Kona/IMBA Freeride Grant Winners

Thanks to Kona Bicycle Company's generous support, these IMBA clubs received $1,000 cash grants to help create new freeriding, downhilling and dirt jumping opportunities.

Funding for the program comes from Kona and the Kona/IMBA Bowling Party, an annual Las Vegas fundraiser held during Interbike, the bicycle industry trade show. The program's goal is to support the development of freeriding opportunities on public land.

Kona/IMBA Freeriding Grant Application Information

2006 Winners:

Black Hills Mountain Bike Association, Rapid City, South Dakota
BHMBA has gained permission from Rapid City Parks and Recreation to construct a dirt jump park in an underutilized, heavily shaded cottonwood grove on city land. The club has cleaned huge amounts of trash and is assisting the city with a controlled burn to prep the area for the construction and control invasive plant species.

Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association, Grand Junction, Colorado
COPMOBA will be designing and building the first purpose-built downhill trail in the Grand Junction area. The trail design provides for shuttle access and will include a number of freeride play areas.

Disco Velo, Hood River, Oregon
Disco Velo is leading the charge in developing the Hood River Bike Park, a gravity-fed jump trail within a small municipal park that will also meet specifications as an American Bicycle Association BMX track.

Hoosier Mountain Bike Association, Indiana
HMBA, working with the managers of Rangeline Nature Preserve near Anderson, IN, have built a great cross country trail system and are now ready to add some spice to the trails with the addition of optional freeride features within the existing trail corridor.

Kingdom Trails Association, East Burke, Vermont
Kingdom Trails Association is developing plans for a progressive skills area that will initiate youth and novice riders to berms, jumps, and narrow bridges in a controlled environment that minimizes risk of injury and allows for active instruction.

Pipeline Bike Club Council, Coquitlam, British Columbia
Pipeline Bike Club Council has partnered with the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia, to build a dirt jump park. The park consists of a pump track, several dirt jumps and a racing track. Construction in 2006 will include a new rhythm section for the racetrack and intermediate and beginner jump lines.

Surrey Off-Road Cycling Enthusiasts (SORCE), Surrey, British Columbia
SORCE is working with Surrey Parks Division to transform an unused open field into a high-skill, low-risk bike park within the city limits, accessible via the Surrey Transit system and local trails and bike lanes.

2005 Winners:

Gunnison Valley Freeride Association, Gunnison, Colorado
GVFA will build a dirt jump area near the popular Hartman Rocks area. They have the blessing of Gunnison's Parks and Recreation Director, Dan Ampietro, who writes that he is "very proud of these young adults for acting as professionals, forming an association, patiently wading through the political process and living up to their promises."

SORBA Freeride Alliance, Atlanta, Georgia ( www.sorba.org and www.ridesofa.org)
SORBA is constructing a skills area in a public park. They are building two sets of freeride runs, which will cater to beginning and advanced riders.

Blue Ridge Bike Club, Asheville, North Carolina
The BRBC will improve the Alexander Mountain Bike Park by building a new loop that will incorporate a skills area. The BRBC has already acquired the pro bono assistance of a trail consultant.

Mississauga Urban Trails Club, Mississauga, Ontario
MUTC will expand a park for mountain bicyclists by adding more trails and building freeride features. The park is a creation of local cyclists, and is supported by IMBA Canada.

Whatcom Independent Mountain Pedalers, Bellingham, Washington
The WHIMPs will expand technical trail feature (TTF) construction on local trails. The TTFs will provide a sustainable and exciting way to ride in sensitive areas.

Kingdom Trails Association, East Burke, Vermont
The Kingdom Trails Association will construct a downhill freeriding trail on Burke Mountain. They plan to apply funds to make sure that the trail is both challenging and sustainable.

New Orleans Metro Area Mountain Biking Organization, New Orleans, Louisiana
NOMAMBO will build a dirt jump park in New Orleans. This park should be a boon to urban riders who are looking for new challenges.

2004 winners:

Friends of Breckenridge, Breckenridge, Colorado - The Friends of Breckenridge will use grant money to help create Four O_clock Freeride Woods, a beginner and intermediate freeride trail and stunt area.

Ocala Mountain Bike Association, Tavares, Florida
The Ocala Mountain Bike Association plans to build wooden stunts, including an elevated bridge, two skinnies and a transition ramp, and a dirt jumping area within the Santos Trail System located on the Cross Florida Greenway.

South Island Mountain Bike Society, North Saanich, British Columbia
The South Island Mountain Bike Society will use funds to build the first dirt jump park in the Victoria, British Columbia area. The project was initiated in 2002 by two young dirt jumpers and has gained full support from the North Saanich city council.

Peoria Area Mountain Bikers, Peoria, Illinois
Kona grant money will be used by the Peoria Area Mountain Bikers to create a bicycle skills course with jumps and berms at the Farmdale Reservoir Recreation Area. The course is for mountain bikers to improve technical skills in a controlled easily accessible area.

Longwood University Cycling Club, Farmville, Virginia
The Longwood University Cycling Club will use funds to build freeride specific, North Shore style structures on a two-mile trail just outside town. Students from a local school for troubled youth will work with the club to complete work on the project.

The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.

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	Kona/IMBA Freeride Grant Winners Thanks to Kona Bicycle Company's generous support, these IMBA clubs received $1,000 cash grants to help create new freeriding, downhilling and dirt jumping opportunities. Funding for the program comes from Kona and the Kona/IMBA Bowling Party, an annual Las Vegas fundraiser held during Interbike, the bicycle industry trade show. The program's goal is to support the development of freeriding opportunities on public land. Kona/IMBA Freeriding Grant Application Information 2006 Winners: Black Hills Mountain Bike Association, Rapid City, South Dakota BHMBA has gained permission from Rapid City Parks and Recreation to construct a dirt jump park in an underutilized, heavily shaded cottonwood grove on city land. The club has cleaned huge amounts of trash and is assisting the city with a controlled burn to prep the area for the construction and control invasive plant species. Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association, Grand Junction, Colorado COPMOBA will be designing and building the first purpose-built downhill trail in the Grand Junction area. The trail design provides for shuttle access and will include a number of freeride play areas. Disco Velo, Hood River, Oregon Disco Velo is leading the charge in developing the Hood River Bike Park, a gravity-fed jump trail within a small municipal park that will also meet specifications as an American Bicycle Association BMX track. Hoosier Mountain Bike Association, Indiana HMBA, working with the managers of Rangeline Nature Preserve near Anderson, IN, have built a great cross country trail system and are now ready to add some spice to the trails with the addition of optional freeride features within the existing trail corridor. Kingdom Trails Association, East Burke, Vermont Kingdom Trails Association is developing plans for a progressive skills area that will initiate youth and novice riders to berms, jumps, and narrow bridges in a controlled environment that minimizes risk of injury and allows for active instruction. Pipeline Bike Club Council, Coquitlam, British Columbia Pipeline Bike Club Council has partnered with the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia, to build a dirt jump park. The park consists of a pump track, several dirt jumps and a racing track. Construction in 2006 will include a new rhythm section for the racetrack and intermediate and beginner jump lines. Surrey Off-Road Cycling Enthusiasts (SORCE), Surrey, British Columbia SORCE is working with Surrey Parks Division to transform an unused open field into a high-skill, low-risk bike park within the city limits, accessible via the Surrey Transit system and local trails and bike lanes. 2005 Winners: Gunnison Valley Freeride Association, Gunnison, Colorado GVFA will build a dirt jump area near the popular Hartman Rocks area. They have the blessing of Gunnison's Parks and Recreation Director, Dan Ampietro, who writes that he is "very proud of these young adults for acting as professionals, forming an association, patiently wading through the political process and living up to their promises." SORBA Freeride Alliance, Atlanta, Georgia ( www.sorba.org and www.ridesofa.org) SORBA is constructing a skills area in a public park. They are building two sets of freeride runs, which will cater to beginning and advanced riders. Blue Ridge Bike Club, Asheville, North Carolina The BRBC will improve the Alexander Mountain Bike Park by building a new loop that will incorporate a skills area. The BRBC has already acquired the pro bono assistance of a trail consultant. Mississauga Urban Trails Club, Mississauga, Ontario MUTC will expand a park for mountain bicyclists by adding more trails and building freeride features. The park is a creation of local cyclists, and is supported by IMBA Canada. Whatcom Independent Mountain Pedalers, Bellingham, Washington The WHIMPs will expand technical trail feature (TTF) construction on local trails. The TTFs will provide a sustainable and exciting way to ride in sensitive areas. Kingdom Trails Association, East Burke, Vermont The Kingdom Trails Association will construct a downhill freeriding trail on Burke Mountain. They plan to apply funds to make sure that the trail is both challenging and sustainable. New Orleans Metro Area Mountain Biking Organization, New Orleans, Louisiana NOMAMBO will build a dirt jump park in New Orleans. This park should be a boon to urban riders who are looking for new challenges. 2004 winners: Friends of Breckenridge, Breckenridge, Colorado - The Friends of Breckenridge will use grant money to help create Four O_clock Freeride Woods, a beginner and intermediate freeride trail and stunt area. Ocala Mountain Bike Association, Tavares, Florida The Ocala Mountain Bike Association plans to build wooden stunts, including an elevated bridge, two skinnies and a transition ramp, and a dirt jumping area within the Santos Trail System located on the Cross Florida Greenway. South Island Mountain Bike Society, North Saanich, British Columbia The South Island Mountain Bike Society will use funds to build the first dirt jump park in the Victoria, British Columbia area. The project was initiated in 2002 by two young dirt jumpers and has gained full support from the North Saanich city council. Peoria Area Mountain Bikers, Peoria, Illinois Kona grant money will be used by the Peoria Area Mountain Bikers to create a bicycle skills course with jumps and berms at the Farmdale Reservoir Recreation Area. The course is for mountain bikers to improve technical skills in a controlled easily accessible area. Longwood University Cycling Club, Farmville, Virginia The Longwood University Cycling Club will use funds to build freeride specific, North Shore style structures on a two-mile trail just outside town. Students from a local school for troubled youth will work with the club to complete work on the project. The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright