The MTB bike race series hosted Bootleggers Blitz on March 29 at I.C. DeHart Memorial Park in Woolwine. The event was organized by a nationally recognized mountain bike organization dedicated to promoting and hosting mountain bike racing events.
The group is a community of people passionate about the sport of bike racing and competition.
“It was surreal to me to see so many people coming out for this single event. It was an outstanding day, the weather was perfect,” said James Houchins, director of tourism for Patrick County. “Participants were awesome, some of the nicest people you could meet.”
A wide range of attendees traveled to Woolwine for the event, with participants coming from as far away as Minnesota. More than 200 people attended, many bringing their families.
Age brackets included categories for ages 10 to 12 and 13 to 16. One of the youngest racers was a six-year-old girl.
“There’s different skill levels and categories. Most of the people there were very familiar with the mountain bike series. Anyone is open to register,” Houchins said.
The MTB series includes four different events, with qualifiers eligible to advance to higher-level national competitions.
Patrick County Tourism provided about 70 prizes across various categories during the event. The tourism department expressed pride in supporting the race.
“We use this as an opportunity to promote the county and all the other amenities we offer in Patrick County,” Houchins explained.
The county also contributed by helping maintain clean and accessible trails for riders.
Organizers plan to host the event annually and aim to bring it back to Woolwine next March. The Memorial Park is described as a “hidden gem,” and a priority area for the county to develop further to boost tourism.
