NorCal Cycling News – Cycling and Racing in Northern California

MTB Legend Ned Overend to Host NorCal CycleFest

An Evening With One of the Sport’s Greatest Names
Contact: Vanessa Hauswald or www.norcalmtb.org

BERKELEY, CA – Mountain biking’s first UCI world champion, Ned Overend, is the special guest at the tenth annual NorCal CycleFest, the Bay Area’s cycling social event of the season, Saturday, November 12, at the Mill Valley Community Center.

This entertaining ‘must-attend’ gathering of Bay Area cyclists of all types has become an annual meeting place for many of the sport and industry’s most famous names, and is the main annual fundraiser for the NorCal High School Cycling League, the organization that led to the formation of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association.

The evening of cycling stardom starts with special patron hour, then a mixer combined with silent auction, before our featured student athletes, and a gourmet dinner accompanied by on-stage conversation with Ned himself. Since Ned seldom steps into the limelight, this is a rare and special occasion. With one of the sharpest minds of any bike racer, Ned’s insights and observations are sure to enthrall and entertain all those in attendance.

A live auction, which is usually very animated and includes some impressive offerings, concludes the evening’s entertainment. Ten people will be able to bid on an small-group mountain bike ride on Sunday with Ned.

Overend said, “The NorCal High School Cycling League showed us not only that high school mountain biking is possible as a widespread activity, but also they showed us the right way to plan and manage this. Having been a keen follower of this movement since its inception, I continue to be more and more impressed by the high level of professionalism and the desire to continue learning that is contained within this organization. The NorCal League has played a leadership role in the national movement, and like any strong leader they aren’t resting on their laurels. For anybody who loves cycling, or is interested in the well-being of California’s youth, this is one of the most important organizations to support, and it is my honor and privilege to speak at the NorCal CycleFest, and help them raise funds for their on-going work.”

Ned Overend has raced for the Specialized team for about as long as anybody can remember. He virtually owned the US cross country mountain bike title between 1986 and ‘92, winning every year except 1988. In 1990, aged 35, he won the inaugural UCI world championship, and the next year placed 3rd. In 1994 he finished second overall in the punishing, season-long Grundig/UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series. Such enduring prowess earned him nicknames such as ‘Deadly Nedly’ and ‘The Lung.’ Always the consummate professional ready with an intelligent quote immediately after finishing a hard race, no matter how exciting or disappointing the result, Ned’s wit and diplomatic approach has continued to earn him friends and fans wherever he goes. After retiring from full-time competition on the world cup circuit in the mid-1990s, Ned has continued to compete in a range of different events ever since, and now aged 56 he can still acquit himself very respectably in a field of the world’s top pro riders.

Ned Overend’s appearance at the NorCal CycleFest will be an opportunity to hear stories that relate the initial growth of mountain bike sport to what is happening now in the US high school mountain bike scene, as well as a choice selection of the stories that arise from such a long career of racing all over the world. Ned’s attendance at the 2011 NorCal CycleFest spearheads the drive to reach the $50,000 fundraising target.

The CycleFest schedule is as follows:
Saturday, November 12th:
5:00 p.m. Patron Cocktail Hour;
6:00 doors open, cocktail party and silent auction;
7:00-10:00p.m. dinner, auction and conversation with Ned Overend followed by Q&A.

Sunday, November 13th MTB ride with Ned for those who bid on it at CycleFest

Proceeds from the ticket sales go to supporting the Northern California High School Cycling League, so be sure to purchase one for your friend/spouse/partner too! Regular tickets are $125.00, and Patron tickets, which include the cocktail hour with Ned (and more), are $200.00.

All tickets are available HERE

What: NorCal High School Cycling League CycleFest, Cycling celebrity, silent and live auctions at the Bay Area’s two-wheeled social event of the year
Where: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, California
When: November 12th, Cocktail Party; Gala Dinner
Who: Meet Mountain Biking’s all-time great, Ned Overend
Why: Benefit for the Northern California High School Cycling League

**About the NorCal High School Cycling League
The NorCal High School Cycling League, founded in 2000, is a non-profit organization open to students from both public and private schools. The League provides coaching and camaraderie to help students achieve both competitive and non-competitive cross-country mountain biking goals and comprises the easiest route for youth to get involved in the challenging and exciting world of competitive cycling. Each season includes a fall Leader’s Summit for coaches, winter riding camps, the five-race series, and a variety of summer camps. The League exists by virtue of a range of fundraising activities as well as generous donors and League sponsors including the founding national sponsor, Specialized Bicycle Components, as well as Easton Foundations, SRAM, Trek Bicycles, Clif Bar and Co., Primal Wear, Shimano, NCNCA, Touchstone Climbing and Fitness, Santa Cruz Bicycles, GU Sports, Kinetic, Maxxis, Mike’s Bikes, El Monte RV, Sheila Moon, adidas Eyewear, CamelBak, Crank Brothers, Dirt Rag, Feedback Sports, Fort Lewis College, Fox Racing Shox, Mellow Johnny’s, Mountain Bike Action, QBP, Ritchey Designs, WTB, Capo and Yakima. For more information on the League visit www.norcalmtb.org or call .**