Cyclists hit the dirt trail in mountain biking event in Jackson

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Roughly a hundred people came out to the Klaus Park Klash mountain bike event in Jackson on Sunday.

Several groups of cyclists hit the dirt trails where they raced for miles in different categories including laps, a kids race and a marathon.

This event was brought about by the Midwest Trail Builders Coalition, bringing in racers from around southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and other areas beyond that.

“It’s a local bike race that we’ve done for a number of years now,” MTBC President Bryan Greaser said. “A lot of mountain bikers from St. Louis. We’ve got Memphis that showed up today, a racer from Carbondale, Illinois. A lot of different places. So, not just local races but more of a regional thing.”

Greaser said they want to grow the love of the sport to others and feel like the sport has grown locally with the younger generation.

“The sport is growing,” Greaser said. “So, there’s also NIKA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association), which is what we call it, but we’re trying to cultivate kids on bikes, mountain biking. We have a local NIKA chapter called the SEMO Mudcats. We’re trying to get those kids on bikes to grow the sport and yes, absolutely, we think we are doing that.”

Greaser said there are many advantages to get involved in mountain biking.

“Biking is a healthy exercise, it’s an adventurous thing, and it’s just an amazing thing,” Greaser said. “To see kids get on bikes like that is, and as they grow older they are going to continue to stay on bikes. It helps local bike shops sell bikes, it stimulates the economy, there’s all kinds of great things that come from it.”

Money raised from this event will help go towards building more trails, signs and other sport items.

Awards were also given out for the top finishers in each category after the races.

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