Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival

Major Sponsor:

Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival

13460 Spruce Street - PO Box 267 – Cable, WI 54821

715-798-3594 phone - 715-798-3595 fax

cheqfat@lifetimefitness.com        www.cheqfattire.com

Festival Contest Awards Race Spots

For release: 4-1-12

Cable, Wisconsin

With a random lottery drawn limit of 2,750 riders, hundreds of applicants will fall short in the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival selection process. Shortly after the March 15 entry submission postmark deadline, race applicants will learn if they made it or not. Those unlucky in the draw or late in the application process still have a chance to ride in the sold out September 14-16 cross county events.

The Chequamegon Festival which is sponsored by Trek and produced by Life Time Fitness will award fifty guaranteed reserved entries to the winners of the 50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon essay contest.

In spite of the contest title, you do not need to list fifty individual reasons for wanting a race spot. Past contestants have submitted Chequamegon themed stories, songs, poems, drawings, parodies and even children’s chunky crayon notes. Submissions may be written, drawn, photographed, filmed and/or recorded.

Past contest winners have used tales of personal relationships, lifestyle motivations, historical connections, advocacy efforts, competition goals, personal demographics, geographic location and countless other reasons to sway the contest judges. What ever the reason, the authors of the winning essays will receive a reserved race spot in the sold out event.

A multi-point scoring system is applied to each contest submission. Originality, creativity, humor, sincerity, special effort and other undisclosed factors will produce a total essay score. Contestants are advised to give it their best shot. With hundreds of contest submissions, the competition is keen.

Essays must be legible, with a 500 word maximum (most are much less) and if three dimensional in nature be less than two foot by two foot in overall size. All submissions must be postmarked, emailed or otherwise delivered to the Chequamegon office no later than July 1. After the submissions are judged, winners will be selected and all contest participants notified of the outcome by July 15.

Winners will get reserved entries. Those out of the winning column will be encouraged to join the spectator or volunteer fun over the Chequamegon event weekend. The decision of the judges is final in this last-chance-at-an-entry-spot essay contest. All essays become property of the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, will not be returned and may be reproduced at some future date without further notification.

To be included in this year’s “50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon” essay contest postmark your submission by July 1 to the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, PO Box 267, 13460 Spruce Street Cable, WI 54821. Emails are acceptable if received by that July 1 deadline at cheqfat@lifetimefitness.com.

Chequamegon & Gu Team Up to Clean Up

For Release:       April 1, 2012

Cable, WI

The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek has a long standing sustainable and responsible trail use philosophy. This commendable core value insures that the area trails are left in great shape for future rider’s enjoyment. In support of this tread lightly focus, Gu Energy Labs returns to the 2012 event to sponsor the Gu Clean Up Crew.

The GU Clean Up Crew will be on hand to see that what ever is inadvertently left behind when 2,750 riders pass is packed out and disposed of properly. You can be a part of this commendable trail advocacy assignment as a volunteer crew member. Sixteen volunteer crew members will be selected from those who best complete the statement, “I want to be on the GU Clean Up Crew because…”

Those interested in being considered for one of the crew spots should send in a short written statement to the Chequamegon race office postmarked by July 1. Team members will be selected from among the submissions received. All applicants will be notified of the crew selections by July 15. Before the event weekend draws near, those selected will receive further instructions about their specific race day clean up assignment. On race day, the crew members will be assigned one of three trail clean up sections insuring that the entire trail is left in good shape following the racer’s passing.

A job well done deserves an appreciative thank you. Each volunteer GU Crew member will receive an assortment of GU Energy Labs products including GU Energy Gel, GU Brew, GU Chomps and other GU premiums. In further recognition of the noble clean up efforts, each GU Crew member will receive a guaranteed Reserved Registration for the 2013 Chequamegon event.

This is a great opportunity to participate in a note worthy Chequamegon weekend effort to do something good for the trails. Join the GU Clean Up Crew, you will be glad you did.

Crew applications should be submitted in writing by the July 1 postmark deadline to: GU Clean Up Crew, PO Box 267, Cable, WI 54821 or you can email your submission to cheqfat@lifetimefitness.com . The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is produced by Chanhassen, Minn. based Life Time Fitness (www.LifeTimeFitness.com ).

30th Chequamegon Fat Tire Dates Set in September

Cable, WI – For immediate release - December 1, 2011

Off road bicyclists from across the country and overseas will converge on Telemark Resort in Cable, Wisc. for the running of the historic 30th Annual Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek on September 14-16. A sold out field of 2,750 riders will test muscles, minds and pedal powered machines in the nation’s largest mass start point-to-point off road bicycle event. The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is owned and produced by Chanhassen, Minn.-based Life Time Fitness.

The main event of the weekend, on Saturday, September 15, is the Chequamegon 40. The mass start roll out of 1,850 riders from Hayward’s Main Street at 10:00 a.m. is not to be missed. A select few elites will compete for the chance to be called champion, while the rest of the field is made up of citizen's class athletes in it for the adventure and personal challenge inherent in the forty mile off road journey.

The Short & Fat, a 16-mile companion event, offers an additional 900 cyclists a shorter but challenging back woods cycling opportunity. This rolling mass of cyclists will launch from Randysek Road in Cable at 10:00 a.m. Both events head cross-county utilizing a twisted maze of wooded trails to arrive at the Telemark Resort finish line in Cable. A Children’s Bicycle Parade is held before the start of the racing excitement at both start lines on Saturday.

Registration for the cross country events is limited to 2,750 and selected via a random lottery in March. Entry blanks for the event become available on line by the first part of February or by mail from individual requests. To be eligible for the lottery drawing, entries must be completed and returned with payment prior to the March 15 postmark submission deadline.

On Sunday September 16 of the Chequamegon weekend, participants can enjoy several competitive and fun events. At 9:00 a.m. the Rough Stuff Poker Ride, a bicycle orienteering event will kick off the Sunday events. The Rough Stuff offers a timed competition and a fun for all poker ride division where fastest times and top poker hands win prizes. The Cable Crit-Cross features hot laps on a fast track in a cyclocross dirt circuit beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Rounding out the weekend, the Sunday Funday Events are free, fat and family fun. Consisting of a bicycle toss, log pull, bicycle limbo, hill climb and more, the Funday events are a great way to wrap up the event weekend. A Children’s Bicycle Rodeo will also be held on Sunday at Telemark Resort in Cable.

With a combination of fat tires, friends, family and fun it is not just a race, it’s a really great time. For more information about the event weekend contact: Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, Inc., PO Box 267, Cable, WI 54821, 715-798-3594, cheqfat@cheqnet.net or visit the event’s web page at www.cheqfattire.com.

End of Release 12-1-11

Cable,WI Sept. 17, 2011

For immediate release

Contact Gary Crandall cheqfat@cheqnet.net

Records Set in Chequamegon Events

Matter- Davison win 40 Miler

      Cullen - Ganju take Short & Fat

Cable, Wis.—Brian Matter (Gear Grinder) won his fourth Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek, becoming the first man to do so in the 29-year history of the race. His time of 2:00:59.9 was nearly two minutes faster than the previous record in 2010.

The Sheboygan, Wis. rider did so despite strong rides from Radioshack and Garmin/Cervelo road professionals Jason McCartney and Christian Vande Velde. “They set the tempo and blew everybody off the back,” said second place Michael Olhesier (Juwi Solar).

McCartney kept the pressure on all race, driving the pace and whittling down the field in the first half of the race. By mid-point in the 40-mile race, coming out of Martel’s Pothole, it was a five-man race among Matter, McCartney, Vande Velde, Travis Woodruff (Trek) and Alabaman Olheiser.

By the Seeley Firetower climb the group had lost Woodruff, and with seven miles to go McCartney launched a serious attack. “I drilled it up a hill and they came back,” he said, “and then (Vande Velde) went.” The Garmin/Cervelo rider forged a nice gap over the remaining three riders. “I felt like I was getting one twoed,” said Matter about the McCartney and Vande Velde attacks.

But it wasn’t to be Vande Velde’s day. According to Matter, the chasing riders rounded a corner a mile or so later, and there was Vande Velde with a flat rear tire.

Of the three left, Matter easily won the sprint over Olheiser and a cramping Jason McCartney, who crossed the line 20 seconds behind Matter. Matter first won his first race in 2004 and followed with wins the last three consecutive years.

The women’s race was decided by a mud puddle. Jenna Rinehart (Specialized) got off to a quick start and established an early lead, looking as though she would follow Matter and also grab her fourth title. But 2008 champion Lea Davison (Specialized) worked her way up to Rinehart as the two approached Lake Helane. “There’s only one mud puddle on the entire course, and I went through the middle of it,” Davison said.

According to the Vermont rider, the mud was over her hubs but somehow she made it through upright. Rinehart didn’t fare as well, however. She bobbled, stopped and had to put her foot down in the muck. She never saw Davison again, who put nearly four minutes into Rinehart, finishing in 2:17:31. Rebecca Sauber (Trek 29er) nipped Diana McFadden (Trek Co-op) for third.

Jordan Cullen of Hudson, Wis. destroyed the men’s Short & Fat field, finishing in 48:41.6. He topped Ian Haupt of Whitefish Bay, Wis. by almost four minutes. Nathan Labecki of Milwaukee was third.

The women’s Short & Fat race was a close one as Anna Ganju bested Terra James by six seconds. Ganju finished in 58:07.1. Jeanne Fleck was third.

Brain and Kim Eppen (Mercy/Specialized) continued to dominate the Chequamegon 40 tandem race. The Iowa City, Iowa couple finished in 2:08:05.1, good for thirteenth overall.

Sept. 18, 2011

For immediate release

Chequamegon Sunday Douses Competion

Cable, Wis.— Jake Richards (Maplelag) and Martha Flynn Kauth won the men’s and women’s edition of the 2011 Cable CritCross sponsored by Trek. Richards won on a last lap pass of Joseph Maloney while Flynn Kauth led from start to finish in the four-lap race on a rain-soaked Sunday.

Joseph Maloney, who had the fastest time in the two-lap qualifying round (4:24.2), took the lead and held it until the bell lap when Richards passed him and jumped all of the barriers on the final lap while Maloney dismounted and ran the three obstacles.

Maloney insisted that dismounting and running was faster. “I just couldn’t get into my pedals.” Mason Bacso was third, and Richard’s father Jay (Maplelag) was fourth to give Maplelag riders three of the top four spots.

Martha Flynn Kauth rode a cyclocross bike to capture her first ever CritCross title over Kari Gates of Duluth, Minn. and Niki Soderberg of Rochester, Minn. Flynn Kauth, a former in-line skater from St. Paul, is a relative newcomer to the sport of mountain biking and cyclocross, taking up the sport just two years ago.

In the Rough Stuff Rendezvous, Maria Statz and Gerg Pattison won the timed orienteering race through the woods around Telemark Resort. In the women’s division, Emily Osowski of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. was just four seconds behind Statz, who finished in 1:07:06.4. Susie McGinnity of Green Bay, Wis. was third.

Gregg Pattison of Lakeville, Minn. captured his first title in 1:06:05.3. Tom Puzak won a close race for second over Neil Statz.

See www.itiming.com for complete results.

Cable, Wis. – For release the week of Sept. 10-16

Contact: Gary Crandall, cheqfat@cheqnet.net

2011 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival Pre-Race Release

The 29th Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek is set to go on Sept. 16-18.

As it has since the first Fat Tire Festival in 1983, the Chequamegon 40 will start on Main Street in Hayward at 10 a.m. on Saturday with over 1850 riders making their way through the dirt and mud 40 miles north to Telemark Resort. Another 900 riders will compete in The Short & Fat, a 16-mile race starting in downtown Cable at the same time. Both events will finish at the Big Top Chequamegon located at Telemark Resort.

With the reopening of Telemark Resort, Chequamegon activities will be buzzing around the historical lodge, although festival director Gary Crandall will still use the Big Top Chequamegon, an 80x160 foot tent set up outside the resort, for all of the race activity. Crandall enjoyed the circus-like atmosphere under the large walled tent last year so the canvas is back. The sponsor exposition, bag pick-up and concession sales will take place here.

On Friday, the weekend starts with CAMBA (the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association) trail tours at the Highway 00 trail head in Seeley, showcasing recently built singletrack there. The Pasta Feast will be at 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. under the Big Top Chequamegon at Telemark.

Saturday’s races are preceded by Children’s Bicycle Parades in Cable and Hayward at 9 a.m.

The Chequamegon 40 and Short & Fat courses will again use the same routes as last year. With the wet summer, some of the traditional mud holes have filled up, but even so Crandall expects another possible record in the long race set at just under two hours and three minutes by Brian Matter in 2009.

Brian Matter will return to defend his 2010 title. The Sheboygan, Wis. rider also won the Chequamegon 40 in 2004, and he was a member of the US World Championship cyclocross team in 2008. He will be challenged by two-time champion Doug Swanson and three-time champion Steve Tilford from Topeka, Kan. Garmin-Cervelo professional rider Christian Vande Velde will also be a factor. He finished 17th in this year’s Tour de France, the seventh Tour he has finished in his long career. And expect a strong ride from Cole House, riding for SixOneSix Fabrications, who was just nipped at the line by Matter in 2009. Tristan Schouten, who trailed Matter by just a few seconds last year in the race, is having a good year, leading WORS (Wisconsin Off-Road Series).



Like Matter, Jenna Rinehart will also return to defend her 2010 title in the Chequamegon 40, her third. She will be chased by three-time champ Catherine Walberg, a Kenda sponsored rider from Topeka, Kan. Rinehart’s biggest challenge might come from Sara Kylander-Johnson, a Trek/Kuhl-sponsored rider from Duluth, Minn. Kylander-Johnson, who didn’t race in 2009, won the Chequamegon 40 in 2006 and is in top form this season having just won the Seeley Lions Pre-Fat event. Lea Davison, riding for Specialized, is also in the race to try and repeat her overall win from 2008 and could give Rinehart trouble.



With three-time Short & Fat winner Jake Richards moving on to the Chequamegon 40, the field remains wide open. A trio of young riders look promising – Myles Beach, Ian Haupt and local Cable, Wis. rider Dakota Dale. In the women’s short race, Anna Ganju returns to defend her 2010 victory. The New Berlin, Wis. Riders will face challenges from track rider Terra James and Little Canada, Minn. sisters Nicolette and Zoe Reker.



On Sunday, the Cable Crit-cross, a multi-lap cyclocross race at Telemark Resort, and the Rough Stuff Poker Ride, an orienteering race, highlight the day. The RSPR begins at 9:00 a.m. and the Crit-cross starts at 10:00 a.m.

Rounding out the weekend, the Sunday Funday events will put some fun into the fat with complimentary events for those over twelve. Folks can try the Klunker Toss, Bicycle Limbo, Lumber Jack and Jill Log Pull, Flying Bunny Hop from 10:00 a.m.to 12:30 p.m.

CHILDREN’S EVENTS

On Saturday, kids can ride in bicycle parades in either Cable or Hayward. Bike decoration starts at 8 a.m. and the parade rolls out at 9 a.m. In Hayward, children should gather on the 200 block of Main Street, and in Cable at the fire hall behind the Old School Mall.

The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival will provide balloons and streamers, but kids can also decorate their bikes before the event. Expect prizes, surprises and treats.

On Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., kids can ride in the Bicycle Rodeo at the base of Telemark ski hill at Telemark Resort. The rodeo includes a bike limbo, a bike relay, a log pull and an obstacle course. The parade and rodeo are free and open to all kids under 12. Helmets are required.

2011 CHEQUAMEGON FAT TIRE FESTIVAL

RIDERS TO WATCH

Chequamegon 40 men

Nathan Guerra, Wheel & Sprocket, Oconomowoc, Wis.

Cole House: SixOneSix Fabrications; Oneida, Wis; 2nd in 2009.

Pat Lemieux: Kenda/Geargrinder; St. Paul, Minn.

Brian Matter: Geargrinder; Sheboygan, Wis; 2004, 2009 and 2010 Chequamegon

champion, course record holder.

Doug Swanson: Grandstay; Minnetonka, Minn.

Steve Tilford: Tradewind Energy, Topeka, Kan; Won the race in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Third in 2009.

Tristan Schouten: Plymouth, Wis; Mafia/Felt; leading WORS.

Christian Vande Velde; Garmin-Cervelo; Lemont, Ill; 17th in 2011 Tour de

France. Completed seven Tours de France.

Chequamegon 40 women

Lea Davison: Specialized; Jericho, Vt; 2008 champion.

Sara Kylander-Johnson: Trek/Kuhl; Duluth, Minn; 2006 champion.

Jenna Rinehart: Specialized; Mankato, Minn; 2007, 2009 and 2010 champion.

Catherine Walberg: Kenda Tire, Topeka, Kan; A veteran who won in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Third in 2009.

Short & Fat men

Myles Beach: Adventure 212/Specialized; Larsen, Wis.

Dakota Dale: Kent Eriksen Cycles, Cable, Wis.

Ian Haupt: Expo Racing; Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Short & Fat women

Anna Ganju: Polska; New Berlin, Wis.

Terra James, Sweet N Salty Cycling, Minneapolis, Minn.

Kristy Henderson: Hollywood Cycles, Minneapolis, Minn.

Nicolette Reker: SPBRC; Little Canada, Minn.

Zoe Reker: SPBRC; Little Canada, Minn.

RACE ROAD CLOSURES

Forest roads will have limited access on Sept. 17 during the race from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Only permitted race vehicles, local residents and bear hunters will have access during this time.

In the town of Spider Lake, Telemark Road/Spider Lake Fire Lane from Clear Lake Road north to the town line, Boedecker Road from the town line east to Spider Lake Fire Lane and Janet Road from the town line north to Boedecker Road will be closed.

In the town of Lenroot, Boedecker Road from Northern Lights Road east to the town line and Janet Road from Highway OO north to the town line will be closed.

The Spider Lake Fire Lane from Telemark Road south to the town line will be closed in the town of Cable.

Race support vehicles need a permit from race headquarters prior to race morning to use these closed roads. Contact the Chequamegon office before race morning at cheqfat@cheqnet.net with details of rider receiving support, the support vehicle driver’s name and vehicle type.

These road closures will increase rider safety during the event. Increased traffic on the course recently has endangered riders and also resulted in long delays for traffic on race day. Spectators using these roads need to be in place before 10:30 a.m.

NO PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN HAYWARD ON RACE MORNING

Hayward resident and visitors should take note the entire length of Main Street from Railroad Street to Wittwer Road will be a NO PARKING area from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 for the start of the Chequamegon 40.

All intersecting side streets will be barricaded by the city by 6 a.m. Passage across Main Street will be allowed on Highway 63 and at Fifth Street by the Sawyer County Sheriff’s office until just before the start of the race at 10 a.m.

29th Chequamegon Fat Tire Dates Set in September

Cable, WI – For immediate release January 19, 2011

     Off road bicyclists from across the country and overseas will converge on Telemark Resort in Cable, WI for the running of the 29th Annual Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek on September 16-18. A sold out field of 2,750 riders will test muscles, minds and pedal powered machines in the nation’s largest mass start point-to-point off road bicycle event.



     The main event of the weekend, on Saturday, September 17, is the Chequamegon 40. The mass start roll out of 1,850 riders from Hayward’s Main Street at 10:00 a.m. is not to be missed. A select few elites will compete for the chance to be called champion, while the rest of the field is made up of citizen's class athletes in it for the adventure and personal challenge inherent in the forty mile off road journey.



     The Short & Fat, a 16-mile companion event, offers an additional 900 cyclists a shorter but challenging back woods cycling opportunity. This rolling mass of cyclists will launch from Randysek Road in Cable at 10:00 a.m. Both events head cross-county utilizing a twisted maze of wooded trails to arrive at the Telemark Resort finish line in Cable. A Children’s Bicycle Parade is held before the start of the racing excitement at both start lines on Saturday.

     Registration for the cross country events is limited to 2,750 and selected via a random lottery in March. Entry blanks for the event become available on line by the first part of February or by mail from individual requests. To be eligible for the lottery drawing, entries must be completed and returned with payment prior to the March 15 postmark submission deadline.

     On Sunday September 18 of the Chequamegon weekend, participants can enjoy several competitive and fun events. At 9:00 a.m. the Rough Stuff Poker Ride, a bicycle orienteering event will kick off the Sunday events. The Rough Stuff offers a timed competition and a fun for all poker ride division where fastest times and top poker hands win prizes. The Cable Crit-Cross features hot laps on a fast track in a cyclocross dirt circuit beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

     Rounding out the weekend, the Sunday Funday Events are free, fat and family fun. Consisting of a bicycle toss, log pull, bicycle limbo, hill climb and more, the Funday events are a great way to wrap up the event weekend. A Children’s Bicycle Rodeo will also be held on Sunday at Telemark Resort in Cable.

     With a combination of fat tires, friends, family and fun it is not just a race, it’s a really great time. For more information about the event weekend contact: Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, Inc., PO Box 267, Cable, WI 54821, 715-798-3594, cheqfat@cheqnet.net or visit the event’s web page at www.cheqfattire.com.