Submitted by JayRay
USA Cycling announced today that Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood will be the site of the 2019 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships. The Tacoma South Sound Sports Commission (TSSSC) led the group bidding to bring the week-long event to the area.
TSSSC was selected over groups representing other major cities, including the Utah Sports Commission, the Oregon Sports Authority and the San Diego Sports Commission. Early estimates suggest the championship will generate $1.5 million in direct spending by non-local sources.
“The cyclocross championship is the most contested bid for bicycle racing in the U.S.,” said Dean Burke, TSSSC executive director. “The last time the event was in the Puget Sound area—the 1990s—it was only a small fraction of the size it is now.”
Thousands of participants, spectators, volunteers and media are expected in the Tacoma area for the 46th annual cyclocross championship in mid-December 2019.
Cyclocross is a mostly off-road bicycle race that includes obstacles, hills, curves and mud. Racing season usually runs September to January. Participants include men and women, and a junior age bracket. More than 2,000 racers representing all 50 states will compete at the Fort Steilacoom event.
“Alongside all of our state and regional cyclocross partners, we have been preparing for this for a long time,” Burke said. “The City of Lakewood has been a star for openly embracing cyclocross the way they have. Fort Steilacoom Park is an iconic venue for the sport in the Pacific Northwest.”
The championships have been held in January for the past few years. After feedback from the cyclocross community, USA Cycling will move the national championships to its traditional mid-December timeframe in 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. The championships previously scheduled for January 2018 in Reno, Nevada will continue as planned, resulting in an unusual two championships in one calendar year.
