing in cross-country, short track and a time trial. Gravity racers can also participate in dual slalom and downhill. Sunday’s amateur cross-country race will be the highlight of the weekend, with thousands of racers taking to the hills around Monterey Bay.
The event began in 1991 with 150 entries. In 2002, it had more than 10,400 participants and more that 60,000 spectators. This was the fifth consecutive year of growth exceeding 20 percent.
