Dirty Kanza 200 Returns to Emporia
Special to the Gazette
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Emporia’s Building Futures Goal 4 committee is working with the Dirty Kanza 200 bicycle race, which will return to Emporia on May 30 for its fourth consecutive year.
The Dirty Kanza is a 200-mile endurance race over the dirt and gravel roads of the Flint Hills. In just three years, it has become nationally recognized as one of the premier events in off-road bicycle endurance racing.
For 2009, event promoters have expanded the race field limit to 100 participants. The event filled up in just four days of registration and will include participants from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennesse, Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, California and Texas. Once again, Emporia will be well represented, as the field includes five local racers, including Tim Mohn who has managed a third-place finish each of the past two years.
The idea for the Dirty Kanza was hatched by Jim Cummins (formerly of Emporia, now living in Lenexa) and fellow cycling enthuasiast Joel Dyke of Kansas City, Kan. The two men noticed the physical effort required to ride in the Flint Hills and decided to make an ironic race based on the mis-conception that Kansas is flat.
Beginning and ending at The Guest House Inn on 18th Avenue, the course immediately heads toward the vast openness of the Flint Hills. There is a checkpoint every 50 miles or so, in towns such as Cottonwood Falls, Council Grove and Eskridge. Riders may stop as long as they wish, but placing well requires breaks to last no more than a few minutes. The race is self-supported, which means riders may not have friends or family follow along the course with food or equipment. Riders may, however, replenish supplies at convenience stores along the route. Top finishers will complete the 200-mile long course in approximately 12 hours, but some participants will require as much as 20 hours in the saddle to cover the entire distance.
The Dirty Kanza 200 is a production of Heartland Sports Promotions. HSP is an organization dedicated to promoting health and happiness through cycling competitions. In the past ten years, HSP has hosted more than 60 events in the greater Kansas City region, which have been attended by over 8,500 participants. Born out of a passion for mountain biking, most of the events take place in the dirt. HSP also builds primitive single track trails, and is currently engaged in designing and building a premier trail system at Swope Park in Kansas City, Mo. For more information on HSP and its activities, or on the Dirty Kanza 200, visit www.heartlandrace.com.
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Posted by Pollyanna (anonymous) on February 9, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad this event is finally receiving some local coverage. This event is huge in the racing community and should be something Emporia rallies around. Even better that we have local racers who work and train all year to compete and compete WELL in the event!!
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