March 9, 2005 – The Sea Otter Classic is all about enjoying life, especially life on two wheels and this year, the most celebrated cycling festival and exposition in North America, celebrates 15 years. Road and Mountain Bike tours, tailgate parties, a wedding ceremony, the worldís largest cycling outdoor tradeshow, kids carnival, Sea Otter Village, thousands of campers, bike clinics, and more will be on tap this year at Sea Otter. The festivities run April 14-17, 2005, at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California.

“The Sea Otter Classic offers more to all types of cyclists, and their fans, than does any other cycling event,” says Frank Yohannan, President and CEO of Sea Otter Classic. “We’re very proud of the loyal following weíve developed over the past 15 years and will work hard to meet the expectations of the next generation of Sea Otter athletes.”

“What sets Sea Otter apart from all other events is thereís something there for everyone whoís into riding,” says Zach Kimsey, of Mill Valley, Calif. who competes in the Mountain Bike Cross Country Expert, 30-35 years old category. ìItís the one race I call and email all my friends to try to get them to enter an event for the first time. Iíve been pretty successful at getting a lot of my recreational riding friends to ride at Sea Otter and have had all of them call me post-ride to talk about how much fun they had and how great it was to see and feel the energy of thousands of athletes competing with each another.”

Mountain bike competitions at the Sea Otter Classic take place in the beautiful rolling hills of the Monterey hinterland, on some world famous courses. Mountain Bike highlights include the MTB Pro Stage Race which brings together the best national and international riders in the world to compete in four eventsóSuper XC, Time Trial, Short Track and Cross Countryófor an overall title. The MTB Pro Gravity Omnium, the only stage race in the world for downhill mountain biking, brings together top athletes who compete in the Dual Slalom, Downhill and Mountain Cross for an overall title, as well as line honors in the each event individually. The Sea Otter Dual Slalom has been described by riders as ëthe unofficial world championships of dual slalom.í For amateurs, speed skills are tested in the Amateur Short Track, a high-intensity endurance contest of 25 minutesí duration. The Amateur Cross Country (XC) race takes place on the same 18-mile XC course where riders go from open hills and lush grass to swirling singletrack through trees, rocks and sand. The 50-mile Epic Ride is where experienced riders looking for a challenge go to take on over 8000 feet of climbing and explore new single track trails located on Fort Ord land. And for the casual rider, 10 & 12-Mile MTB Tours are always fun for all ages and skill levels.

Sea Otter Classicís Sierra Nevada/Kodak Gallery road cycling events include the Pro Road Stage Race which attracts several well-known international teams and is regarded as a highly competitive early season race. In addition to the Road Stage Race, Road highlights include the Amateur Road Race which begins on Laguna Seca Raceway and ends with a new mountain top finish; the Amateur Circuit Race that is contested entirely on Laguna Seca raceway; and the recreational Road Tours comprised of the 75-mile Tour which begins at Laguna Seca Raceway and follows Salinas Valley over flat and rolling terrain before finishing at Sea Otter Village; and the grand 100-mile Century Tour , which takes recreational riders through the Ventana Wilderness and Salinas and Carmel Valleys ñ and 6,000 feet of climbing!.

Other event highlights include: Pro Dirt Jump, a spectator favorite, where dirt riders woo crowds and perform a series of acrobatic jumps; and a Kids Bike Rodeo for children 12 and under who want to learn riding and safety skills.

The best deals on bikes and gear can be found at Sea Otter Village, home to the worldís largest outdoor cycling tradeshow. Sea Otter Village hosts over 250 vendors who offer the first public unveiling of the latest trends and technologies in road cycling, mountain biking and recreational products and services. A food court, kidís carnival, beer garden, lots of camaraderie and more can be found at Sea Otter Village.

Finally, it wouldnít be Sea Otter if you didnít expect the unexpected. Donít miss Sea Otterís first Wedding Ceremony on top of the Dual Slalom. Cameras are must.

2005 Sea Otter Classic
Who: Cyclists in all age groups; wide range of professional and amateur
categories
What: Sea Otter Classic
Where: Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA
When: April 14-17, 2005
Event Entry Fees: Range from $25 – $85
Spectator Fees: $10 per day or $30 for a four-day pass; free admission for
children ages 12 and under
Information: www.seaotterclassic.com or (650) 364-7612