For Immediate Release – Northampton Criterium for Equal Access July 4
Wednesday, June 09, 2004

For Immediate Release June 8, 2004

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS BASED NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
ALL OUT ADVENTURES INC. ANNOUNCES
DOWNTOWN NORTHAMPTON CRITERIUM FOR EQUAL ACCESS

ALL OUT ADVENTURES INC. (AOA) OFFERS UNLIMITED OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITES

Racing returns to Northampton, Massachusetts this Fourth of July when the Second Annual Downtown Northampton Criterium for Equal Access to benefit All Out Adventures, Inc. rolls into town. This community-centered, family friendly event features exhilarating bicycle and handcycle racing right in downtown. Kids age 12 and under can get into the action with the Shimano Youth Series Kids’ Race, sponsored by Warner Bros., Inc., or learn more about being a safe and responsible cyclist in our Bike Rodeo. The Valley Advocate will be on hand, along with All Out Adventures, offering great prizes from local merchants – all complementing an exciting day of incredible racing on the downtown streets.

An elite level field including some of the top racers from around the country is expected to arrive for the race, where they will all be competing for $4500 in cash prizes in the Women’s, Men’s Pro, and Handcycle divisions. The handcycle race is part of this year’s U.S. Handcycling Federation National Series, so the country’s top athletes will be on hand, while. The women cyclists will compete for a $1000 prize list, equal to the men.

The racing will begin at 11:30 AM in front of the Hotel Northampton, and highlights include the 30km Women’s race at 1:30 AM, the Handcycle race at 3:00 PM, and the 50km Men’s Pro/1/2 race at 3:30 PM. Further details about the race can be found at www.cycle-smart.com, and on-line registration is now available at www.BikeReg.com.

This event will benefit All Out Adventures, Inc. (AOA) of Easthampton, MA, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide individuals with disabilities unlimited opportunities to build confidence and foster independence through education, outdoor recreation, and travel. Created to be part of a national movement toward inclusion, AOA delivers quality outdoor recreation programming to people with disabilities, their families and friends. Cycle-Smart: Solutions for Cycling of Northampton, Massachusetts is organizing the race. Generous support for the event comes from the Advocate, the Western Massachusetts source for all arts and entertainments news; The Hotel Northampton, who will also be serving as the official race hotel; Dana Automotive; and Tower Square.

Come celebrate your Independence Day by supporting access to recreation for everyone! The race includes categories for both cyclists and handcyclists, all of whom compete on the same course on the same day, in front of the same crowds, stressing that inclusion is more than just access—it’s welcoming athletes of all abilities to compete.

Please see attached information for details on the race.


For more information please contact:

Sponsorship/General/Handcyclist Contact
Megan Briggs at All Out Adventures, Inc.
413-527-8980 or [email protected]

Race Information
Nathan Mealey at Cycle-Smart
413-587-3133 or [email protected]



—
Nathan Mealey
Director of Operations
Cycle-Smart, Inc.
P.O. Box 1482
Northampton, MA
01061-1482
[email protected]
(413) 587-3133
(413) 210-7984 Mobile
(512) 681-7043 Fax

photos by Jonathan McElvery, Jack Milton, and BikeReg.com