PORT ANGELES — The trails are groomed and the riders ready.
All that’s left now is for gravity to run its course.
The final leg of the Northwest Cup downhill mountain bike races comes to Dry Hill this weekend.
The races should bring an army of armor-clad riders, including a handful of professionals, today through Sunday to finish off another season of gravity riding at the Port Angeles course.
“This one is shaping up to be pretty big,” event organizer and Olympic Peninsula Dirt Society member Scott Tucker said.
“I think there will be some big U.S. racers [coming in this weekend]. We could still get a ton because everybody wants to come here one last time for the year.”
Dirt Society members have spent the last couple of weeks preparing the track for one final set of races.
The professional riders will race down a portion of Dry Hill’s intermediate course sure to produce some fast times.
“It’s really wide and fast, which is good in the summer time,” Tucker said. “You don’t want people just dragging their brakes because it turns into moon rocks and dust. So it will just be a fast and twisty course.”
The meticulously manicured tracks, located on Green Crow and state Department of Natural Resources timber land west of Port Angeles, have hosted three races this year.
That included a massive event linked to the U.S. Pro GRT circuit in late April that brought nearly 400 riders to the area.
This weekend’s event might not be quite as big in scope, but it is still expected to draw a crowd.
Races run from 1-6 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Sunday’s finale is set to begin at 10 a.m. The pro finals will wrap things up beginning at approximately noon.
Spectators are welcome to come watch. There will be viewing areas at the finish line and along the course. (Although, the latter requires a hike uphill.)
Admission is free of charge.
Dry Hill is located about three miles west of Port Angeles off U.S. Highway 101. Head south on Walkabout Road off Highway 101, then take the first right.
Given the limited amount of parking available, carpooling is strongly encouraged.
