The Benton County Bobcat’s Mountain bike team just completed their 2nd race of the fall racing season. This is the 5th year this sport has been offered to school aged students in Missouri. It is such a new sport that many people in our area have never even heard of it. We want to let our community know that this amazing sport exists and is growing more popular every year. A few years ago, there were just a handful of teams in Missouri, but the state league and National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) have grown exponentially. This year the Bobcats will compete against 37 teams from all over the state of Missouri and a couple teams from Illinois.
Our local mountain bike team is made up of 12 middle school and high school students from Warsaw, Cole Camp and Sedalia. These student athletes race 4.5 mile laps through the woods and across grassy areas. The number of laps each team member does depends upon their grade level and ability, from 1 to 3 laps. Some of the older, more experienced riders will be riding nearly 15 miles, at race speeds, through the woods. These kids are remarkable athletes with an amazing set of skills and talent to be able to compete in this sport!
Their first race was in Jefferson City at Binder Lake Park on Sunday August 25th. The second race of the season was held in Rolla, MO at The Lion’s Club Park on September 8th. At both races, the Bobcats did well enough to earn a second place ribbon for overall points in their division.
The next race will be held in Warsaw on the weekend of September 21 & 22nd at Shawnee Bend Park. It is a huge honor to host an event of this size. It brings nearly 500 student athletes, plus volunteers and parents to our town and neighboring communities. The revenue a race like this brings in to our community is enormous, but it takes a village and lots of volunteers to make it run smoothly. If you or your organization would like to donate any hours to volunteer during this race, please contact us via Facebook @ Benton County Composite Bike Team or email at bentoncountybiketeam@gmail.com.
If you are looking to see what this sport is all about or want to cheer on these incredible athletes, please come out next Sunday, September 22nd, to Shawnee Bend Park on the west side of Truman Dam. Racing starts at 9:00 AM and runs throughout the day, ending around 3pm. There is no admission cost to watch. There will be several food trucks and vendors on site offering food and drink throughout the day. For more information on the Missouri Interscholastic Cycling League visit them online at www.missourimtb.org. Come support your local Bobcats!
