NBL and Strider Sports Launch Strider Cup Racing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jess Moore, National Bicycle League, 614.416.7684, jessmoore@nbl.org

NBL And Strider Sports International Launch NBL Strider Cup Racing

Participants Will Be Eligible For Strider World Championships in Japan

GAHANNA, OH (March 11, 2011) — The National Bicycle League and Strider Sports International have partnered to bring Strider Cup racing and the Strider World Cup to toddlers in the U.S. and around the world. Strider Cup qualifiers will be held at all NBL Nationals and feature no-pedal PREbike racing with classes available for 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds by birth year (ex. 2009 birth year will be 2-year-old, 2008 will be 3-year-old, etc.).

The season-long series will conclude with the Strider Cup USA Championship at the NBL Grand National in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition, any participant in an NBL Strider World Cup event will be eligible to compete in the Strider World Championships in Japan in October 2011. To participate in the NBL Strider Cup Series, riders will need to purchase a $25 NBL Strider Membership. This cost includes the entry fee for the first race and can be upgraded to a full NBL membership at any time.  The membership also includes a 1-year subscription to BMX Nation and an NBL Membership Card – the same card all NBL BMX racers carry.

Each Strider World Cup event will include an Adventure Zone featuring Strider test rides and opportunities for kids to play, learn, and socialize with peers while riding on two wheels.

NBL CEO Gary Aragon adds, “As part of our mission to grow the sport of BMX racing, we recognize the importance of introducing children to the sport at an early age. The increasing popularity of the Strider PREbike presents the perfect platform for the NBL to build a series that brings a taste of BMX racing to toddlers who are just learning the basics of bike riding. And already we’re seeing new families at BMX tracks looking for new adventures for their little Strider riders. We’re confident that many BMX racers of tomorrow will come from the Strider riders of today.”

Strider Sports International CEO Ryan McFarland says, “At Strider, we love riding bikes. But what we love even more is seeing really little kids light up with excitement when they get that first taste of freedom, mobility, and adventure that comes from their first bike experience. We’re thrilled to have the NBL promoting the Strider Cup Racing and Adventure Zone program as we believe it will further fuel that budding passion for riding on two wheels and inspire other kids to get outside, get on a bike, and give it try.”

For more information, log onto www.StriderCup.com or www.nbl.org/programs/strider-cup.

About the National Bicycle League, Inc.

The National Bicycle League, Inc. (NBL) manages the best in BMX (Bicycle Motocross) leagues and promotes the international and Olympic sport of BMX racing across the country and abroad. As a public charity in the US, NBL also focuses on communicating the value of healthy lifestyles for children and families through BMX racing. NBL is BMX! For more information, visit: www.nbl.org.

About Strider Sports International

Strider is the Official PREbike of the NBL.  If your toddler can walk, your toddler CAN ride a Strider PREbike™. Skip the tricycle. Skip the training wheels. Go straight to riding on TWO wheels. The Strider™ PREbike helps toddlers learn balance and coordination BEFORE pedaling, which develops glittering confidence and amazing bike handling skills. So ditch the tricycle and training wheels, and teach your child to ride a bike sooner, better, and safer with a Strider™. For more information, visit www.StriderSports.com.

About the Strider World Cup

The Strider Cup and Strider World Cup events are play experiences designed to let toddlers and young kids age 18 months to 5 years old explore the world on TWO wheels. Whether it is test riding a Strider No-Pedal PREbike for the first time or racing Striders on a dirt track with other toddlers, Strider World Cup events have something for every family interested in giving their child a head start. Balance, coordination, and confidence all develop naturally when children experience group play and friendly competition on Striders. For more information, visit www.StriderCup.com.

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