The Fox US Open of Mountain Biking expects many of the biggest names in the sport at Killington Resort on September 15-18 for fans to watch compete for the event’s largest prize purse ever of $80,000. Known as a family event, and true mountain bike festival, the event located at Killington’s Ramshead Peak will have excellent viewing of the Downhill, Dual Slalom, Enduro and fan-favorite Best Whip contests! First prize for the men’s and women’s Open Downhill events is $15,000 each – it’s a race anyone can enter, and anyone can win! Greg Minnaar, Wyn Masters, Jackson Goldstone, Dakotah Norton, Nina Hoffmann, Rachel Strait and Neko Mulally are among the many notable riders registered to compete at the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking.
“It’s cool to have a rider-focused event in the US that’s working toward creating a great experience for both the atmosphere and the race. The Fox US Open of MTB is going to be a good time and I couldn’t think of a better way to end the season!” – Dakotah Norton, Current US National Champ and Intense Factory Racing Team Rider.
Race Course Details
“The USO22 Downhill track is going to be fast and fun to ride,” said Clay Harper, co-founder, and event director of the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking. “This track contains multiple line choice options at almost every point from top-to-bottom. We worked with Killington to update an existing race track called “Goat Skull”, which was built for the 2016/17 Pro GRT National Downhill events. The track underwent a complete overhaul with multiple updates and new features added – including two separate jump sections in the lower half of the track. The athlete feedback along the way has been great and we anticipate times in the 3-minute range across the field.”
The all-new Killington Dual Slalom track is designed to be approachable for intermediate slalom racers with a mix of berms, rollers and a few flat grass turns, while remaining true to form for head-to-head pro racing.
The Enduro will include 4-to-5 stages of racing across four of Killington’s peaks. Racers can expect classic Northeast terrain with plenty of rocks and roots.
The big air competition and historical crowd favorite, Red Bull Best Whip, presented by YT Industries, is setting up to be bigger and better than ever before with a massive, all-new set of jumps built by Powder Horn Trail Company. Just a stone’s throw away from the Fat Tire Bar, the extra tall step-up jump will offer 360-degree views of athletes blasting above the horizon on Saturday evening.
“The Best Whip jump is the largest feature our crew has ever built for the bike park and has generated a ton of excitement in the community as it comes to life. The whole process has been a collaborative effort between Killington and Powder Horn Trail Company. We are excited for everyone to see the finished product that will showcase the crew’s talent and experience, while giving top local riders a chance to step up and make a name for themselves alongside some of the best in the sport.” – Taylor Zink, Killington Terrain Park Manager
Fox US Open of Mountain Biking continues to partner with High Fives and Vermont Adaptive to make sports and recreational opportunities accessible to everyone with the adaptive downhill race.
A special thanks to all the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking partners, including title partner Fox Racing, Red Bull, YT Industries, adidas Five Ten, Fat Tire, Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing, Shimano, Oakley, GT Bicycles, INTENSE, Specialized Bicycle Components, SRAM, SPANK Industries, COMMENCAL USA and Killington Resort.
Fox US Open of Mountain Biking is proud to bring back top pro riders to the Killington community and provide up-and-coming racers with a real racing opportunity. This racing event is free and open to the entire Killington community to enjoy the investments both the town and Killington Resort have made for the mountain biking community. September is a great time to visit Killington for families and racers of all abilities and skill levels.
Athlete registration is open for the 2022 race festival at Killington Resort this September 15-18th. Athletes can sign up for Open and Amateur Class Downhill, Dual Slalom and Enduro here today: https://www.usopen.bike.
A lot goes into building this event, and fans can see behind the scenes through a “Shaping the US Open” series on the @usopenmtb Instagram.
