HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — The Ouachita Triple Crown 180-mile endurance mountain bike race has been added to November’s Sixth Gudrun – Northwoods Mountain Bike Festival in Hot Springs.
Gudrun is a three-day mountain bike festival November 8 – 10 that features competition and activities including the Atila the Hun XC race, the Slow Roll Fun Ride, Full Enduro, Mini Enduro, Waffles and Coffee Time Trial, Jump Jam, Dual Slalom and more.
Triple Crown registration starts today [[[Friday, August 16]]]. Registration and route information for the 180-mile Triple Crown race are available at https://www.arkansashighcountry.com/. The race starts at noon Friday, November 8, at Cedar Glades Park.
Jackalope Cycling is teaming up with Visit Hot Springs to make the OTCR a part of Gudrun – Northwoods MTB Festival.
Traci Berry, the Northwoods Trails coordinator, said, “We here in Hot Springs have really enjoyed working with Chuck Campbell and Johnny Brazil while hosting the Arkansas High Country races in 2022 and 2023.”
Campbell is the founder of the Arkansas High Country Race and co-organizer of the Ouachita Triple Crown along with Brazil.
“Although the Arkansas High Country gravel races have moved on to a new host city, we couldn’t be more excited that they have decided to continue the Ouachita Triple Crown with Hot Springs,” Berry said. “We are pleased that it will coincide with our three-day mountain bike festival, Gudrun, starting and finishing from our festival venue, Northwoods Trails’ Cedar Glades Park.”
The Ouachita Triple Crown route was first mapped by Kenny Williams in 2019. He wanted to link together three International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) Epic Trails into one epic bikepacking route. When connected by gravel roads, the Ouachita Trail (OT), the Womble Trail and the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) create a circle around Lake Ouachita.
“IMBA Epic Trails are the best of the best, and Arkansas has more of them than any other state,” Berry said. “The Ouachita Mountains, composed of rocky ridges and narrow, spring-cooled valleys, are the perfect landscape for an IMBA Epic Trail. The mountains are wild, beautiful and rugged.”
According to the IMBA website, Epic Trails are “technically and physically challenging, beautiful to behold and worthy of celebration. EPICS are demanding, majority singletrack trail experiences in a natural setting and at least 20 miles in length.”
The Ouachita Triple Crown Race was born in 2022 when the Arkansas High Country Race started a two-year residency in Hot Springs. Starting and finishing in Hot Springs gives the route a lollipop shape.
The course record for the 180-mile route is held by Jeff Kerkove at 23 hours and 5 minutes. The women’s record is 38 hours and 27 minutes held by Lindsey Shepherd.
Brazil said, “We can’t wait to return to Hot Springs. It is a great city, and they really know how to host bicycle events. We’re glad to be a part of Gudrun.”
Registration for the Sixth Gudrun Festival is available at https://www.bikereg.com/gudrun.
For more information call Traci Berry at 501-276-3622.
