HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Registration opens today (Sunday, May 9) for the Third Annual Güdrun Mountain Bike Festival, a three-day celebration of Hot Springs’ internationally acclaimed Northwoods system of bike trails that will take place November 12 - 14.
Competitive events will take place on the Northwoods Trails starting at the Cedar Glades Trailhead.
There will be noncompetitive events in the downtown area, including a Biking and Running Expo, a nighttime Slow Roll Ride on Central Avenue along Bathhouse Row and the Whittington Park area on Friday, November 12, ending with the opening night party at 420 Eats.
Five hundred riders are expected to take part in this year’s Güdrun Festival.
“We are stoked to once again celebrate the birthday of the Northwoods Trails with the Third Annual Güdrun Mountain Bike Festival,” Visit Hot Springs Trails Coordinator Traci Berry said. “Our trail system has been such a valuable addition to our community, there’s no better way to celebrate such an amazing recreational space than to combine biking with Vikings.”
Güdrun was a Viking, the wife of Attila the Hun.
The Güdrun Festival traces its origin to the early days of the Attila the Hun Mountain Bike Race, which began in 1992 where the Northwoods Trails are located today.
The 2021 Attila the Hun competitive race to be held Sunday, November 14, will be the final race of the season for the 2021 Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series. There will be areas for spectators to see the racers and cheer them on. COVID-19 safety guidelines established by the State of Arkansas will be in effect.
For this year’s Güdrun Festival:
The Attila the Hun XC Mountain Bike Race is one of the longest continuously held mountain bike races in Arkansas. This year will mark its 29th year. Bruce and Jann Hubbard, owners of Parkside Cycle, have been affiliated with the race since its early days. Starting this year the Hubbards will pass the leadership torch to Hot Springs’ International Mountain Bike Association chapter, the Trail Advocacy Coalition of the Ouachitas (TACO).
“We will continue to support the race and other activities on our trails,” Jann Hubbard said. “Our trail system continues to get better every year. With almost 30 miles of trail, Hot Springs is a destination for mountain bikers across the country. We are happy to be a part of it.”
Berry said, “Our cycling community is lucky to have such a solid cycling foundation that started with people like Jann and Bruce. They have done so much for our community over the past 29-plus years and I’m glad they will now be able to sit back and relax a little while they enjoy watching the race that they helped establish. We are excited to be working with TACO moving forward in making this event bigger and better each year.”
TACO Chair Bucky Monreal said, “While our role and responsibilities as an organization continue to evolve, our purpose to enhance and maintain an exceptional experience for trail users remains the same. We appreciate all that Parkside Cycle has done with Attila the Hun over the years and are excited about the opportunity to manage this mountain bike race. We look forward to continuing to provide the high-quality event to which area racers have grown accustomed.”
Registration will be online-only until November 12 at 5 p.m. for the Güdrun Slow Roll, Enduros, and Jump Jam. The EARLY BIRD registration for these events will be open until June 12, at 8 p.m. The first 100 registrations will be entered in a drawing for a Güdrun Northwoods MTB Festival Package. The Attila the Hun Cross Country Mountain Bike Race Registration will be open until November 12 at 7 p.m.. To register for any of the festival events, sign up to volunteer, secure a vendor space or be an event sponsor go to https://www.gudrunmtbfest.org.
For more information contact Traci Berry at 501-321-2027 or email info@northwoodstrails.org.
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