Specialized Bolsters Support to Take High School Mountain Bike Racing Nationwide

As part of an ongoing commitment to youth in cycling, Specialized Bicycles bolsters its sponsorship of the Northern California High School Mountain Bike Racing League. The NorCal League recently created a Southern California division and is now drawing up plans for state-oriented high school cycling programs across the USA.

Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard said, "Getting kids on bikes is a personal passion of mine and a goal of the Specialized Fund. High school mountain bike racing is a fun way for young people to stay healthy, learn self discipline and foster camaraderie. We are honored to be able to support the staff, coaches and riders of the League. We look forward to working together in the coming years to get mountain bike racing into high schools across the nation."

As the first brand to make a substantial contribution toward the realization of a nationwide network of state leagues, Specialized was deemed a Founding National Sponsor of the NorCal League.

"We have proudly supported the league for several years," said Ben Capron, Specialized Director of Global Marketing. "During discussions with Matt (Fritzinger), the idea of going nationwide emerged. We are thrilled to partner with this organization and bring it to high school athletes from coast to coast. Many synergies exist, including working with our dealers to enhance grassroots support."

Matt Fritzinger, Director of the NorCal League said, "After eight years of building the NorCal League, we are entering a new phase of development. We are excited that our new SoCal League is taking off with a strong group of directors and sponsors. The next logical step is to develop high school bicycle racing beyond California. We are tremendously excited to partner with Specialized. Their commitment to innovation and advocacy is echoed in our philosophy, and we really stand behind their amazing line of bicycles and equipment."

The Specialized sponsorship includes both monetary funding and product components; this increased support will allow the NorCal League to take on additional staff to manage current operations and administration, while Matt Fritzinger focuses on expansion plans.

About the NorCal League:
The NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League, founded in 2000, is a non-profit organization open to students from both public and private schools. The League provides coaching and camaraderie to help students achieve both competitive and non-competitive cross-country mountain biking goals in a safe and enjoyable manner. Each season includes a Coaches Training Conference, winter riding camps, the six-race series and a variety of summer camps. For more information visit www.norcalmtb.org or call (510) 653-2453.