Finalists Announced for Bell Built Grants

For immediate release 02-20-2013
Contact Mark Eller
IMBA Communications Director
303-545-9011 x115

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and Bell Helmets are pleased to announce the 12 finalists for the 2013 Bell Built Grants. More than 100 exceptional applications were received from IMBA chapters and clubs and land management agencies across the country. Bell and IMBA wish to extend a sincere "thank you" to each applicant for the time and effort that went into their proposals and—most importantly—for their passion for the sport of mountain biking.

Bell Helmets is providing $100,000 to fund three, mountain bike trail projects, one each in the categories of bike park/pump track, flow trail and downhill/gravity trail. Out of the 12 selected as finalists, the public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite project in each category on Bell’s Facebook page, beginning March 5.

"Bell Built is about more than just building legal and accessible trails; it’s really about helping to grow the rider communities around the trails," said Azul Couzens, Bell Helmets Director of Marketing. "Bringing in the social media voting component allows us to invite online audiences to take part in choosing where those trails should be built, which parks get new features and—ultimately—which projects get the funding."

The 12 finalists are:

Pump tracks/bike parks
•Elm Creek Bike Park: Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists, Maple Grove, MN
•Rock Hill Skill Park: Rock Hill Bicycle Club, Rock Hill, SC
•Wolfe's Pond Park: New York City Mountain Bike Association, Staten Island, NY
•Bear River Bike Park: Routt County Riders, Steamboat Springs, CO

Flow trails
•Coldwater Mountain: Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association, Anniston, AL
•Burke Bike Park/Jay Peak Resort: Kingdom Trail Association, Burke, VT
•Hobbs Hollow Flow Trail: Hoosier Mountain Biking Association, Brown County, IN
•Corral Trail: Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Downhill trails
•Sandy Ridge Trail System: NW Trails Alliance, Bureau of Land Management, Brightwood, OR
•Overflow Trail: Copper Harbor Trails Club, Copper Harbor, MI
•Zapata Falls Rec. Area: Bureau of Land Management, San Luis Valley, CO
•The BELLtway Trail/Launch Bike Park: Philadelphia Mountain Bike Association, Philadelphia, PA

The final grant recipients will be chosen based on a combination of public vote and input from Bell and IMBA staff and announced at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, Calif., on April 19. IMBA Trail Solutions will design and build the trail projects in 2013-2014 with help from local volunteers. Stay tuned to the Bell Bike Helmets Facebook page for updates, the opportunity to weigh in and a chance to win great prizes.

Or just click this link.... Finalists Announced for Bell Built Grants

Corral Trail is an awesome ride in Tahoe!

_________________
"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

did i miss beautiful sunny san diego somewhere on the list?

_________________
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. ~Milan Kundera

yeah, no love for Black Widow . . . gonna go cry in my beer now.

probably just a typo

_________________
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. ~Milan Kundera

...

Out of curiosity, I'd like to see all the submissions for San Diego projects.

Other than the one for Black Mountain, which I've seen already.

_________________
"Those skilled at the unorthodox are infinite as heaven and earth, inexhaustible as the great rivers."
— Tzun Tzu

Maybe San Diego could get a grant for pickleball.........


SDPBA..........San Diego Pickle Ball Association?


We might have better luck



Clyde

_________________
I never would have thought that Harley would end up being my inspiration. (well..maybe a little).

avidtest


"it makes mountain biking fun again"

Ozzer

black mtn would've been nice. chairlift assisted, of course.

_________________
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. ~Milan Kundera

There are no other trails in San Diego that I know that fit the requirements for that particular grant. Even Black Widow was a stretch as it is not green lighted as a trail today and full scale work is dependent on the city dotting I's and crossing t's which takes them an eternity. There is zero opposition to the draft trails plan at BM and its taken 2-1/2 years so far and counting. No freaking way I wasn't going to make the effort and apply for that or any other grant opp.

Black Widow will happen regardless of whether the Bell Grant would be a fund source. Just need all of you pickle ballers to get off your keyboards and tote some rocks. That mountain has plenty to go around.