About the event:

The Garrett Wonders Memorial Race Weekend:
A two-day event July 31st & August 1st!

Now in it’s seventh year and the third component of the Bike Columbus Festival, The Garrett Wonders Memorial Bike Race returns to transform the quiet city streets of Westerville’s Uptown merchant district into an exciting stage of European style bicycle racing. This year, the event grows to include a second day of racing on Sunday August 1st in downtown Columbus.

The first day of racing takes place Saturday, July 31st in old Uptown Westerville with registration starting at 7am and the first race going off at 8 am in front of the city complex at 21 South State Street. The streets will be closed and the races will last until 12:30. The next day, the racing heads downtown to 77 South High Street in front of the State House August 1st, from 8 am-1: 30 pm as part of the Bike Columbus Festival. Both races will showcase professional and amateur cyclists while also having races for the entire community.

When Garrett Wonders, a 25-year-old OSU graduate, member of the Armed Forces cycling team, and an Olympic hopeful, was tragically hit and killed by a car while on a training ride in 2004,the Garrett Wonders Memorial Bike Race began. Honoring his memory while introducing people of all ages and abilities to the fun and excitement of bicycle racing, the race is a great remembrance for the former OSU cycling Team captain who loved teaching and encouraging students to ride and excel in many ways. All race profits go to the Garrett Wonders Memorial fund, which provides two annual OSU scholarships for student athletes and also funds various cycling advocacy campaigns to promote cycling safety and education.

While the race attracts elite cyclists from as far away as South Carolina and Quebec, there is something for all ages and all abilities like the Children’s short street sprints, for children ages 2 to 10 years of age in which all participants win ribbons and Ice Cream. For older riders who just want to get out and have a good time and don’t have a racing bike, the community fat tire race offers an outlet for anyone who wants to race be it on a bmx, mountain bike, or whatever hangs in your garage.

If you own a thin tired racing bike and enjoy riding but have never raced, the Cat 5 men’s race or the Cat 4 women’s race are great opportunities to get into the sport. The lower the category number the higher the caliber of racers which will lead to faster races with the fastest race of the day being the Men’s Pro 1,2,3 starting at 11:10 in Westerville, and at 11:50 in Downtown Columbus. The Westerville course is a closed 1.1-mile circuit through the heart of the Uptown Merchant district.

The racers head south on State Street (SR3) to Park Street where they turn left heading east uphill to Summit. They then turn left onto Summit and head North to College where they turn left and head West back to State Street turning left again dashing south to the Finish. It is a safe fast course that has been used for over 6 years. The laps are timed and bells and lap counters are used to count down the laps based on the time allotted for the race so that racers keep within the time restraints of the race schedule and also know how long they will be racing.

The second day of racing takes place Sunday, August 1st 8am-1:30 pm, 25 minutes away from the race in Westerville in the heart of Downtown Columbus with the start /finish stage and registration located between the Ohio State House and 77 South High Street. . The racecourse consists of multiple laps of a closed .83-mile circuit through the heart of the Capitol City with the Start/finish line by the State House on High street.

Heading north on 4 lanes of High Street, the course then turns left downhill on 3 lanes of Broad Street, narrowing to two before reaching the river, and turning south on Civic Center Drive. After making that left turn and following the curves of the river for a few blocks, racers take a sharp hard left hand turn uphill onto the cobblestone surface of Town Street for a three block steep uphill hard climb until making the final left turn onto the smooth pavement of High street for the final four lane sprint to the State House! A good short scenic but challenging course with a taste of Europe on the uphill cobbles of Town Street leading up to the final sprint down High Street.

Like in Westerville the day before, opportunities for racing exist for all ages with Jeni’s Ice cream sponsoring the children’s street sprints down High Street o all children ages 2 to 10 years old who enter receive a ribbon and a certificate for a free scoop of ice cream. Helmets are required for all events for the riders’ safety but the race is free for children. The community fat tire race at 1 pm allows anyone to race on just about anything they can pedal costs $10 with participants receiving gift certificates to local merchants and restaurants with support from Tip Top restaurant on Gay Street which will be open to serve cyclists after the event on Sunday.

More than $6,600.00 will be given away in prizes over the weekend race event, which will be held rain or shine. Both Days start with $15 races for juniors ages 10-18 who have dropped bar road bikes at 8 am, followed by the Men’s masters race for men older than 40 years of age at 8:30 am. The 30-minute citizen’s race follows which is the race for beginner races to start with at 9:10 am with gift certificates and merchandise awarded from local bike shops. “Try and get to the race at least an hour before so there is plenty of time to check out the course and register,” says race organizer Kurt Lehmkuhl. The Men’s amateur race follows the citizen race with the women’s race beginning after that at 10:50 am. The Men’s Pro Am race starts at 11:50 and will be the fastest race of the day lasting an hour with $1500 in prizes up for grabs. All races are licensed and insured by the USA Cycling organization so racers must buy a $10 one day license if they do not have a USA cycling license.

Parking can be found at the State house garage and remember that the downtown streets around the racecourse will be closed. Employees and residents can access the interior of the course by simply letting the police officers on the course know where you need to go and they will get you there between breaks in the race.

To pre-register for the event go to:
www.truesport.com/register/events/2010/wonders/index.html Day of registration will begins at 7am behind the start finish stage and will cost an additional $10.

For more information about the event contact race organizer:
Kurt Lehmkuhl at 614-361-9047