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XTERRA

One of Utah's World Class Events, the XTERRA Trail Run Nations, Featured in an 8 Page NY Times Times Article

HUNTSVILLE, Utah - The national championship trail run was held on a course both grueling and beautiful, more than 13 miles through the mountains near the Great Salt Lake. Most of it was an unrelenting up-and-down, the path often hugging ridges along a steep plunge, curling through a forest of scrub oak, white pine and red maple. The elevation hit a lung-busting 7,300 feet. Read More...

World Boxing Union Championship Fight

Red Bull Rampage is the biggest, gnarliest and most prestigious event freeride mountain biking has to offer, and is considered to be the pinnacle of the sport. As such, the invite only event attracts the world's best riders to the red rock desert just outside of Virgin, Utah, to try to push themselves and their bikes to the limit. 

The death defying lines are all painstaking sculpted into the mountain by the riders themselves. There are no limits. The line a rider builds is completely unconstrained by the barriers of a conventional  venue; the riders have complete control to build jumps, drops, and corridors through some of the world's most unforgiving terrain. 

In addition to the lines built by the riders themselves, Red Bull also ups the ante by incorporating wooden drops and jumps into the natural contours of the landscape. The two most menacing of which are the Oakley sender, a 40 ft. drop aptly adorned with skulls and crossbones, and the Canyon Gap, a 68 ft. jump over a canyon only accessable by a  precarious run in. In fact, this jump took out the 2010 defending champion Cam Zink in practice. 

Unfortunately, Zink wasn't the only notable rider to succumb to the perils of the venue before even getting a chance to compete. Gee Atherton, who placed second in 2010 and 2004, was also injured in practice and forced to withdraw from Sunday's main event.

With Zink and Atherton sidelined, Canada's Kurt Sorgee dialed in a solid first round run, placing him atop the leader board. And with his second round run, Sorgee proved he didn't come not to lose; he came to win. He topped his first run with a confident second round run consisting of a smooth no-handed drop at the top of the course, followed by a big superman out of the Oakley sender and a back flip down the step down that cemented his status as the 2012 champion. 

Also on the podium, in 3rd place, was St. George local Logan Binggeli, a truly impressive feat considering that Rampage serves as proving grounds for the best riders in the world.

 

This October, St. George saw more than 10,000 athletes from as far away as Brazil and Russia, converge on the city to participate in the Huntsman World Senior Games. The games, which just completed their 26th year, have become an annual St. George tradition attracting athletes aged 50-and-older from all 50 states and over 20 different countries to compete in the games' 27 different sports.

The games have proved to be an economic boon to the local economy. The two-week event generates an estimated economic impact of $24 million and to the locals, that economic impact is palpable. "I bring in at least 30 percent more tips during October than other months," said one server at a local restaurant. In a month that would otherwise see a slow down in visitors, the Huntsman Senior Games help fill hotels and restaurants placing October on par with the busiest months of the year.  

The XTERRA USA and Trail Run National Championships returned to Snowbasin, UT once again this year. The two events brought more than 1,000 of the nation's very best amateur and professional triathletes and trail runners to to battle for the title of XTERRA National Champion. 

Josh Middaugh of Colorado was the overall winner on the Men's side, breaking a string of frustratingly-close performances, and Lesley Paterson took the women's title after back-to-back runner-up showings in 2010 and 2011.  Also, Conrad Stoltz of South Africa placed fourth, but earned enough points to win his unprecedented 10th XTERRA U.S. Pro Series championship.

Thousands of runners, cyclists and spectators descended on Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 13, to make the first-ever Utah Marathon and Fittest State Festival a roaring success. Participants sweated and smiled through five events, all while being cheered by hundreds of costumed onlookers who lined the race routes to watch the 26.2-mile marathon, a 13.1 half-marathon, a family-oriented "Crazy Legs 5K," a one-kilometer "Kids K," and a bicycle tour of the marathon route. Live bands entertained all day at Fit Stock, located at the races' start and finish line in Library Square, and plenty of people turned out at the Utah Marathon Expo and a pre-race "Carbs & Comedy" pasta party.   

 

 

2012 U.S. INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC

Celebrating its inaugural year, the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic was held in Salt Lake City September 13-16. The event is an International Skating Union (ISU) points-earning competition, and featured more than 70 athletes representing nearly 20 countries in all four disciplines of figure skating.

The event is estimated to have drawn in more than 1,000 visitors contributing over a million dollars of economic impact to the state.     

 

 
LONG TRACK SPEED SKATING ISU SPRINT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Utah Olympic Oval - January 26-27, 2013

World Cup speed skating returns to the Utah Olympic Oval!  Come watch the U.S. Long Track speed skating team take on the world's best.

Do not miss your chance to witness the worlds fastest human propelled sport and catch speed skating stars - *Shani Davis (2009 World Sprint Champion / 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist) - *Chad Hedrick (2006 Olympic Gold Medalist) - *Tucker Fredricks (U.S. 500m Champion) - *Jennifer Rodriguez (2005 World Sprint Champion / Multiple Olympic Medalist).    

 

VISA FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
Deer Valley Resort - January 30 - February 2, 2013      

Deer Valley is proud to once again host the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup, January 30 - February 2, 2013. Join thousands of spectators as the best freestyle skiers from around the globe compete in mogul, dual moguls and aerials. It's an event not to be missed!

To kick off the 2013 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup on Wednesday, January 30, at 7 p.m., a free live concert will take place on lower Main Street in Park City. The celebration continues immediately after the concert with a spectacular fireworks show.

All events are free to the public!

For More Information Please Visit:  www.deervalley.com   

Utah Olympic Oval - December 13-16, 2012

Venue Highlight 

From the Utah Sports Commission

The Sports Commission values its relationships with business and government leaders, facility owners, chambers of commerce, convention & visitor bureaus, universities, clubs and other organizations and attributes its success to these partnerships.