The second-annual NICA Eastern Regional Festival & Championship is set to become largest gathering of youth mountain bikers in the Eastern U.S.
OCTOBER 24, 2024 – The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is gearing up for its second-annual Eastern Regional Festival, bringing together 11 of its 32 nationwide youth mountain biking leagues across the Eastern U.S. With cross-country racing, skills clinics, adventure rides, and a full vendor expo on tap, the event is shaping up to be the biggest youth mountain biking gathering ever held east of the Mississippi.
Since its founding in 2009, NICA has served almost 90,000 student-athletes; a regional event is a natural evolution to support its growing network of 32 state and regional leagues, 15,000+ registered volunteer coaches, and more than 25,000 student-athletes across the U.S.
A total of 11 NICA leagues, including Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, will converge for the Eastern regional event weekend. The schedule is full of racing, community, and celebration. "Events like this strengthen the entire cycling community," says Amanda Carey, NICA President. "Regionals provides a unique opportunity for our riders to meet and compete against a wider range of NICA athletes. We really want to give young riders, coaches and families the opportunity to connect and celebrate their shared love of bikes with the broader NICA community."
While NICA's leagues host local events throughout the season, the Eastern Regional Festival is a different beast. "This event is truly one of a kind," says Mike Kuhn, the League Director for Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL). PICL is NICA's third largest league; they're also the host for this year's event. "We're bringing leagues together in a way that gives these kids a deeper connection to the broader mountain bike scene across the Eastern U.S., and ultimately the entire country."
Racing is open to high school athletes. Registration opened first for those who qualified through top placements within their local leagues; it has since opened to all other high school athletes, and will remain open through November 1 to fill any remaining spots. General admission and registration for non-racing events will remain open until the event: families and younger riders can enjoy clinics, the expo, NICA Adventure rides, GRiT (Girls Riding Together) and Teen Trail Corps events.
In true NICA fashion, the Regional Festival isn't just about racing. It's about building a cycling community. "NICA's roots started as a racing organization," says Carey. "And from there, we've grown to see that the best way we can engage kids in this sport for life is by broadening their opportunities to connect and have fun off the race course. This event reflects that philosophy, and it's something we're really proud to bring to the youth sports space."
"This is an inclusive event—families, young riders, and the wider cycling community are all welcome," says Kuhn. "There's a vibe at these NICA events that's hard to describe—whether you're racing or cheering from the sidelines, the energy is so positive. It's truly an experience. It's everything you want a youth sports event to be: supportive, fun, and full of moments where riders support each other and respect one another, even in the heat of competition."
The festival will offer a full slate of activities for riders of all levels and ages. For registered NICA athletes, those offerings include a GRiT (Girls Riding Together) group ride to engage female riders and coaches, plus adventure riding sessions for any rider who seeks a non-race-centric approach to riding. The NICA Teen Trail Corps stewardship and advocacy program will also host a suite of activities at the event, led by the North Carolina Cycling league. Trek Factory Racing pro and U23 Pan-American Champion Madigan Munro will be present to lead rides, meet with athletes, and emcee portions of the event. While they're not riding or racing, families and spectators can also enjoy a vendor expo featuring cycling-related sponsors, clinics, and a chance to connect with other mountain biking enthusiasts.
For the cycling industry, this is a prime opportunity to engage with the next generation of riders. With a public expo, clinics, food trucks, and vendor interactions on-site, the event is set to be a hub for cycling culture...especially the rapidly-growing audience of NICA athletes that are set to shape the future of mountain biking. A nominal fee for spectator access provides a great entry point for anyone curious about the youth mountain biking movement.
"Adults who are outdoor enthusiasts or cyclists will often remark to me, 'I wish we had this when I was a kid,'" said Carey. "We believe so strongly that NICA's efforts to create fun and inclusive experiences like this will ultimately help build a generation of lifelong mountain bikers who not only love the sport, they'll continue to shape the community and impact the places where we ride for decades to come."
"The Eastern Regional embodies everything NICA stands for," adds Kuhn. "It's about camaraderie, competition, and creating a lifelong love for riding for these kids. We're expecting this to be the biggest youth mountain biking event the East Coast has ever seen."
Registration information and a full schedule of the festival weekend is available at events.nationalmtb.org/2024-eastern-regionals. Volunteers are needed to support the event; no cycling experience necessary. Sign ups are available on the event website.
The organization also expects to field inquiries for future regional events of similar scope across the country; those who are interested in supporting future events can contact the NICA development and partnerships team for more information via partnerships@nationalmtb.org.
