sixhobsons
It is sad to see the loss of a world class women's event located so close to
home. I know the Elkhorn Classic Stage Race is not the same but at least
you will still have the opportunity to race in a challenging stage race,
through beautiful country, during the same time frame: June 20th, 21st, and
22nd, 2003 in Baker City, Oregon. Please see the updated web page at
www.elkhornclassic.com for details and feel free to contact me with any
questions.
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Nathan and Claire Hobson
Promoters Elkhorn Classic Stage Race
(503) 652-3763
www.elkhornclassic.com
sixho-@attbi.com
Velonews.com
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/3412.0.html
Just months away from its 20th anniversary edition, organizers of Idaho's
Women's Challenge confirmed Monday that the race, which has grown into the
largest stage race in the United States and one of the biggest stops on
the
international women's calendar, has been canceled.
"I'm just heartbroken," Women's Challenge director of operations Robyn
Browne told VeloNews. "At first I was stunned, then I got I mad and now
I'm
beginning to understand what we're losing here and that's just really
sad."
Browne, who has been with Women's Challenge Inc. for seven years, said
"the
loss is huge for women's racing, for the volunteers, for the community
and,
really for the kids that come to see this here in Boise."
Indeed, many of the women competing in recent editions of the Women's
Challenge got their first exposure to the sport of cycling through the
race.
Throughout its history, the race has attracted some of the world's best,
including world and Olympic champions.
"It's not too often you get a chance to see people of that caliber in any
sport competing in a place like Idaho," Browne noted. "It's been something
really special."
The race, first organized under the banner of the Ore-Ida foods company in
1984, has long depended on a large community of volunteers and local
sponsors. Indeed, in 1993, when Ore-Ida withdrew its support from the
race,
promoter Jim Rabdau cobbled together enough local support to promote a
smaller event for a year until PowerBar came through with a title
sponsorship that lasted until 1996. The following year, computer
manufacturer Hewlett-Packard became the event's major sponsor.
The 2002 race was the last sponsored by HP, but organizers soon announced
a
tentative deal with Nebraska-based ConAgra Foods.
"We were set to focus on producing a great race, since this would have
been
our 20th," Browne said.
But Browne confirmed Monday the hoped-for sponsorship deal with ConAgra
fell
through last week.
"We'd been negotiating with them since October," Browne said. "We had
things
like logos going back and forth, we had contracts going through their
legal
department, we were working things out and then it went to their finance
department.... Since then, we hadn't heard from them for a while."
Browne said Women's Challenge Inc. was contacted earlier this month by
ConAgra officials who said "some issues had arisen."
"We figured it was some final details that needed to be worked out," she
said. "Perhaps they wanted a shorter race or whatever, but when they
finally
said it, it was 'we're sorry. We just can't do it.'"
Browne said the news comes too late to save the event for 2003. "It's
really
way too late," she said. "It's not like 1993. This comes too late, there's
no money. There's no momentum and we've already notified the UCI. It's
done."
Browne said it is unlikely that the race will be resurrected in 2004,
either.
"No," she said. "It's done. We're shutting the office; we're getting rid
of
the equipment. It's over."
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