The largest cycling event in Utah for people of all abilities challenges riders to empower themselves through a supported road ride to raise funds for adaptive cycling program
PARK CITY, UTAH (June 29, 2021) – The National Ability Center, a leading non-profit organization that offers premier adaptive recreation and outdoor programs for individuals of varying abilities, will host its annual scenic Summit Challenge event, which will take place on Saturday, August 28, 2021 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cycling challenge includes five different course lengths ranging from 16- to 100-miles, and a free 1-mile Discovery Loop, winding through the mountains and valleys of Utah’s Summit and Wasatch counties.
“One in four adults have a disability that impacts major life activities and over 41 million people have a disability in the U.S.,” said Dan Glasser, CEO at the National Ability Center. “Our mission at the National Ability Center is to provide people with different abilities and their families access to the best recreation opportunities in the country and the Summit Challenge fundraiser enables us to operate and grow our more than 37,000 experiences each year. Varying degrees of difficulty create an inclusive environment for any type of rider, bringing unique individuals together for a good cause. The strong partnerships with our longstanding sponsors, like Boeing, help nurture the adaptive nation’s ‘I Can’ mentality. As Utah’s largest cycling event for people of all abilities, we’re thrilled to be back in action and in-person for this amazing experience.”
More than 800 riders of all abilities will participate in the varying courses, which are fully supported for adaptive riders and include 16-, 25-, 50-, 80-, and 100-mile options. This year, along with the new 25-mile route, Summit Challenge also offers a new unpaved option for an alternate 16-mile route. Along with the cycling challenge, the event features vendors, music, and food for riders and spectators in the Event Village from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The fastest riders for the Wolf Creek and Brown’s Canyon Hill Climb segments will be named “King and Queen of the Mountain” and win free registration for the 2022 Summit Challenge. Early bird registration is open until Friday, July 9, and regular registration ends Thursday, August 26. Registration prices start at $35 for the 16-mile course and increase accordingly depending on course length and registration date with adaptive cyclists riding for free.
For the fourth year, Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, returns as the Summit Challenge’s Title Sponsor. The NAC’s ongoing cycling and mountain bike programs are also supported by Vail EpicPromise, ABC4, Utah Office of Tourism, Del Taco, Zions Bank, Michelob Ultra, Adobe, Backcountry , L9 Sports, SaltBox, Sherry and David Kirchheimer, and Hearth & Hill. Sponsorships still available with information on summitchallenge100.org or by contacting Caitlin Bognaski at 435-649.3991. The National Ability Center encourages riders to raise a minimum of $50 to benefit the leading adaptive recreation organization. Prizes available for the top fundraisers.
“Boeing believes that our employees who have different abilities make us a stronger, more diverse company,” said Joel Raup, Boeing Salt Lake City Site General Manager. “Our company takes great pride in our top scores of 100% on the Disability Equality Index in each of the last five years. We are proud to sponsor this year’s Summit Challenge with our partners at the National Ability Center, who share our company’s value of disability inclusion.”
For the latest COVID-19 health & safety information, visit https://summitchallenge100.org/rider-info/#bike-safety-covid. Volunteers are still needed to ensure a safe and fun event. If interested, contact [email protected] or 435-649-3991 x625. To register or learn more information, visit https://summitchallenge100.org/.
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About the National Ability Center
The National Ability Center provides world-class adaptive recreation and outdoor adventures for individuals and families of differing abilities, physical, cognitive and developmental, including competitive athletes, youth, veterans and more. Rooted in Park City, UT for over 30 years, with additional facilities in Salt Lake City and Moab, the National Ability Center empowers participants by building self-esteem, confidence and lifetime skills through inclusive programming and activities such as alpine and nordic skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, cycling, swimming, rafting, archery, among others. The National Ability Center is globally recognized as a chapter of Disabled Sports USA and is one of only 12 Gold U.S. Paralympic Sports Clubs. For more information, visit www.discovernac.org.
