CLEARLAKE OAKS – Shannon Ridge Winery will host the final race of the 2008 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Ultra-Endurance Calendar.

Titled the Shannon Ridge Showdown, the event will take place in Clearlake Oaks.

The Shannon Ridge Showdown Ultra-Endurance race will be a 16-hour competition and the course itself is approximately 7.5 miles in length with over 1,700 feet of climbing per lap. The course route is a combination of single track, double track, fire access roads and vineyard rows.

This is the first time that a USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Ultra Endurance Calendar series race course has included vineyards as part of the course route.

The race and course is designed, promoted and directed by endurance racers. Ultra-Endurance racing is one the fastest growing forms of mountain bike racing.

The race will begin in front of the Shannon Ridge tasting room on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks at 4 p.m. on Oct. 18 and will end at 8 a.m. on Oct. 19 in the mountain vineyards directly across from the home of winery owners Clay and Margarita Shannon.

Rebecca Rush, who is the current 24-Hour Solo "World Champion" in Mountain Biking, will be making the trip to Lake County to compete in the Shannon Ridge Showdown, along with many of the top ranked male and female Ultra-Endurance racers.

Additionally, there will be a wine industry race category for mountain bikers that are involved in the wine industry. Participants in this category will be allowed to race solo or on a team of up to five riders. The wine industry race will run from 4 p.m. until midnight on Oct. 18.

“This event will prove to be strenuous and exciting for competitors. The varying terrain in Lake County provides for an invigorating mountain bike challenge,” said Chris Baker, Shannon Ridge’s southeast regional sales manager, and avid mountain biker, who helped design the course and the event.

On line registration will open March 1. A USA Cycling Mountain Bike race license is required to compete.

Registration closes Oct. 11 or when racer limit is reached (300 racers maximum).

More information about the race can be found at www.shannonridgeshowdown.com or by contacting Rick Gunier at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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