Vail Recreation District’s 1st Mountain Bike Race for the 2009 Season will be on Wednesday, May 27th

The Vail Recreation District's (VRD) first mountain bike race of the 2009 Vail and Beaver Creek Mountain Bike Race Series takes place Wednesday (5-27) at 4 Eagle Ranch near Wolcott. The race, Hammer in the Hay, will take racers ages eight and older through the fields surrounding the working-ranch with distances from 3.8 miles for youth racers to 14.8 miles for the pro and expert racers. No pre-riding of the course will be available.

Day of registration will end at 5:30 p.m. Races will begin at 5 p.m. with the Youth category, followed by Junior, Men and Women Beginner and Sport; Men's Vet Sport and Women's Vet;  plus Clydesdales at 5:45 p.m. The Men and Women Pro and Expert, as well as Masters, Single Speed and Vet Experts will race at 6:30 p.m.

The race will include an after party at 4 Eagle Ranch with a free keg of beer and feature local favorite Hardscrabble, who will entertain post-racers and spectators until 9 p.m. with its bluegrass/new grass and rockin' grass sounds. Prizes also will be presented after the race to the top three finishers of each category, as well as raffle prize drawing featuring products from race sponsors, area merchants and national companies. Venture Sports, the official shop of the Hammer in the Hay race, is offering 15 percent off all tires and tubes and 20 percent off all tunes at their Avon store through May 27. Mention VRD Bike Series to receive the discount.

Preregistration for individual races and the entire series is currently underway for all experience levels, ages eight and older. Team registration costs $2,350 and allows up to 15 riders to compete for the overall series title. Individual series registration costs $125 and individual race costs are $25 for preregistration or $35 on race-day. Registration is available by clicking here. Preregistration for individual races ends at 5 p.m. today with registration also available until 5:30 p.m. on-site at the race.

The race series continues June 10 with the Eagle Ranch Classic, followed by the Berry Creek Bash in Edwards on June 17. Races return to Vail with the Vail Grind on July 8 on Vail Mountain and then The Mike Janelle Memorial Race/Davos Dash on July 22.  The race series ends Aug. 5 featuring a new course for the Beaver Creek Blast on Beaver Creek Mountain.

Visit www.Vailrec.com