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Pirate Race Productions Announces The Ascent, the Hardest Bicycle and Running Hill Climbs in the South

Aug. 7, 2012. Pirate Race Productions is thrilled to announce The Ascent Bike and Run Hill Climbs this Sunday, Aug. 12, at the Blue Ridge Mountain Club in Blowing Rock.

The Hardest Bicycle Hill Climb in the South is 9.25-miles, with 3,200 feet of ascending, yielding an average grade of 5.9 percent with a maximum pitch of 17.5 percent. Presented by Magic Cycles, the High country’s premier bicycle shop, the Ascent course has a “Category 1” rating on Strava.com, the most difficult rating of any paved road in the Southern United States.

The course records are held by pro racers Brian Sheedy (45:07) and Alison Arensman (1:01:41). The Ascent bike race is the second stop in the Capo Cycling Apparel King of Pain Series following Boone-Roubaix this past April and Three Peaks USA UltraCross at the Banner Elk Winery on Sept. 23.

New for this year is a running race that will start at the mid-point for 3.7 miles with 1,300 feet of ascending. The Ascent Run is the second stop in the High Country Summit Series along with the infamous Bear 5-Mile Run held in July and The Knob hill climb in Boone on Oct. 5.

Both the bike and run courses use a brand new, buttery smooth road with incredible scenery around every bend. Unlike other hill climbs, we have the luxury of a two lane road that we can close, meaning your friends and family can watch from anywhere on the course, and you can ride, walk, or drive down from the top. Registration for both the run and the bike are available at Active.com for only $30 and $35 until 3 p.m, Thursday, Aug. 8 with no processing fees or you can sign up on race day for an additional $5. The Ascent Facebook page will have updates about both the running and bike races. 

Folks traveling to the Boone Area for the event can find great deals on lodging at ExploreBooneArea.com.

ExploreBooneArea.com is your go-to source of information about visiting the North Carolina High Country. The Boone Area is mecca for cyclists thanks to its unmatched beauty, quiet country roads, and notorious climbs. The area is home to a pair of colleges with national champion cycling teams, and some of the nation’s most popular and challenging cycling events.

Magic Cycles (est. 1993), conveniently located in downtown Boone, is the High Country’s premier bike shop for discriminating riders. Whether you’re a beginner and just getting started or a pro looking to shave grams of weight or seconds off your time, Magic has a professionally trained staff to take care of your needs. Everyone at Magic Cycles is committed to providing you with the best bike shop experience imaginable.

Blowing Rock Ale is a local brand that captures the essence of the High Country as much as you can with a beer. Refreshing, relaxing, recreation—these are part of everyday life in the High Country and these are the things Boone Brewing Company wants people to think about when drinking Blowing Rock Ale.

Blue Ridge Mountain Club is: family-focused and community-centric; naturally spectacular location and privileged member programming; completed infrastructure and debt-free; the reasons why more families are choosing to own at Blue Ridge Mountain Club over any other High Country community today are as long as our views and as deep as our valleys.

Pirate Race Productions is dedicated to staging and promoting athletic events that are incredibly fun for our participants, valuable marketing opportunities for our sponsors, a positive contribution to our host communities, and provide great entertainment for our spectators.

Visit BikeHighCountry.com to learn about tons of fun events including The Ascent, Three Peaks USA, the Wilkesboro Cyclocross Festival and Boone-Roubaix.